Illinois Department of Human Services covers funding for 988 LGBTQ+ youth services statewide
ILLINOIS(KBSI) – As the federal 988 national suicide and crisis lifeline ends it press 3 option for LGBTQ+ youth the Illinois Department of Human Services has announced that they will fully fund and maintain the service statewide.
After launching in 2022, the 988 Lifeline developed a subnetwork of crisis counselors trained to work with LGBTQ+ youth and adults under 25 who are disproportionately at risk for suicide and other mental health struggles.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10 to 14, and the third leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year-olds.
The press three tailored option for 988 ended this week on July 17, 2025 but according to Crisis Community Programs Administrator of the Illinois Department of Human Services Allie Lichterman removing the LGBTQ+ option would leave a detrimental impact on youth that need those services, so they chose to keep providing it statewide replacing the federal funding.
“In Illinois we know that we need to keep providing free confidential, cultural appropriate and affirming care to LGBTQIA+ individuals, in particularly our youth and our 988 call takers were already trained to provide this specific support to this specific community and now we are taking steps to ensure that they have additional resources and additional training” says Lichterman.
Lichterman shares that there still won’t be a press three option available, but every call taker will be trained in LGBTQI+ needs.
“Previously you would call 988 and click 3, now since that options going away you would speak to one of our other call takers instead of going to a sub working line but the good news is all of those call takers are already trained to provide care to LGBTQIA individuals in a really affirming way and we are in the process of getting them additional training” says Lichterman.
The department plans to expand counselor training and increase outreach, and statistically LGBTQIA youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.
“A LGBTQIA young person attempts suicide every 45 seconds so here at the department of human services in Illinois we know that this is really a life or death issue that we take very seriously and so we are working as fast as we can to further bolster the support we already have both for 988 and would also recommend folks, call, text, chat 988 and we have all sorts of resources on gender affirming care and on supporting LGBTQIA youth on our IDHS website as well” says Lichterman.
