Baldwin, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Put 988 Crisis Line for LGBTQ+ Youth into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced bipartisan legislation, the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act, to codify the 988 lifeline's specialized services for LGBTQ+ young people. The legislation comes after the Trump Administration shut down the LGBTQ+ youth services in July, despite the specialized lifeline having received over 1.5 million crisis contacts since 2022, with an increasing number of contacts each year.

"We are in the middle of a mental health crisis, and the 988 lifeline saves lives, plain and simple," said Senator Baldwin. "There is absolutely no good reason that Donald Trump took away this specialized help for our LGBTQ youth. Mental health does not see partisan lines or geography, and I'm proud to be working with Democrats and Republicans to do what's right and ensure that all kids have access to the help they need - regardless of who is President."

Senator Baldwin wrote the legislation to create the three-digit 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and fought to stand up a pilot program for LGBTQ+ youth to address higher rates of suicide and mental health challenges among this population. Since the lifeline launched, it has received over 17.7 million contacts, including 12 million calls, 3.1 million texts, and 2.6 million chats. In 2025, the answer rate hit its highest point since inception, 92 percent, but cutting funding for specialized services puts that in jeopardy.

In July, President Trump eliminated the 988 Lifeline's LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services. As ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, Senator Baldwin fought to secure $535 million for the 988 Suicide Prevention Line and to restore dedicated funding for LGBTQ+ youth specialized services in Fiscal Year 2026 funding legislation, which passed out of committee with bipartisan support. The 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act would protect the specialized services for years to come by putting this specific service into statute. The bill requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services dedicate sufficient resources, including for "establishing, re-establishing, operating, and maintaining" specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth.

The Trevor Project found that nearly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous year, and 12 percent of LGBTQ+ young people attempted suicide, rates much higher than those present among non-LGBTQ+ youth. These specialized services connect LGBTQ+ youth with specially trained crisis counselors, similar to other dedicated programs for veterans and service members.

Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Davids (D-KS-03), Moulton (D-MA-06), Lawler (R-NY-17), and Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01).

"LGBTQ+ youth experience significant health and behavioral health disparities, including elevated rates of suicide attempts, with 39% reporting in 2024 that they had seriously considered suicide in the past year," said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. "Research shows that culturally competent care-support that understands and affirms LGBTQ+ identities-can be life-saving. Before the 988 LGBTQ+ line was shut down on July 17, more than 1.5 million calls, texts, and chats were routed to specially trained counselors. AFSP thanks Representatives Krishnamoorthi, Lawler, Davids, Fitzpatrick, and Moulton, and Senators Baldwin and Murkowski, for introducing bipartisan legislation to restore these specialized services. We urge Congress to act quickly to pass this vital bill and ensure LGBTQ+ youth in crisis have access to the care they need."

"Two months ago today, the administration eliminated the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's 'Press 3' LGBTQ+ youth specialized services - a devastating blow that cut life-saving resources for more than 1.5 million young LGBTQ+ Americans who relied on them," said Trevor Project's CEO, Jaymes Black. "Given that LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, the need for these services remains pressing. At The Trevor Project, we are doing everything we can to fill the gaps in crisis care caused by the 'Press 3' shutdown. We are immensely grateful to the members of Congress - both Republicans and Democrats - who are calling to restore this vital suicide prevention funding through new legislation. This is not about politics, or identity; this is about doing what is best to support our country's highest risk populations - and save young people's lives nationwide."

"LGBTQ+ youth are facing a mental health crisis at a scale we can't ignore. Nearly 40% have seriously considered suicide, according to The Trevor Project, and far too many are unable to access the care they need. In 2024 alone, almost half of LGBTQ+ young people who sought mental health support couldn't, often because of barriers at home or in their schools," GLSEN's Executive Director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers said. "The launch of the LGBTQ+ option on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was a major step forward. It's a service that has already made a difference, and one we can't afford to lose. The bipartisan 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025 will ensure that this specialized service remains available and fully funded for the LGBTQI+ community. By codifying 'Option 3' into law, this bill sends a clear message: our LGBTQ+ youth matter, and they deserve support, safety, and someone to turn to in their darkest moments. We're proud to see leaders on both sides of the aisle standing up for their lives."

"It comes down to one simple truth: 988 saves lives-especially for those who are most vulnerable," said David Stacy, Vice President of Government Affairs, Human Rights Campaign. "The evidence is clear and overwhelming, yet this administration has cruelly ripped away this vital lifeline. We are proud that leaders from both parties recognize the importance of 988, what it represents, and the lives it changes. Their support helps us ensure that every person has the chance to live their full American dream."

"LGBTQ+ youth face disproportionately high rates of suicide and suicidal thoughts, making access to specialized suicide prevention and support essential," said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). "We have to do everything we can to save young people's lives. The 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act dedicates critical resources to maintain and strengthen the specialized LGBTQ+ services within the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. NAMI is proud to support this lifesaving legislation."

The legislation is supported by the Trevor Project, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, GLSEN, and the Human Rights Campaign.

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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