The Pritzker administration said Thursday it will maintain the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to provide mental health support services for LGBTQ+ youths.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration said last month that it would no longer fund 988 support for that population.
“The Trump Administration’s decision to end these specialized services is a cruel reversal of proven practices,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “Unequivocally, in Illinois, we stand side by side with each member of the community, including transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming youth.”
Officials said the subnetwork receives more than 1,600 calls and 600 chats or texts per month.
The 988 contact centers are funded in Illinois by the Department of Human Services. The agency said it has worked to support existing demand for the support, as well as expand crisis counselor training that is specific to supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
“In Illinois, we’re focused on keeping those connections strong, and making sure people know they’re not navigating this alone,” DHS Secretary Dulce Quintero said in a statement. “Whatever is happening at the national level, our commitment here is to keep building with love, trust and community.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that LGBTQ+ youth have a higher risk of suicide, with over a quarter of students who identify as transgender attempting suicide in the past year.
Comparatively, 5 percent of male and 11 percent of female students attempted suicide.
The federal government decision to pull support for the service comes as President Donald Trump has signed executive orders that the country will only recognize two sexes, as well as eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies.