{"id":665457,"date":"2025-06-11T09:44:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T13:44:27","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-08-09T06:04:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T10:04:17","slug":"growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div\n\tclass=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content--standard-layout wp-block-kff-shared-content\">\n\t\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content-main\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"post-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<h1 class=\"post-header__title\">Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service<\/h1>\n\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"post-header__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"post-header__meta-label\">\n\t\t\t\tAuthors:\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/lindsey-dawson\/\">Lindsey Dawson<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/heather-saunders\/\">Heather Saunders<\/a> \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"post-header__meta-label\">Published:<\/span>\n\t\t\t<date>Jun 11, 2025<\/date>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"post-header__social-sharing\">\n\t\t<button class=\"post-header__social-sharing__button print\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"16\" height=\"17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M4.348 2.5v3.391H2.783A.787.787 0 0 0 2 6.674v4.696c0 .429.353.782.783.782h1.565V14.5h7.304v-2.348h1.565c.43 0 .783-.353.783-.782V6.674a.787.787 0 0 0-.783-.783h-1.565V2.5H4.348Zm.522.522h6.26v2.87H4.87v-2.87ZM2.783 6.413h1.782a.26.26 0 0 0 .085 0h6.697a.26.26 0 0 0 .086 0h1.784c.148 0 .261.114.261.26v4.697c0 .147-.113.26-.26.26h-1.566V9.283H4.348v2.347H2.783a.257.257 0 0 1-.261-.26V6.674c0-.147.113-.261.26-.261Zm9.39.783a.522.522 0 1 0 0 1.043.522.522 0 0 0 0-1.043ZM4.87 9.804h6.26v2.043a.264.264 0 0 0 0 .086v2.045H4.87v-2.043a.261.261 0 0 0 0-.085V9.804Zm1.043.783a.262.262 0 0 0-.265.26.26.26 0 0 0 .265.262h4.174a.26.26 0 1 0 0-.522H5.913Zm0 1.043a.26.26 0 1 0 0 .522h3.13a.26.26 0 1 0 0-.522h-3.13Zm0 1.044a.26.26 0 1 0 0 .522h4.174a.262.262 0 0 0 .264-.261.26.26 0 0 0-.264-.261H5.913Z\" fill=\"#004B88\" stroke=\"#004B88\" stroke-width=\".5\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\n\t\t\tPrint\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t<a href=\"mailto:?subject=Growing%20Uncertainty%20About%20the%20Future%20of%20the%20988%20Suicide%20and%20Crisis%20Lifeline%26%238217%3Bs%20LGBTQI%2B%20Service&#038;body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kff.org%2Flgbtq%2Fgrowing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service%2F\" class=\"post-header__social-sharing__button\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"16\" height=\"17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M2.333 4.25h-.25v9.14h12.5V4.25H2.333Zm1.083 1.693-.353-.2V5.23h10.54v.513l-.353.2L8.333 8.73 3.416 5.943Zm-.353 6.467V6.884l.107.06 5.04 2.857.123.07.123-.07 5.04-2.857.107-.06v5.526H3.063Z\" fill=\"#004B88\" stroke=\"#004B88\" stroke-width=\".5\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<button class=\"post-header__social-sharing__button copy\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"16\" height=\"17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M11.533 2.9c-.615 0-1.23.235-1.697.702L8.502 4.936a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-.575 2.46l.958-.958a1.32 1.32 0 0 1 .371-.748l1.334-1.333a1.331 1.331 0 0 1 1.886 0c.52.52.52 1.365 0 1.885l-1.334 1.333c-.21.21-.474.331-.748.372l-.958.958a2.393 2.393 0 0 0 2.46-.576l1.334-1.333a2.402 2.402 0 0 0 0-3.394 2.393 2.393 0 0 0-1.697-.702Zm-1.61 3.46a.533.533 0 0 0-.367.162l-3.2 3.2a.533.533 0 1 0 .754.754l3.2-3.2a.534.534 0 0 0-.387-.915ZM6.586 7.973a2.388 2.388 0 0 0-1.816.697l-1.334 1.333a2.403 2.403 0 0 0 0 3.394 2.393 2.393 0 0 0 1.697.702c.614 0 1.229-.234 1.697-.702l1.333-1.334a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 .576-2.46l-.959.958a1.32 1.32 0 0 1-.37.749l-1.334 1.333a1.334 1.334 0 0 1-1.886-1.885l1.334-1.334c.21-.21.474-.331.748-.372l.958-.957c-.21-.07-.426-.11-.644-.122Z\" fill=\"#004B88\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\n\t\t\t<span>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Update: On June 17<sup>th<\/sup>, 2025, SAMHSA<\/em><\/strong> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/about\/news-announcements\/statements\/2025\/samhsa-statement-988-press-3-option\"><em>announced<\/em><\/a><em> that it would end the 988 LGBTQI+ specialty service stating &#8220;The 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline will no longer silo LGB+ youth services, also known as the \u201cPress 3 option,\u201d to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option.&#8221; \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since taking office, the Trump administration has pursued various policy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/other\/fact-sheet\/overview-of-president-trumps-executive-actions-impacting-lgbtq-health\/\">actions<\/a> that could limit health services and access for LGBTQ+ people, including those related to mental health. LGBTQ+ people experience elevated\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/report-section\/lgbt-adults-experiences-with-discrimination-and-health-care-disparities-findings\/#:~:text=Nearly%20half%20of%20LGBT%20adults,adults%20to%20say%20there%20was\">stigma, discrimination<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/mental-health\/issue-brief\/mental-health-care-needs-and-experiences-among-lgbt-people\/\">mental health challenges<\/a>, along with greater unmet mental health needs. Dedicated services tailored specifically to LGBTQ+ individuals aim to address these distinct needs and experiences.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">988, the federal suicide and crisis line, supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), includes a specific service to meet the needs of LGBTQI+<sup data-fn=\"3ebcce59-0cbc-4847-9b37-dc6e988e81ae\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"3ebcce59-0cbc-4847-9b37-dc6e988e81ae-link\" href=\"#3ebcce59-0cbc-4847-9b37-dc6e988e81ae\">1<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp; youth and young adults under the age of 25.<sup data-fn=\"cc77a707-0401-4f15-a449-41d8f37b1190\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"cc77a707-0401-4f15-a449-41d8f37b1190-link\" href=\"#cc77a707-0401-4f15-a449-41d8f37b1190\">2<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp; This specialty service, initially launched in pilot form in October 2022 and expanded nationwide in July 2023, has experienced increasing demand. The Trump administration\u2019s FY 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/fy-2026-aha-cj.pdf\">budget request<\/a> includes level funding for 988 overall, including its Spanish language service, but eliminates dedicated funding for the LGBTQI+ service. Additionally, promotional materials for 988\u2019s LGBTQI+ service were removed from SAMHSA\u2019s website in <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20250202154037\/https:\/www.samhsa.gov\/mental-health\/988\/partner-toolkit\">early<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20250203235135\/https:\/www.samhsa.gov\/mental-health\/988\/partner-toolkit\">February<\/a> 2025.<sup data-fn=\"c1969b69-6da9-4a23-8d4a-c294ae48dbd3\" class=\"fn\"><a id=\"c1969b69-6da9-4a23-8d4a-c294ae48dbd3-link\" href=\"#c1969b69-6da9-4a23-8d4a-c294ae48dbd3\">3<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp; With this exclusion from the proposed budget, removal of materials, along with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jUcDvNfYQDU\">other<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/static1.squarespace.com\/static\/606e6778226e5b3b32094244\/t\/68000a2cf27d5a766022e993\/1744833090217\/HHS+FY26+Budget+Proposal.pdf\">actions<\/a>, the future of the 988 LGBTQI+ service is uncertain. (For additional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/mental-health\/issue-brief\/utilization-of-the-988-suicide-crisis-lifelines-lgbtq-service\/\">history of the LGBTQI+ service<\/a> and, 988 more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/mental-health\/issue-brief\/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline-two-years-after-launch\/\">broadly<\/a>, see our earlier <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/mental-health\/issue-brief\/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline-two-years-after-launch\/\">analyses<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This brief reviews the latest data on the 988 LGBTQI+ service.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Since its launch (including the pilot phase) the 988 LGBTQI+ service has received nearly 1.3 million contacts from LGBTQI+ youth and young adults seeking support, and usage has risen substantially. <\/strong>Like the broader 988 service, the 988 LGBTQI+ service is available via call, text, or chat. Between July 2023, when the LGBTQI+ service fully launched following the pilot program, and February 2025 (the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/mental-health\/988\/performance-metrics\">latest available data<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Service utilization has steadily increased with contacts to the LGBTQI+ service rising by 46% over this period.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">The service has averaged about 50,000 contacts per month, with most occurring by call (60%), followed by text (25%), and chat (15%). More recently, from October 2024 to February 2025, average monthly contacts have remained steady at about 60,000.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Contacts to the 988 LGBTQI+ service represented 10% of all 988 contacts, including 13% of all texts, 12% of all chats, and 9% of all calls.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">People contacting the 988 LGBTQI+ service experienced slightly higher disconnection rates than 988 users overall (13% v. 10%).