The Department of Health and Human Services' proposed 2026 budget would eliminate federal funding for specialized suicide hotline services for LGBTQ youth and young adults, redirecting those funds to general 988 crisis services.
The proposal maintains the current $520 million allocation for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline but removes support for LGBTQ-specific counseling, which had previously provided callers access to specially trained staff. This change marks a significant shift from the implementation of 988 under a 2020 law that mandated LGBTQ-inclusive support, citing elevated suicide risks among queer and trans youth.
Rachel Cauley, a spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget, said the budget "does not... grant taxpayer money to a chat service where children are encouraged to embrace radical gender ideology," using a phrase widely associated with conservative efforts to oppose transgender rights.
A senior administration official said the funding was reallocated to ensure it does not support what they termed "radical grooming contractors," language criticized by LGBTQ advocates as misleading and harmful.
The move comes amid a broader pattern of policy rollbacks affecting transgender rights, including federal efforts to define sex as binary and restrict trans participation in sports and military service.
