When someone dials 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, they get several options.

One of them is help for LGBTQ+ youth. That option is about to go away.

The Trump administration will shut down the LGBTQ+ Youth Lifeline July 17.

It’s a decision that Tyler Titus, Ph.D., disagrees with. They’re the vice president of Erie City Council. 

“Queer people have been attacked throughout history. We’ve never been erased. They’ve never stopped us. We’ve always resisted and persisted, and we will continue to,” Titus said.

They said it’s crucial to have people trained on how to handle the specific issues that LGBTQ+ youth face.

“You want people who are coming into a space knowing what your lived experiences and your issues are so they can help you navigate and stabilize,” they said. 

The Trevor Project reports 39% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in 2023.

Titus is also a mental health practitioner. They’ve had more people asking for help after recent decisions to restrict gender-affirming care.

“Immediate spike in the suicidality, the crisis calls that I’m receiving here, and we’re being inundated,” they said. “It’s very hard to keep up.”

The actions at the federal level are why Erie County is taking action to protect LGBTQ+ people of all ages.

“We see that some things are being stripped away for the LGBTQ community, and when things like that happen, it’s really up to the local places to step it up,” Kristy Gnibus, director of the Erie County Human Relations Commission, said. 

The commission will have an event this week. It’s open to anyone who wants to learn more about protections against discrimination in Erie County.

“Hopefully, we can educate the community on where they can turn to and that they’re not alone, that there is help, and that there are resources.”

The event is happening Thursday. More information is available here.

The 988 service will exist after July 17. The Trevor Project also supports LGBTQ+ youth.

There are several local resources, too, Titus said, like Erie County Crisis Services.