\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/find-help\/988\/performance-metrics#abandoned\">According to SAMHSA<\/a>, disconnections may be due to a technical reason (e.g. internet or mobile connection strength or service interruptions, etc.) or because the person ends the contact before a counselor responds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"datawrapper-embed block--datawrapper-embed \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"min-height: 655px;\">\n\t\t\t<script\n\t\t\t\ttype=\"text\/javascript\"\n\t\t\t\tdefer\n\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/Ls2hi\/embed.js?v=14\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<img\n\t\t\tclass=\"datawrapper-embed__print-img\"\n\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/Ls2hi\/full.png\"\n\t\t\talt=\"988 LGBTQI+ Service Surpasses 1 Million Contacts, with Recent Monthly Volume Steady Around 60,000\"\n\t\t\/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The 988 LGBTQI+ service offers specialized crisis care tailored to LGBTQI+ youth and young adults, who experience <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/yrbs\/dstr\/index.html\"><strong>higher rates<\/strong><\/a><strong> of serious suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts compared to their peers. <\/strong>This dedicated service addresses the specific challenges commonly facing LGBTQI+ young people and their associated higher unmet need for mental health services. In 2023, 41% of LGBTQ+ high school students reported having\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/yrbs\/dstr\/index.html\">seriously considered<\/a>\u00a0suicide during the past year, and 20% reported a suicide attempt, compared to 13% and 6%, respectively, among non-LGBTQ+ students (Figure 2).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"datawrapper-embed block--datawrapper-embed \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"min-height: 590px;\">\n\t\t\t<script\n\t\t\t\ttype=\"text\/javascript\"\n\t\t\t\tdefer\n\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/WxPx6\/embed.js?v=14\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<img\n\t\t\tclass=\"datawrapper-embed__print-img\"\n\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/WxPx6\/full.png\"\n\t\t\talt=\"40% of LGBTQ+ High School Students Have Seriously Considered Suicide, 20% Have Attempted, 2023\"\n\t\t\/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The President\u2019s budget request is only a proposal, with Congress ultimately determining appropriations, and Congress has historically provided specific funding for the LGBTQI+ service. Most recently, Congress\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/CPRT-118HPRT55008\/pdf\/CPRT-118HPRT55008.pdf\">appropriated<\/a>\u00a0$520 million for 988, including 6% ($33 million) for this service. However, recent administrative actions, and the President\u2019s budget request, have created uncertainty about the future of the program.<\/p>\n \n<ol class=\"wp-block-footnotes\"><li id=\"3ebcce59-0cbc-4847-9b37-dc6e988e81ae\">SAMHSA uses the acronym \u201cLGBTQI+\u201d in describing and discussing this service. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/samhsa-fy-2025-cj.pdf\">other contexts<\/a>, SAMHSA has defined \u201cLGBTQI+\u201d as \u201cpeople identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, two-spirit, and other diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions.\u201d <a href=\"#3ebcce59-0cbc-4847-9b37-dc6e988e81ae-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 1\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"cc77a707-0401-4f15-a449-41d8f37b1190\">988 also has specialty services for veterans and Spanish speakers, and operators trained to meet the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. <a href=\"#cc77a707-0401-4f15-a449-41d8f37b1190-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 2\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><li id=\"c1969b69-6da9-4a23-8d4a-c294ae48dbd3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20250114091340\/https:\/www.samhsa.gov\/mental-health\/988\/partner-toolkit\">Previously<\/a>, LGBTQI+ people were identified as a \u201cresource population,\u201d a designation for groups receiving specifically tailored promotional materials\n\u00a0 <a href=\"#c1969b69-6da9-4a23-8d4a-c294ae48dbd3-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 3\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t<div class=\"post-footer__title\">More On<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"post-footer__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/topic\/lgbtq\/\">\n\t\t\t\tLGBTQ\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/topic\/mental-health\/\">\n\t\t\t\tMental Health\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/access-to-care\/\">\n\t\t\t\tAccess to Care\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/gender-identity\/\">\n\t\t\t\tGender Identity\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content-sidebar\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content--green wp-block-kff-shared-related-content\">\n\t<h2 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__heading\">Also of Interest<\/h2>\n\t<div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/utilization-of-the-988-suicide-crisis-lifelines-lgbtq-service\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\tUtilization of the 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline\u2019s LGBTQ Service\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/mental-health\/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline-two-years-after-launch\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline: Two Years After