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From left: U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Their legislation would revive the crisis line the Trump administration shut down.
U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Lisa Murkowski have introduced a bill to write the 988 crisis line’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth into law, reviving them after the Trump administration ended them in July.
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“We are in the middle of a mental health crisis, and the 988 lifeline saves lives, plain and simple,” Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat who is a lesbian, said in a press release. “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.” She is being joined by Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska.
Baldwin wrote the legislation to create the three-digit 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and fought to set 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.
The LGBTQ+ youth crisis line has received 1.5 million contacts since it was established in 2022, with the number of contacts growing each year.
Related: Ariana Grande & Pedro Pascal among 100 celebrities asking Congress to save LGBTQ+ youth 988 hotline
Baldwin had already sought to restore funding for the LGBTQ+ youth services through the appropriations process, but her bipartisan bill, the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act, would protect this service for years to come by putting it 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 then attempted suicide, rates much higher than those of 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 Democratic Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Sharice Davids, and Seth Moulton, and Republican Reps. Mike Lawler and Brian Fitzpatrick.
Related: These crisis hotlines are still available for LGBTQ+ youth after Trump ends special 988 services
The Trevor Project and other activist groups praised the move. “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,” Trevor Project's CEO, Jaymes Black, said in the release. “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…. 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 Executive Director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers added. “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 for the 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.”
The legislation is supported by the Trevor Project, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, GLSEN, and the Human Rights Campaign.
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
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