Karine Jean-Pierre spotlights new LGBTQ+ crisis hotline in the wake of anti-trans legislation

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds a press briefing February 13, 2023, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Following a week in which three anti-LGBTQ+ bills became law in Kansas, Indiana, and Idaho, Out White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre spotlighted the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s recently launched LGBTQ+-specific service.

“I know that these political attacks can really take a toll on people’s mental health. So I want to say directly to LGBTQI+ kids – you are loved just as you are, just the way you are,” Jean-Pierre said during last Thursday’s White House press briefing. “And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you call 988, The National Crisis Hotline and dial the number ‘3’ to talk to a counselor who has been specifically trained to support LGBTQI+ kids.”

Formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 988’s LGBTQ+-specific pilot program launched in September 2022 with an initial $7.2 million investment from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Last month, the program initiated 24/7 text and chat services, a move that Dr. Tia Dole, the chief lifeline officer at Vibrant Emotional Health, which administers the service, called “a major step forward.”

“This has been one of the worst weeks of 2023 so far in terms of anti-LGBTQ bills becoming law in states across America,” Jean-Pierre said on Thursday, noting new laws in Indiana and Idaho that ban gender-affirming care for trans youth.

“Just yesterday, the North Dakota Senate passed 10 anti-LGBT bills in just one day, a single-day record. In Kansas, the state legislature…

Editor’s note: This article mentions suicide. If you need to talk to someone now, call the Trans Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860. It’s staffed by trans people, for trans people. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgment-free place to talk for LGBTQ youth at 1-866-488-7386. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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