HR 5434119th CongressIn Committee

988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025

Introduced: Sep 17, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-Illinois)

Civil Rights & JusticeHealthcare

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025 would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate dedicated resources to support LGBTQ+ youth who contact the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Specifically, it would codify and fund specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 system (including options like a Press 3 or an Integrated Voice Response IVR pathway to these services) and reserve at least 9 percent of the annual funds for this purpose. The bill cites high suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth and the substantial usage of LGBTQ+-focused crisis services to justify and guide these targeted resources. In short, it aims to ensure more tailored, accessible crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth calling or texting the 988 line.

Key Points

1Adds a new statutory requirement to dedicate resources to LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline, creating or maintaining specialized services for this population.
2Requires the 988 system to offer or preserve a pathway (the Press 3 option or IVR) to connect LGBTQ+ youth with specialized services.
3Funding provision: of the annual amounts appropriated for 988-related activities, at least 9 percent must be reserved to carry out the LGBTQ+-specific subsection.
4Basis in findings: highlights that nearly half of high school students who seriously considered suicide in 2021 identified as LGBTQ+, that LGBTQ+ youth use specialized 988 services at high rates, and that they are disproportionately likely to attempt suicide.
5Legal changes: amends the Public Health Service Act (Section 520E-3) to add the new subsection (b)(6) and to specify the funding requirement in subsection (f).

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: LGBTQ+ youth seeking crisis support via the 9-8-8 Lifeline; the bill aims to improve access, tailoring, and responsiveness of crisis help for this population.Secondary group/area affected: 988 Lifeline operations and staff, including call centers and IVR systems; training and protocols to ensure appropriate LGBTQ+-specific support.Additional impacts: potential budget implications for the Department of Health and Human Services (and partners administering 988 services), infrastructure/training investments to establish or expand specialized services, and monitoring/reporting to ensure compliance with the 9% funding minimum. The measure could also influence privacy and data handling practices given a focus on a vulnerable population, and it may require coordination with state and local mental health services to connect callers with appropriate ongoing care.

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