Latest news with #988Suicide&CrisisLifeline
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Jim Parsons slams Trump for axing LGBTQ+ lifeline: ‘It's criminal'
Actor Jim Parsons is speaking out against the Trump administration's controversial decision to eliminate the LGBTQ+ option from the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In a recent appearance on MSNBC's The Weekend (via The Daily Beast), The Big Bang Theory star called the move 'quite literally criminal.' Parsons, who is openly gay and married his husband Todd Spiewak in 2017, criticized the administration for what he believes is a cruel and unnecessary rollback of mental health services. As of July 18, callers to the 988 Lifeline can no longer 'press 3' to reach counselors trained specifically in LGBTQ+ crisis issues. The LGBTQ+ option, which had rerouted around 1.5 million callers over three years, was discontinued by the Trump administration in June, sparking widespread backlash. 'It is only hurtful and feels like it's being done to make a point—that certain people are not welcome,' Parsons said. The decision also drew condemnation from advocacy groups like The Trevor Project. CEO Jaymes Black said it 'puts young LGBTQ+ lives at risk.' Senator Tammy Baldwin echoed these concerns, calling the shutdown 'absolutely cruel' and politically charged. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) responded by assuring the public that all 988 callers will still receive support from trained crisis counselors. But for many in the LGBTQ+ community, the loss of a dedicated option feels like a dangerous setback. Parsons' comments amplify growing concern that the decision undermines mental health access for one of the nation's most vulnerable populations.
CNN
5 days ago
- Health
- CNN
Trump admin shuts down a suicide and crisis helpline for LGBTQ+ youth
Trump admin shuts down a suicide and crisis helpline for LGBTQ+ youth The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth have officially ended operations, meaning people contacting 988 for help no longer have the option to 'press 3' to reach counselors specifically trained to respond to the needs of this group. 01:11 - Source: CNN Ex-prosecutor explains what Epstein docs could get released President Donald Trump has asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to unseal pertinent testimony related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, as he appeared to bow to pressure to release more material on the case. CNN's Elie Honig explains what documents could get released. 01:20 - Source: CNN Cardiologist reacts to Trump's diagnosis CNN medical analyst and cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Reiner breaks down President Donald Trump's chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis. 01:12 - Source: CNN Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency President Donald Trump was examined for swelling in his legs and has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced. 01:21 - Source: CNN Five charged in connection with UC Berkeley professor's death in Greece Five people, including the former spouse of UC Berkley Professor Przemyslaw Jeziorski, have been charged in connection with his death. CNN has learned from a police source that the current partner of the professor's ex-wife has confessed to the killing. Three others have also been charged as accomplices, police say. 01:50 - Source: CNN Democrats walk out before vote for controversial Trump nominee Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans voted on Thursday to advance the nomination of Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, to a federal judgeship, over the loud protests of Democrats. 01:42 - Source: CNN CNN visits boys camp devastated by Texas floods Camp La Junta is an all-boys camp in Texas that was devastated by flooding on July 4th. The owners gave CNN rare access to see the damage after the storm. 01:53 - Source: CNN Trump DOJ fires federal prosecutor in Epstein case Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in the case against accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, has been fired from her job in the Southern District of New York, according to people familiar with the situation. 01:56 - Source: CNN Brazil's Lula tells Christiane Amanpour: Trump 'Was not elected to be emperor of the world' Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tells CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview it was 'a surprise' to see President Donald Trump's letter posted to Truth Social, threatening Brazil with a crippling tariff of 50% starting August 1st. Lula says that he initially thought the letter was 'fake news.' Watch the full 'Amanpour' interview on CNN. 01:33 - Source: CNN Gaza's only Catholic church hit by Israeli strike Gaza's only Catholic church was struck by an Israeli tank, killing three and injuring many more, church officials said. It became internationally recognized after reports emerged that the late Pope Francis used to call the church daily. CNN's Nada Bashir reports 00:53 - Source: CNN Taiwan conducts 10-day military drill The Taiwanese government is preparing for a war they hope will never happen. For the first time this year, Taiwan combined two major civil defense exercises, with the drills lasting ten days. These drills have included urban combat, mass casualty simulations, emergency supply drops and cyber defense that could be enacted if an invasion was to occur. CNN's Senior International Correspondent, Will Ripley, reports. 01:44 - Source: CNN Lightning bolt strikes near delivery man Video shows a lightning strike nearly hitting a delivery man in Wayne, New Jersey, as storms took place across the Mid-Atlantic. 00:36 - Source: CNN Trump ramping up pressure on Fed chair The White House pressure campaign for the Chair of the Federal Reserve, Jay Powell, to lower interest rates escalated sharply Wednesday morning. CNN's Phil Mattingly breaks down Trump's strategy and how markets are responding. 02:54 - Source: CNN Hikers confront man allegedly setting a tree on fire in LA Video shows a tense moment where hikers confronted a man for allegedly starting a fire near Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles on Sunday and prevented him from leaving the scene. Andrew Ocalliham was arrested and charged with one count of arson of forest land, court records show. 01:23 - Source: CNN Massive fire destroys Tomorrowland's main stage Tomorrowland's main stage went up in flames just days ahead of the festival's opening in Boom, Belgium. 00:38 - Source: CNN The Obamas address divorce rumors on Michelle's podcast Former President Barack Obama joined his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, on her latest podcast episode with her brother Craig Robinson to address divorce rumors. In recent months, speculation about their marriage has run rampant after several public appearances where Michelle Obama did not join her husband, including at President Donald Trump's inauguration in January. 01:52 - Source: CNN How Trump's image is changing inside Russia Once hailed as a pro-Kremlin figure, President Donald Trump's image is changing inside Russia. It comes after Trump vowed further sanctions on the country if a peace agreement with Ukraine is not reached in 50 days. CNN's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent is on the ground in Moscow with the analysis. 01:41 - Source: CNN Syrian anchor takes cover from airstrike live on TV An airstrike on the Syrian Ministry of Defense was captured live on Syria TV, forcing the anchor to take cover. Israel has been carrying out airstrikes on Syria as part of its commitment to protect the Druze, an Arab minority at the center of clashes with government loyalists. 00:30 - Source: CNN Trump says interest in Epstein files is 'pretty boring stuff' President Donald Trump said he doesn't understand his supporters' continued interest in the Epstein files, calling it "boring," while also reiterating his call for anything 'credible' to be released. 00:56 - Source: CNN
The Hill
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
LGBTQ+ mental health hotline shuts down
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The LGBTQ-specific part of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline shut down Thursday following a directive from the Trump administration, drawing bipartisan criticism from lawmakers and mental health advocates who warn the move endangers lives. The specialized LGBTQ+ line, launched in 2022, offered targeted support for individuals in crisis and had fielded more than 1.2 million calls, texts, and chats since its debut. 'There's more than a million of those moments where someone thought it would be better if they weren't here, and they had someone to call,' said Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.). The Trump administration eliminated resources for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, including this crisis line. 'It's been very successful,' said Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). 'And President Trump has determined to put politics ahead of care, ahead of saving lives.' According to the Trevor Project, about 40 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year. Those with access to affirming mental health services like the 988 line were significantly less likely to attempt it. Even some Republicans, such as Rep. Mike Lawler (N.Y.), are urging the Department of Health and Human Services to restore the LGBTQ+ line. 'To me, this is about saving lives,' said Lawler. 'It is about preventing suicide. And it's something all of us as Americans should be unified on.' Lawmakers say the shutdown not only strips away critical mental health support but also sends a harmful message to vulnerable communities. 'Whether you are part of the LGBTQ community, whether someone in your family is or you have friends that are, every single one of us should be concerned about that,' Davids said. Lawmakers have sent a letter urging HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to immediately reverse the shutdown. As of now, the agency has not announced any changes.
NBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- NBC News
Trump administration shuts down LGBTQ youth suicide hotline
The Trump administration on Thursday afternoon officially terminated the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services program, which gave callers under age 25 the option to speak with LGBTQ-trained counselors. The announcement that the specialized service would be shuttered was made last month by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The agency said it would 'no longer silo LGB+ youth services' — notably removing the 'T' representing the transgender community — and would instead 'focus on serving all help seekers.' 'Everyone who contacts the 988 Lifeline will continue to receive access to skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors who can help with suicidal, substance misuse, or mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress. Anyone who calls the Lifeline will continue to receive compassion and help,' the agency stated at the time. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in July 2022, two years after President Donald Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, making 988 the universal number for the national suicide prevention line. The bipartisan legislation noted that LGBTQ youths 'are more than 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide than their peers and stated that SAMHSA 'must be equipped to provide specialized resources' to high-risk populations, including LGBTQ youths. The specialized LGBTQ hotline was rolled out in October 2022, initially as a pilot program, receiving between $29.7 million and $33 million annually, according to SAMHSA. Also known as the 'Press 3 option,' the program gave 988 callers the option to 'press 3' to connect with a counselor trained to assist lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youths and young adults (they could also text 988 with the word 'PRIDE'). Nearly 1.5 million contacts were routed to the LGBTQ service since its launch, according to data available on the SAMHSA website. The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization, was initially the sole provider of the specialized service, but eventually seven providers were part of 988's LGBTQ Youth Subnetwork. Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, called the termination of the service 'unfathomable.' 'This administration has made a dangerous decision to play politics with real young people's lives,' Black said in a statement. 'The 988 Lifeline's Specialized Services Program was created to serve Americans at highest risk for suicide — including veterans and LGBTQ+ youth — with best-practice crisis care that meets these populations' unique needs.' The option for 988 callers to press 1 if they are veterans or service members seeking specialized services will remain in operation. 'Sadly, more children are going to die in America because of this cut.' Rep. seth moulton, d-mass. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., who co-sponsored the legislation that paved the way for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, spoke about the termination of the LGBTQ youth service in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday. 'Kids are going to die,' Moulton said when asked about the termination's effects. 'This is actually the kind of thing Republicans should care about if they really care about American kids, because an extraordinary percentage of the people who call this lifeline in a moment of crisis say that it saved their lives.' 'As a veteran, I know how much it means to my fellow veterans to be able to push a button when they call 988 and get connected directly to a veterans crisis counselor — someone who's trained to deal with veterans. Well, LGBTQ kids need that, too,' he added. 'Sadly, more children are going to die in America because of this cut.' It wasn't just Democrats who criticized the decision to shutter 988's LGBTQ youth service. At a press conference outside the Capitol on Thursday, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., joined several of his colleagues from across the aisle to speak out against the program's termination. 'This lifeline has provided help — it has connected young people with trained professionals who understand what they are going through, and in many cases, it has saved lives,' Lawler said. 'Cutting a program that is working, that is meeting a real and growing need, just does not make sense.' When asked for comment about the termination of the LGBTQ service and critics' claims, a SAMHSA spokesperson pointed NBC News to the agency's June statement announcing the service's forthcoming termination. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, of which SAMHSA is a part, said the Press 3 option had run out of congressionally directed funding and added that continued operation of the specialized service would have required reallocating funds away from the main 988 Lifeline, possibly resulting in massive reductions in service. While 988 has discontinued its LGBTQ youth service, LGBTQ youths and young adults seeking specialized crisis intervention and suicide prevention help can still contact the Trevor Project for such services by calling 1-866-488-7386, texting START to 678678 or visiting Some states are also planning to help fill the gap left by the termination of 988's specialized service for LGBTQ youth. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the state's Health and Human Services Agency would partner with the Trevor Project to provide the state's 988 crisis counselors with enhanced competency training in addition to the training they already receive. 'While the Trump administration continues its attacks on LGBTQ kids, California has a message to the community: we see you and we're here for you,' Newsom said in a statement. '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.'
