988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-2826
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2025-09-17
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2826 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 17 (legislative day, September 16), 2025 Ms. Baldwin (for herself and Ms. Murkowski ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to dedicate sufficient resources for the support of LGBTQ+ youth seeking help from the 9–8–8 suicide prevention hotline, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025 . 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 45 percent of high school students who seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021 identified as LGBTQ+; (2) since its launch, the Specialized Services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline have received nearly 1,500,000 calls, texts, and chats, with an average of 2,200 contacts per day as of May 2025; and (3) given that LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide as compared to their peers, the Specialized Services for LGBTQ+ youth are equipped with crucial training addressing LGBTQ+ specific challenges and needs. 3. Suicide prevention hotline services for LGBTQ+ youth (a) In general Section 520E–3(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c(b)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (4), by striking and at the end; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (6) dedicating sufficient resources, including establishing, re-establishing, operating, and maintaining specialized services (known as the Press 3 option or Integrated Voice Response (IVR)), for the support of youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) seeking help from the suicide prevention hotline. . (b) Funding Section 520E–3(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following: Of the amounts appropriated under this subsection for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve not less than 9 percent for carrying out subsection (b)(6). .