Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - 5/2/2025… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) is calling on Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to preserve the Specialized Services for LGBTQ+ Youth within the 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline, following reports that the Department’s FY2026 budget proposal would eliminate the program.

The 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline, which offers support via voice, text, and chat in both English and Spanish, introduced the specialized services pilot program for LGBTQ+ youth in 2022. By March 2023, the program expanded to 24/7 availability. As of February 2025, it averages over 2,100 contacts per day.

According to a 2021 CDC study, 45% of high school students who seriously considered attempting suicide identified as LGBTQ+. Lawler emphasized the potential consequences of eliminating these services, noting that it could result in increased emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and long-term mental health issues, which would place further strain on the healthcare system and families.

“The 988 Lifeline has saved countless lives, and for many LGBTQ+ youth, who face disproportionately high risks of suicide, this specialized service is a lifeline in every sense of the word,” wrote the lawmakers. “We cannot leave our children without critical mental health care. As we’ve said in the letter, we firmly believe in parents' rights, but we also know that we must ensure young people in crisis receive immediate and compassionate care.”

“These are real, vulnerable young people who urgently need access to mental health care. The reported HHS budget draft would eliminate this specialized lifeline, leaving many LGBTQ+ youth without a compassionate voice in moments of profound distress,” concluded the lawmakers. 

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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The full letter can be found HERE.