988 Suicide Hotline

Happy Pride Month!  Please oppose the elimination of the 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline specifically for LGBTQ people.  LGBTQ folks are 4x more likley to attempt suicide.  In addition to the LGBTQ hotline, there ia also a dedicated line for Veterans, who have higher suicide rates than the general population.  Neither line is about special treatment, but rather about having specially trained clinicians to assess and assist those at higher risk. The need will not go away if the line is eliminated.  The calls will just be transferred to the main line and a less expert clinician will help.  Show some cultural humility and acknowledge there are legitimate reasons why some populations need clinicians with specific training.  Demand the funding and service for both the LGBTQ and Veterans lines continue.