1. United States
2. N.H.
3. Letter

The proposed cuts to the national suicide hotline's program for LGBTQ youth would be highly detrimental. Eliminating this essential service risks leaving vulnerable LGBTQ youth without compassionate and culturally competent support during times of crisis. The program received over 1.3 million contacts in 2022 alone, illustrating its critical importance. LGBTQ young people face disproportionate rates of mental health challenges, discrimination, and lack of family support. Trained counselors with an understanding of these issues provide a lifeline. Removing this dedicated resource would exacerbate an already dire situation, potentially leading to more crises and lives lost. We cannot turn our backs on this at-risk community. I urge you to resist these reckless cuts and instead bolster funding for mental health services, especially those tailored to marginalized groups like LGBTQ youth. Their wellbeing and access to affirming care should be a top priority. Cutting this vital program would have devastating consequences - an outcome we simply cannot accept.