The bill contains robust funding for mental health and crisis care, including $7.2 million to implement specialized services for LGBTQ youth in connection with the upcoming activation of 988 in July.
March 15, 2022 — The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, applauded the passage of the FY22 omnibus appropriations bill, which was signed into law by President Biden today. The $1.5 trillion federal spending package included robust funding for suicide prevention and mental health resources, including language that would allocate $7.2 million to implement specialized services for LGBTQ youth in connection with the upcoming activation of 988 as the new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in July.
“This is a critical investment that will fortify and expand our nation’s mental health infrastructure, and help save young lives. The Trevor Project is especially grateful that this package includes funding for specialized services, ensuring LGBTQ youth who contact 988 come July will have access to culturally competent services in times of crisis,” said Preston Mitchum (he/him), Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs. “Mental health and suicide prevention are not partisan issues. We look forward to continue working with Congress and the Administration to ensure the activation of 988 is a success — and to transform our entire crisis care system to be more comprehensive and humane. Together, we can equip LGBTQ young people with the resources needed to not only survive, but to thrive.”
The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth (13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. — and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. According to The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Further, more than 80% of LGBTQ youth of all said it was important that a crisis line include a focus on LGBTQ youth, should they need it.
The Trevor Project is grateful to the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and President Biden for including important provisions in the final appropriations package. This would not have been possible without the bipartisan leadership of policymakers such as Senators Susan Collins and Tammy Baldwin, and Representatives Mark Pocan, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Chris Stewart.
About The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The Trevor Project offers a suite of 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat as well as the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, TrevorSpace. Trevor also operates an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, an advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and a research team to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide.
