www.hnmagazine.com HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE
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arlier this year, the FY22 omnibus appropriations bill was passed, an extensive spending plan designed to cover various needs of the nation such as defense, education, transportation and human services. While this years bill will cover all 12 of the main appropria- tion measures, the $1.5 trillion federal spending package includes robust funding for suicide prevention and mental health resources, including language that would allocate $7.2 million to implement specialized ser- vices for LGBTQ+ youth. This funding will be used in connection with 988, a new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Preston Mitchum, the Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at the Trevor Project, the worlds largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQ+ young people, stated of the allocated expenses prior to the services release: This is a critical investment that will fortify and expand our nations mental health infrastructure, and help save young lives. The Trevor Project is especially grateful that this package includes funding for specialized services, ensuring LGBTQ+ youth who contact [988] will have access to culturally competent services in times of crisis. Mental health and suicide prevention are not partisan issues. We look forward to continue working with Congress and the Administration to ensure the activation of 988 is a success - and to transform our entire crisis care system to be more com- prehensive and humane. Together, we can equip LGBTQ+ young people with the resources needed to not only survive, but to thrive. The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth (13-24) seriously consider sui- cide each year in the U.S. - and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. According to The Trevor Projects 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health, 42 percent of LGBTQ+ youth seri- ously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Further, more than 80 percent of LGBTQ+ youth have said it was important that a crisis line include a focus on LGBTQ+ youth, should they need it. While currently, the Trevor Project offers cellular and online life- line services, the implementation of a three-digit number would be a faster, more readily available resource. The implementation of the 988 number is included under federal spending for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, which is receiving a total of $196.994 billion in base discre- tionary funding. The 988 Suicide Lifeline will receive $101 million of the $4.47 billion dedicated to the mental health measures section of the omnibus bill. Other mental health measures, a prominent issue in the LGBTQ+ communities, that will receive funding this year include $315 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, $175 million for SAMHSA suicide prevention services and $111 million for school-
Answering the Call
Government Funding to Include LGBTQ-Specific Crisis Line
based, mental health grants at the Department of Education. All of these numbers have increased substantially compared to 2021s budget in these same categories. In fact, mental health measures as a whole are over $394 million more than they did last year. Other spending efforts dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community this year include $8 million to be used for community specific services for LGBTQ+ victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. Under section 206, this measure is to provide technical assistance and training to victim service providers and organizations that are seeking to work with LGBTQ+ victims. The Trevor Project released the 988 service this July. The passing of these allocations is credited to the leadership of several policymakers in the House and Senate, namely Senator Tammy Baldwin, Senator Susan Collins, Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, Representative Chris Stewart and Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman.
Sources: The Trevor Project, The United States Senate
42%
of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Over
80%
have said it was important that a crisis line include a focus on LGBTQ youth.
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