Rep. Fitzpatrick Introduces LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act

Washington, DC - Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) has introduced the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025, a bipartisan legislative effort designed to preserve and strengthen specialized support services for LGBTQ+ youth contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This new bill mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) maintain these services while allocating at least 9 percent of the lifeline’s funds annually to ensure their continuity and effectiveness.

The legislation is co-sponsored by Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Seth Moulton (D-MA). Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

Urgent Action to Address a Crisis

The need for the legislation comes amid a growing mental health crisis affecting LGBTQ+ youth, who face significantly higher rates of suicide risk compared to their peers. According to Fitzpatrick, "Nearly 1.3 million LGBTQ+ youth have already turned to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s ‘Press 3’ option. That tells us two things: the need is staggering, and the service is working. Behind every call is a child fighting to survive, and having trained, affirming support on the other end of the line can mean the difference between despair and hope."

Fitzpatrick emphasized the importance of sustaining these services in the face of recent challenges: "This bill ensures no call goes unanswered and no child is left without support. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Task Force, I’ve fought to expand 988 and strengthen youth mental health services. Now is the time to build on that progress - not walk it back."

Bipartisan Commitment to Saving Lives

The legislation has garnered bipartisan support, with leaders across the aisle stressing the importance of maintaining crisis services tailored to LGBTQ+ youth. Krishnamoorthi highlighted the stakes, saying, "America’s youth mental health crisis is real, and LGBTQ+ young people are at significantly higher risk. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline must always meet them with affirming, specialized care, not busy signals or generic referrals. Our bill locks in the trained counselors and resources these teens need in the darkest moments of their lives, so a text, call, or chat to 988 reaches someone who understands and can help."

Davids echoed this sentiment, noting the unique challenges LGBTQ+ youth face: "Growing up can be challenging, and for LGBTQ+ youth, those challenges can feel overwhelming. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues from both parties to introduce this bipartisan bill that ensures every young person has access to the 988 suicide crisis hotline. Mental health support saves lives, and we must make sure trained counselors are always there for LGBTQ+ youth when they need help most."

Lawler pointed to the broad importance of the 988 Lifeline, saying, "Every young person in crisis deserves to know that when they reach out for help, someone will be there to answer. We must ensure that the 988 Lifeline continues to be a critical resource for folks in New York and across the country. I’m proud to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure it’s there for every American who needs it."

Moulton, who played a leading role in creating the 988 Lifeline, underscored the urgency of guaranteeing its accessibility for future generations: "I led the fight to create the 988 hotline because I knew it would save lives - and it has. More than 2,000 LGBTQ+ young people used the ‘Press 3’ option each day to get in touch with someone who understood what they were going through, and more than 1.5 million youth in crisis have received life-saving care since the lifeline started. That’s what makes the reckless decision to eliminate the ‘Press 3’ option so cruel and dumbfounding. Now, through the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act, we are acting to guarantee the ‘Press 3’ option into law. No president, no administration, and no political agenda should ever be able to take it away again."

Key Provisions of the Bill

The 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act includes two critical provisions:

Sustaining specialized services: The bill directs HHS to maintain LGBTQ+ youth-specific support as part of the 988 Lifeline, including the "Press 3" option that connects callers with affirming counselors trained to address their unique challenges.
Securing funding: A minimum of 9 percent of the lifeline’s annual budget would be reserved for these specialized services to ensure their continued operation and capacity.

Advocates Stress the Stakes

The legislation comes just two months after the elimination of the "Press 3" option for LGBTQ+ youth by the administration, a move that advocates say has undermined life-saving crisis services. Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, called the decision "a devastating blow" and urged Congress to act swiftly to restore the service. "Given that LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, the need for these services remains pressing", Black said. "At The Trevor Project, we are doing everything we can to fill the gaps in crisis care caused by the ‘Press 3’ shutdown. This is not about politics, or identity; this is about doing what is best to support our country’s highest risk populations - and save young people’s lives nationwide."

Other organizations, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, have also voiced their strong support for the bill. Laurel Stine of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention emphasized the impact of culturally competent care: "Research shows that culturally competent care - support that understands and affirms LGBTQ+ identities - can be life-saving. Before the 988 LGBTQ+ line was shut down on July 17, more than 1.5 million calls, texts, and chats were routed to specially trained counselors."

Why It Matters

The statistics paint a stark picture of the ongoing crisis. According to the Trevor Project, nearly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide in 2024, and approximately 45 percent of high school students who seriously contemplated suicide in 2021 identified as LGBTQ+. Advocates and lawmakers alike agree that the 988 Lifeline’s specialized services have played a vital role in saving lives, with over 1.5 million calls, texts, and chats handled since the launch of the "Press 3" option in 2022.

As David Stacy, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Human Rights Campaign, put it, "It comes down to one simple truth: 988 saves lives - especially for those who are most vulnerable. The evidence is clear and overwhelming, yet this administration has cruelly ripped away this vital lifeline. We are proud that leaders from both parties recognize the importance of 988, what it represents, and the lives it changes."

Building on a Legacy of Crisis Response

Fitzpatrick’s latest effort builds on his history of bipartisan work to improve crisis response systems. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Task Force, he previously authored the 988 Implementation Act, which helped equip states with the resources to launch the lifeline nationwide. In June 2025, he urged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to safeguard the specialized LGBTQ+ services, warning of the risks associated with their removal.

With the introduction of the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act, Fitzpatrick and his colleagues aim to enshrine these life-saving services into law, ensuring that every young person in crisis has access to trained, affirming support. Their message is clear: no call for help should go unanswered.

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