988 suicide and crisis lifeline expands LGBTQ chat, text services to 24/7

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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This story contains discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach someone with Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. They're available 24 hours a day and provide services in multiple languages.  

A government-backed 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQ pilot program is now offering text and online chat services 24/7.

The 988 lifeline, (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), is a suicide prevention network of more than 200 crisis centers across the U.S. that provides round the clock service available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress

The crisis centers provide the specialized care of a local community with the support of a national network, according to the agency's website. The lifeline's pilot program launched in early fall after an initial $7.2 million investment from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

How does it work?

The users have already been able to dial 3 after calling to reach a crisis counselor trained to support LGBTQ youth and young adults, with call services available 24/7, but chat and text had only been available during select hours.

Calls to the Lifeline are routed to their closest center based on area code, with the goal of connecting callers to counselors in their own state. Local counselors at crisis centers are familiar with community mental health resources and can provide referrals to local services.

According to its website, Lifeline's centers are accredited, provide training for counselors, and disseminate best practices.

Every 45 seconds

Every 45 seconds, at least one LGBTQ youth in the United States between ages 13 and 24 attempts suicide, according to The Trevor Project.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 14 and 25 to 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to consider, make a plan for or attempt suicide, according to The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention nonprofit for LGBTQ young people.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is getting a shorter, three-digit number, 988, in July. But is the nation ready for its rollout?
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is getting a shorter, three-digit number, 988, in July. But is the nation ready for its rollout?

Young people who identify as LGBTQ and reported having at least one adult who is accepting of them were 40% less likely to report a suicide attempt, according to The Trevor Project's research.

When the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 became law, it specifically acknowledged the importance of suicide services for LGTBQ youth, minorities, rural residents and other high-risk populations.

Contributing: Ryan M. Miller.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mental health number 988 expands text, chat for LGBTQ patients to 24/7