USA Today
6 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
'Keeps me up at night': Advocates fear fallout as an LGBTQ+ suicide lifeline ends
This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at At The GenderCool Project, an advocacy group that supports transgender and nonbinary children, organizers work with young people who are thriving and excited about their future. But that pride doesn't happen in a vacuum, said Chase Glenn, the project's executive director. 'It takes support," he said. 'Especially when the world feels unsafe.' Now, Glenn and other LGBTQ+ community advocates say a critical layer of support is being stripped away. Specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are facing shutdown July 17 as part of federal budget cuts that include an overhaul of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The LGBTQ+-focused 988 lifeline program, which marked its third anniversary July 16, has served an estimated 1.5 million young people since its inception, according to the Trevor Project. 'Cutting specialized suicide hotline services for LGBTQ youth sends a devastating message to these youth, especially at a time when they're already up against nonstop political attacks and misinformation,' Glenn said. He isn't alone in sounding alarms over the move. Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, called the program's termination 'unfathomable.' 'This administration has made a dangerous decision to play politics with real young people's lives,' Black said. The Trevor Project, one of seven federally funded contact centers that have partnered with the lifeline to offer LGBTQ+-focused support, has handled about half of the line's overall calls. Since April, when the proposed cuts were first revealed, the program has served about 70,000 LGBTQ+ youth per month. That's compared to between 45,000 and 51,000 children monthly during the same time frame in 2024. The HHS restructuring consolidates 28 divisions into 15, including a newly created Administration for a Healthy America to implement secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda. Asked about the termination of the program, the department told USA TODAY the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 'made a critical decision that sustained the entire 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline' by using remaining fiscal year funds 'to support all individuals.' The 988 hotline will continue to operate as 'a direct connection to immediate support for all Americans, regardless of their circumstances,' the department said. In a statement issued about the program's termination, SAMHSA, a division of HHS, said the lifeline would no longer silo "LGB+" youth services, omitting transgender people in its description, and instead "focus on serving all help seekers." 'Mental health equivalent of 911' The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is operated by nonprofit organization Vibrant Emotional Health through a SAMHSA grant. The hotline originally launched in 2005, offering immediate support to people experiencing suicidal crisis. It's 'the mental health equivalent of 911,' Mark Henson, the Trevor Project's vice president for federal advocacy and government affairs, said. The subnetwork serving LGBTQ+ young people launched as a pilot program in 2022, joining other subnetworks serving veterans and Spanish speakers with specialized mental health care. Veterans can press 1, for instance, while Spanish speakers can press 2. For LGBTQ+ youth, pressing 3 puts them in touch with a counselor well-versed in issues that disproportionately impact LGBTQ+ youth, including stigma, family estrangement and potential homelessness. 'That enables our counselors to more quickly bond with the caller to understand, without having to have an explanation, some of the things that they're going through and create that respect and trust in order to help them through that day,' said Henson. Research shows LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. About four in 10 LGBTQ+ youth seriously consider suicide every year, according to the Trevor Project's 2024 annual survey; meanwhile, 90% of LGBTQ+ youth said increasing political rhetoric targeting the community had negatively affected their mental health. 'It's not that LGBTQ youth are inherently more likely to consider suicide,' said Cheryl Greene, senior director of Welcoming Schools, an anti-bullying program run by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. 'It's the external factors, like discrimination and lack of support.' Henson said that those factors underscore why the pilot program for LGBTQ+ youth was added as a 988 subnetwork in the first place. President Donald Trump has targeted diversity and identity efforts since taking office earlier this year, dismantling federal programs through executive order and pressuring contractors to end "illegal DEI discrimination," which prompted some corporations to follow suit. In critical moments, 'every minute counts' Henson said in addition to the 988 hotline's LGBTQ+ services, the cutbacks also include $25 million in annual funding provided to the Trevor Project for hotline support, which the agency told USA TODAY enabled it to double its number of youth served last year. While the Trevor Project's own 24/7 crisis services will continue, 'our ability to support youth will be cut in half just as demand is rising,' he said. 'What happens to those other folks who need those services? It's a question that keeps me up at night.' LGBTQ+ youth won't be left without any place to go. With the 'press 3' option no longer available, calls will instead be handled generically, routed to state-level counselors, though they won't be guaranteed to have the same expertise, Henson said. Given the surging volume of LGBTQ+ calls, the move also risks overwhelming the available number of state counselors, which he fears could lead to increased wait times. 'In suicide prevention, every minute counts,' he said. Zach Eisenstein, communications director for the Trevor Project, said wait times vary from day to day and hour to hour. A study by Northwestern University researchers published last year in the National Library of Medicine found that as of December 2022, the average wait time for all methods of contact — calls, texts or chats — was 44 seconds. As the 988 changes set in, advocates also pointed to the Trump administration's heightened focus on the community and the hundreds of legislative proposals introduced yearly aimed at LGBTQ+ rights. "Many of these youth don't have affirming families, and schools are struggling to affirm them. It just seems cruel, compounding everything right now, to take away this lifeline,' said Greene, of the Welcoming Schools program. Black, of the Trevor Project, agreed. 'Despite our political differences, we should all agree that every young person's life is worth saving,' he said. 'I am heartbroken that this administration has decided to say, loudly and clearly, that some young people's lives are not.'
