California will companion with the Trevor Challenge to supply suicide prevention assist to LGBTQ+ youth, state officers introduced Wednesday. The announcement comes weeks after the Trump administration mentioned it would now not present nationwide suicide and disaster hotline providers to LGBTQ+ youth.
“While the Trump administration continues its attacks on LGBTQ kids, California has a message to the gay community: we see you and we’re here for you,” Gov. Gavin Newsom mentioned in an announcement. “We’re proud to work with the Trevor Project to ensure that every person in our state can get the support they need to live a happy, healthy life.”
LGBTQ+ youth are significantly susceptible to suicide danger due to how they’re mistreated and stigmatized in society, mentioned the California-based Trevor Challenge, a number one LGBTQ+ advocacy group.
The Trevor Challenge began offering specialised assist to LGBTQ+ youth by the nationwide 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline in September 2022. Generally known as the “Press 3 option,” the service connects LGBTQ+ youth and younger adults beneath 25 with a skilled counselor. Since its launch in 2022, the “Press 3” line has related greater than 1.5 million folks in disaster with sources.
The Trevor Challenge served as the only real supplier for the pilot section of 988 LGBTQ+ youth specialised providers earlier than transitioning to function certainly one of seven facilities that presently make up the LGBTQ+ Youth Subnetwork.
The group mentioned it served greater than 231,000 disaster contacts in 2024 and skilled and supported almost 250 employees members and counselors to assist the hotline.
However final month, the Trump administration introduced that as of July 17, it will now not present the “Press 3 option” for “LGB+ youth” — omitting the “T” for transgender — on the nationwide psychological well being hotline in an effort to “focus on serving all help seekers.” The administration mentioned federal funding for the service included $29.7 million for the 2023 fiscal 12 months and $33 million for the 2024 fiscal 12 months.
“This is devastating, to say the least,” Trevor Challenge CEO Jaymes Black mentioned final month of the choice. “Suicide prevention is about people, not politics. The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible.”
California mentioned Wednesday the Trevor Challenge will practice the state’s 988 disaster counselors on find out how to assist LGBTQ youth. The state mentioned 12 nationwide name facilities are presently staffed throughout California with counselors skilled to answer callers needing assist throughout suicide and behavioral well being crises.
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention listed suicide because the second main reason behind dying amongst youth aged 10 to 14 and the third main reason behind dying amongst younger folks aged 15 to 24 in 2022. The Trevor Challenge’s 2024 nationwide survey on the psychological well being of LGBTQ younger folks discovered that 39% of LGBTQ+ youth had significantly thought of making an attempt suicide prior to now 12 months, together with roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth. The survey additionally discovered that half of LGBTQ+ youth who reported wanting psychological well being care have been unable to get it.
For the reason that pandemic, California has made youth psychological well being sources a key precedence. The state started an overhaul of California’s psychological well being system in 2022, with a $4.7 billion funding into increasing sources and rising entry to providers to Californians aged 0-25.
Further psychological well being assist accessible to California youth embrace the California’s Youngsters and Youth Behavioral Well being Initiative, which provides behavioral well being providers and helps for kids, youth and households. The initiative additionally gives focused providers for LGBTQ+ youth, together with increasing group areas, rising workforce helps and elevating consciousness about suicide prevention.
“There could not be a more stark reminder of the moral bankruptcy of this administration than cutting off suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ youth,” mentioned First Companion Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “No matter what this administration throws at us, I know this state will always meet cruelty with kindness and stand up for what’s right.”
When you or somebody is scuffling with emotions of despair or suicidal ideas, the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline provides free, round the clock assist, data and sources for assist. Name or textual content the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org web site, the place chat is obtainable.
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