Launch\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/mental-health\/one-year-after-the-launch-of-988-the-national-suicide-and-crisis-hotline-has-received-nearly-5-million-combined-calls-texts-and-chats\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\tOne Year After the Launch of 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline Has Received Nearly 5 Million Combined Calls, Texts, and Chats\u00a0\u00a0\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNews Release, \t\t\t\t\t\t<date>Jul 14, 2023<\/date>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This brief reviews the latest data on the 988 LGBTQI+ service and explores its future, including recent uncertainties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62652987,"featured_media":665667,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"authors":[{"type":"foundation","id":127159,"name":""},{"type":"foundation","id":550666,"name":""}],"exhibits":[],"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_classifai_error":"","_classifai_text_to_speech_error":"","hide_from_search":false,"show_featured_image":false,"subheading":"","tag":"","search_keywords":"Issue Brief, 10725, Lindsey Dawson, Heather Saunders","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"shortlink":"","footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"SAMHSA uses the acronym \\u201cLGBTQI+\\u201d in describing and discussing this service. In <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.samhsa.gov\\\/sites\\\/default\\\/files\\\/samhsa-fy-2025-cj.pdf\\\">other contexts<\\\/a>, SAMHSA has defined \\u201cLGBTQI+\\u201d as \\u201cpeople identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, two-spirit, and other diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions.\\u201d\",\"id\":\"3ebcce59-0cbc-4847-9b37-dc6e988e81ae\"},{\"content\":\"988 also has specialty services for veterans and Spanish speakers, and operators trained to meet the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.\",\"id\":\"cc77a707-0401-4f15-a449-41d8f37b1190\"},{\"content\":\"<a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/web.archive.org\\\/web\\\/20250114091340\\\/https:\\\/www.samhsa.gov\\\/mental-health\\\/988\\\/partner-toolkit\\\">Previously<\\\/a>, LGBTQI+ people were identified as a \\u201cresource population,\\u201d a designation for groups receiving specifically tailored promotional materials\\n\\u00a0\",\"id\":\"c1969b69-6da9-4a23-8d4a-c294ae48dbd3\"}]","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[417697712,579145303],"tags":[632330,155118268],"series":[],"partner":[],"program":[],"content-types":[579145483],"class_list":["post-665457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lgbtq","category-mental-health","tag-access-to-care","tag-gender-identity","content-types-issue-brief"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#039;s LGBTQI+ Service | KFF<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This brief reviews the latest data on the 988 LGBTQI+ service and explores its future, including recent uncertainties.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#039;s LGBTQI+ Service | KFF\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This brief reviews the latest data on the 988 LGBTQI+ service and explores its future, including recent uncertainties.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"KFF\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-11T13:44:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-09T10:04:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"3840\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2160\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"kfflindseyd\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"kfflindseyd\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/666c8f9bc08ddea572fd469dca514990\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/c25238fc35f33a4790efe70e2bdd7ad5\"}],\"headline\":\"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-11T13:44:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-09T10:04:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\"},\"wordCount\":574,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Access to Care\",\"Gender Identity\"],\"articleSection\":[\"LGBTQ\",\"Mental Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\",\"name\":\"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQI+ Service | KFF\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-11T13:44:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-09T10:04:17+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png\",\"width\":3840,\"height\":2160},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/\",\"name\":\"KFF - The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news\",\"description\":\"The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"KFF\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/KFF_Black.