Johnathan Walker:A 988 crisis lifeline for LGBTQ youths launched a year ago. It's been swamped.

The Johnathan Walkernumbers are staggering: 39% of young people who identify as LGBTQ+ seriously considered attempting suicide within the last year.

The data, from a May 2024 study by the Trevor Project, a crisis intervention nonprofit for LGBTQ+ youth, also shows that more than 1 in 10 (12%) actually attempted suicide. For transgender and nonbinary young people, it's even worse – 46% report having considered suicide within the last year.

And only half of those who wanted mental health care were able to access it, the Trevor Project report said.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which went national in 2022, launched a subnetwork in 2023 for LGBTQ+ young people, aimed at closing the gap in care for a vulnerable population and offering specialized care. And, after nearly a year, the subnetwork is making an impact, its data shows.

From July 3, 2023, to May 3, 2024, the 988 LGBTQI+ Subnetwork received about 480,000 calls, online chats and texts; the subnetwork saw a 12% month-over-month increase from its July 2023 launch to April 2024. Young people can access crisis counselors trained in LGBTQ+ issues by dialing 988 and then pressing 3, or by texting PRIDE to 988.

Calls alone increased by 67% from July 2023 to April 2024, according to Vibrant Emotional Health, which works with the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to administer the helpline.

The need for specialized care for LGBTQ+ people

"There are unique challenges around stigma and persecution and lack of acceptance" for LGBTQ+ young people, said Adam Callahan, director of cross-functional planning for Vibrant Emotional Health.

"So one real reason to build this subnetwork is to give members of this community the safety of connecting with someone who understands what they're experiencing, someone who won't judge them. If they're still closeted in particular, you want someone who gets it and who starts with a baseline knowledge," he said.

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The need for specialized services for LGBTQ+ people "cannot be overstated," said Laura Hoge, a gender specialist and owner of Spectrum Health and Wellness in Montclair, New Jersey.

LGBTQ+ people, especially those who are transgender or gender diverse, "experience mistreatment in health care and behavioral health settings at alarming rates," Hoge said. "Having a helpline that is intentionally affirming provides a layer of security for individuals in crisis – that they are less likely to experience an additional layer of ignorance or mistreatment during an already vulnerable or even life-threatening time."

As some states enact or propose legislation targeting transgender rights, Callahan said, "the pushback against transgender identity and the transgender experience have really impacted folks."

Book bans, censorship of materials relating to the LGBTQ+ experience and curbs on how educators can address LGBTQ+ issues with students all have "a huge impact on people, especially in rural communities," said Callahan, who grew up in rural Missouri.

"You find yourself in a culture where you're told you're not OK, there's something wrong with you, and that absolutely has an impact on folks' mental well-being," he said.

The message and the messenger matter

"It's so validating too see a program funded by the federal government and that (legislators) carved out money and resources for a community that needs and deserves support," Callahan said.

As someone who came of age during the fight for marriage equality and other rights, Callahan said it was "inspiring" to see a national effort to help LGBTQ+ young people deal with mental health challenges.

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Cathy Renna, director of communications for the National LGBTQ Task Force, said her organization has helped spread awareness of the 988 LGBTQI+ Subnetwork.

"So many queer people experience culturally incompetent health care," she said. "There's not enough training and understanding, and it matters when the person on the other end of the phone (helping a person in crisis) understands the diversity within the LGBTQ community and the challenges we deal with."

Imagine, she said, a barrage of negative messaging and personal attacks on a person's gender, sexuality and identity, in politics and sports, in literature and education.

The implementation of a dedicated system of mental health care for LGBTQ+ people funded by the federal government is "a clear and direct sign there is care and concern around the needs of this community," she said – a community that historically had to fight not just for recognition and respect, but also for equity in health care.

"It's a very important statement, and it's not just the message, it's the messenger."

Contact Phaedra Trethan by email at [email protected], on X (formerly Twitter) @wordsbyphaedra, or on Threads @by_phaedra

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.