Most people experience challenges while growing up. It is the same with many LGBTQ+ youth, only more so. In School, most of these kids experience harassment, bullying and cyberbullying, hostile environments and a lack of support from teachers and school staff. One survey found nearly two thirds of LGBTQ+ students felt unsafe because of their gender expression and many have missed school for this reason. There are also higher levels of depression reported among students victimized for their sexual orientation or gender expression. One study showed that LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide that their peers, and nearly half of these youth have seriously considered taking their lives. Advocates say that these issues are far from resolved despite the national attention on bullying and suicide in recent years. They say LGBTQ+ children need supportive educators, enactment of comprehensive bullying and harassment policies, and safe spaces such as Gay-Straight Alliances integrated into our schools to solve some of the problems LGBTQ+ youths face while growing up.

Proposed Legislation: H.R.5434 - 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL)
Status: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Chair: Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY)

• I oppose reforming current LGBTQ+ youth policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Speaker Mike Johnson (LA).
• I support reversing the cessation of specialized services that previously allowed individuals to be connected to counselors trained in LGBTQ+ issues by:
  
  1.) Directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to dedicate sufficient resources to operate and maintain specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth seeking help from the 988 lifeline.
  
  2.) Requiring that not less than 9% of the total funds appropriated for the 988 lifeline be reserved for these specialized LGBTQ+ youth services.
  
  3. Specifically calling for the restoration of the integrated voice response system, or "Press 3" option, which previously routed callers to specialized LGBTQ+ crisis counselors.
  
  4.) Citing findings that LGBTQ+ youth are over four times more likely to attempt suicide compared to their peers, underscoring the critical need for these tailored services.
  
  And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.