Senator Tammy Baldwin has joined forces with an Alaska Republican to aid the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth.
The Wisconsin Democrat and Senator Lisa Murkowski have introduced the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act to codify the 988 lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ young people.
This is not Sen. Baldwin’s first bill on the subject, as she wrote the legislation that created the three-digit 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and fought to stand up a pilot program for LGBTQ+ youth to address higher rates of suicide and mental health challenges among this population.
The 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act would protect the specialized services for years to come by putting this specific service into statute after the Trump Administration shut down the LGBTQ+ youth services in July.
Sen. Baldwin noted that the lifeline has received over 1.5 million crisis contacts since 2022, a number that continues to rise each year.
She also said, “We are in the middle of a mental health crisis, and the 988 lifeline saves lives, plain and simple… and I’m proud to be working with Democrats and Republicans to do what’s right and ensure that all kids have access to the help they need.”
Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Democrats and Republicans alike.
