PHOTO BY DILPREET RAJU
The Phoenix Center operates Out on Second at 120 E. Scarritt St., a space for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to gather for activities, groups and events.
On the same week that 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, ended specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth, the Illinois Department of Human Services – which funds the 988 call centers in the state – said it would be continuing specialized services for gay and transgender-identifying youth in crisis.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among all individuals in the U.S. between the ages of 10 and 34, according to 2023 data from the Centers for Disease Control. IDHS reports that Illinois’s LGBTQ+ youth subnetwork receives more than 1,600 calls a month.
In a statement emailed to Illinois Times, nonprofit Phoenix Center Springfield, which supports people of varied identities and backgrounds, celebrated the decision to continue specialized services for 988 in Illinois.
“We know that LGBTQ+ youth are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors due to factors such as discrimination, stigma and lack of support. This makes the 988 hotline crucial to those youth and their well-being. It is truly a matter of life or death,” the statement reads.
In a press release sent out last week, the chief executive officer of Bloomington social services organization PATH, short for Providing Access to Help, noted the importance of having a subnetwork for people who are gay or transgender.
“The loss of dedicated 988 support for LGBTQIA+ individuals is not just a policy change. It is the loss of a life-saving connection. For many, speaking to someone who shared their identity was the difference between staying silent and reaching out,” said Adam Carter, CEO of PATH, which serves as one of the state’s 988 contact centers.
In that same release, Gov. JB Pritzker directed ire towards the Trump administration for ending funding to the federal program providing specialized support for youth who identify as lesbian, gay or transgender.
“The Trump administration’s decision to end these specialized services is a cruel reversal of proven practices,” Pritzker said. “In Illinois, we stand side by side with each member of the LGBTQIA+ community, including transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming youth. If you need help and you call 988, you’ll be met with compassion, competence and respect.”
Prior to the federal administration’s decision to pull funding for specialized counselors, individuals were able to press 3 on their keypad after calling 988 to be connected to specialized youth counselors. That keypad option is no longer available, but IDHS encourages LGBT+ community members to use 988 if they are in need.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 in Illinois, in English or Spanish, by calling or texting 988. Call centers do not require callers to share any identifying information and, according to IDHS, any information that is shared is not stored.