Washington, DC—The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth, is celebrating tonight’s bipartisan passage of H.R. 2345, The National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act. A companion bill, S. 1015 sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), passed the Senate unanimously in March of this year.
H.R. 2345 calls upon the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to determine the feasibility of designating a three-digit phone number Americans can dial to reach national suicide prevention and mental health services. The FCC will also evaluate the effectiveness of the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK).
“Passage of this bill is a vital step in improving access to crisis services across the country. After twenty years of serving LGBTQ youth in crisis and recognizing a growing body of data, the Trevor Project is all too aware that LGBTQ youth are far more likely to experience suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide than their straight or cisgender peers. The Trevor Project is calling on the Federal Communications Commission and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to recognize the unique needs of LGBTQ Americans when considering the effectiveness of the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline,” said Amit Paley, CEO and Executive Director of The Trevor Project.
“Since its inception, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has worked tirelessly to constantly improve its crisis services and advance suicide prevention, including innovative public messaging and building cutting-edge partnerships.” said Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project. “As we seek to fulfill the specific mandate of the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act to study the effectiveness of this important national resource, it will be critical that the hotline is equipped to most effectively serve all who call. The Trevor Project stands ready to collaborate with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to better serve LGBTQ youth.”
The Trevor Project and its network of volunteers have supported this legislation every step of the way, including through educational meetings with members of Congress and speaking in support of the bill at the first national Rally to Prevent Suicide on April 21, 2018.
If you’d like to join Trevor’s advocacy efforts just text “TREVOR” to 40649.
About The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention 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. If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, our trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at via chat www.TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting to .
MEDIA CONTACT
Kevin Wong
Vice President of Communications
212.695.8650 x407
[email protected]
