NEW YORK STATE ANNOUNCES $1.8 MILLION TO ESTABLISH SPECIALIZED CRISIS LINE SERVING LGBTQIA+ YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS

Initiative Aimed at Filling the Gap Left After 988’s 'Press 3' Option was Suspended by the Federal Government

Funding Also Earmarked to Provide Specialized Training for 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Crisis Counselors

The New York State Office of Mental Health announced the availability of $1.8 million to establish a dedicated crisis lifeline to support New York’s LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults and to train crisis counselors to be responsive to the needs of individuals in this community. The funding includes $1.2 million to operate the specialized line to serve young people in the LGBTQIA+ community and replace the ‘press 3’ option that the federal government eliminated from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline last year.

“The LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults in crisis deserve access to a crisis lifeline that meets their immediate and specific needs, ensuring they do not face barriers to critical support,” OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “Establishing this specialized line demonstrates Governor Hochul’s commitment to improving the mental health of all New Yorkers, particularly our young people.”

Funded by an investment Governor Hochul secured in the FY 2027 Budget, the proposed crisis line will fill a critical gap for young people in New York’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning, intersex, and asexual community, after the federal government removed the ‘press 3’ option for 988 in July 2025. Prior to being shuttered, this specialized service had been used by between 50,000 and 60,000 young people per month nationwide.

Commissioner Sullivan discussed the funding for the specialized line and crisis counselor training during the 2026 LGBTQIA+ Convening at the Empire State Plaza Concourse in Albany this week. This was the fifth anniversary of the annual one-day event, which brings together policymakers and government officials from across state agencies to hear directly from advocates about the most pressing needs for this community and efforts to build support.

OMH is providing $1.2 million annually over five years for an existing qualified organization that operates a 24/7 crisis service for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults, allowing the state to expand access to specialized services while benefiting from established clinical expertise. The funding will create a specialized line that will connect LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults with trained crisis counselors who provide culturally informed and humble crisis intervention, emotional support, safety planning, referrals, and follow-up services.

The funding opportunity also includes a one-time award of $600,000 to train hundreds of local crisis counselors who answer 988 calls to handle the needs and concerns specific to young people in the LGBTQIA+ community. The training will strengthen the knowledge, skills, and competencies of these crisis counselors in New York State to provide culturally responsive and affirming crisis services to youth and young adults.

LGBTQIA+ youth experience disproportionately higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, substance use, family rejection, bullying, discrimination, and housing instability. About 36 percent of LGBTQIA+ young people seriously considered suicide in the past year —including 40 percent of transgender and nonbinary young people –with about 10 percent of them following through with an attempt, a recent survey found.

At the same time, many LGBTQIA+ youth report having concerns about whether crisis services will understand or affirm their identities, creating barriers to seeking help when it is most needed. About 28 percent of LGBTQIA+ young people who wanted mental health care but were unable to get it cited that they didn’t feel anyone would understand their sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the survey.