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/KFF_Black.png\",\"width\":3186,\"height\":1296,\"caption\":\"KFF\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/666c8f9bc08ddea572fd469dca514990\",\"name\":\"Lindsey Dawson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2014\/09\/Dawson-Lindsey.jpg?w=300\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2014\/09\/Dawson-Lindsey.jpg?w=300\",\"caption\":\"Lindsey Dawson\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/lindsey-dawson\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/c25238fc35f33a4790efe70e2bdd7ad5\",\"name\":\"Heather Saunders\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/12\/Saunders-Heather.jpg?w=300\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/12\/Saunders-Heather.jpg?w=300\",\"caption\":\"Heather Saunders\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/heather-saunders\/\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service\"}]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQI+ Service | KFF","description":"This brief reviews the latest data on the 988 LGBTQI+ service and explores its future, including recent uncertainties.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQI+ Service | KFF","og_description":"This brief reviews the latest data on the 988 LGBTQI+ service and explores its future, including recent uncertainties.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/","og_site_name":"KFF","article_published_time":"2025-06-11T13:44:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-09T10:04:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":3840,"height":2160,"url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"kfflindseyd","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"kfflindseyd","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/"},"author":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/666c8f9bc08ddea572fd469dca514990"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/c25238fc35f33a4790efe70e2bdd7ad5"}],"headline":"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service","datePublished":"2025-06-11T13:44:27+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-09T10:04:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/"},"wordCount":574,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png","keywords":["Access to Care","Gender Identity"],"articleSection":["LGBTQ","Mental Health"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/","name":"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQI+ Service | KFF","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png","datePublished":"2025-06-11T13:44:27+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-09T10:04:17+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png","width":3840,"height":2160},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/","name":"KFF - The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news","description":"The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#organization","name":"KFF","url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/KFF_Black.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/KFF_Black.png","width":3186,"height":1296,"caption":"KFF"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/666c8f9bc08ddea572fd469dca514990","name":"Lindsey Dawson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2014\/09\/Dawson-Lindsey.jpg?w=300","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2014\/09\/Dawson-Lindsey.jpg?w=300","caption":"Lindsey Dawson"},"url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/lindsey-dawson\/"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/c25238fc35f33a4790efe70e2bdd7ad5","name":"Heather Saunders","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/12\/Saunders-Heather.jpg?w=300","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/12\/Saunders-Heather.jpg?w=300","caption":"Heather Saunders"},"url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/heather-saunders\/"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.kff.org"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service","item":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/lgbtq\/growing-uncertainty-about-the-future-of-the-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifelines-lgbtqi-service\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline&#8217;s LGBTQI+ Service"}]}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/250610_988-LGBTQI-Service-Surpasses-1M-Contacts_FI.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgulFb-2N7b","primary_topic":"LGBTQ","publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2025-09-29 08:03:37","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category"},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KFF","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.kff.org","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62652987"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=665457"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665457\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":666571,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665457\/revisions\/666571"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/665667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=665457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=665457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=665457"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=665457"},{"taxonomy":"partner","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/partner?post=665457"},{"taxonomy":"program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program?post=665457"},{"taxonomy":"content-types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-types?post=665457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}