The “big beautiful bill” budget proposal currently proposes a “not-so-beautiful” option. One of the items proposed is a change to the 988 suicide crisis hotline options that could hurt LGBTQ+ youth. Let’s take a look.
What’s in the Proposed Bill?
The Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been aggressive in working to eliminate waste and bloat in the federal government. Many Americans, including me, strongly support this goal. As we have seen from DOGE’s reviews, there is specifically more corruption and bloat in this government than anyone has imagined. The proposed change to the 988 service is closely tied to the DOGE reviews. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a government agency in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). SAMHSA is responsible for advancing the nation’s behavioral health. As part of the DOGE reviews, the agency lost over 10% of its staff.
SAMHSA-specific responsibilities include:
- Funds and oversees programs that support people with mental health and substance use disorders
- Provides national crisis services, i.e., the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline
- Develops and promotes public mental health campaigns
- Provides grants
- They also collect and publish data on mental health and substance abuse trends.
The 988 crisis hotline added an option (option 3) for LGBTQ+ kids in crisis back in 2020. The option routed the person directly to a counselor specifically trained in this space. The proposed budget bill will “no longer silo” services meaning this option will be removed. The rationale is to “serve all help seekers.” The estimated cost savings is $33 million, and the target implementation date for this change is July 17, 2025.
Why Change 988 Now?
The timing of this change couldn’t be worse. Let’s look at the facts:
- A 2024 national survey by the Trevor Project shows 39% of LGBTQ+ youth, and 46% of transgender and nonbinary youth, considered suicide in the year before the survey. These numbers are alarming, to put it mildly.
- We are still on the heels of the pandemic that had a tremendous impact on the youth in our country. The Trevor Project, along with other mental health organizations, found that the pandemic intensified existing challenges, i.e., isolation, anxiety, and lack of access to support systems.
- The Trevor Project’s survey highlighted that LGBTQ+ youth who have been bullied or have lived in areas that are not “affirming” were significantly more likely to attempt suicide.
This article is about trying to prevent any further increase and reducing suicide attempts by our youth. This has nothing to do with whether you believe or support the LGBTQ+, transgender, or nonbinary movements. These are kids. We cannot afford to take chances with the youth in our society, especially now, as we are still recovering from the pandemic. We can all easily support cost savings, but with the current bloated government, I have to believe we can find $33 million elsewhere. If anything, based on the alarming statistics, we should be investing more in the crisis hotline and other mental health programs.
Jesus’ Love For Children
Jesus always had a special place in his heart for children:
Matthew 18:10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones,* for I say to you that their angels in heaven.”
Luke 18:16 – “Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, ‘Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 18:3-5: And said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.”
This cannot be a partisan issue. I completely understand that many Catholics have strong feelings about social movements like LGBTQ+, gender identity, and transgender. Jesus teaches us to care for one another and not to judge. We must protect every child, and I believe that changing the 988 crisis line is a bad idea for many reasons. Please let me know your thoughts on this article in the “Comments” section.
Peace
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