Administration to restore LGBTQ+ youth 988 suicide line

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a Senate hearing the administration would reinstate the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline specialized support program tailored to the needs of youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. The administration removed the specialized support program last year. Compared to their peers, LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to seriously consider and attempt suicide. Congress restored the program as part of the fiscal year 2026 funding bill. A recent JAMA study tied the 988 line to a reduction in suicides. (MedPage Today article, 4/24/26)