LGBTQ+ youth
Coverage of LGBTQ+ youth in the Nexus archive.
- Rise in US preteen suicide rate alarms mental health experts
The U.S. preteen suicide rate has risen significantly, with 194 preteens dying by suicide in 2025, the highest since 2001. Factors include post-COVID stress, social media pressures, bullying, and policies restricting gender-affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth. A case study highlights challenges in accessing mental health care for children in crisis.
- Why affirming trans identities can be critical for suicide prevention counseling
Specialized counseling services for LGBTQ+ youth will return to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by year-end, but federal health officials aim to align them with an executive order denying transgender and nonbinary identities. The services were shut down in July but reinstated with $33.1 million from a congressional appropriations bill.
- 988's LGBTQ+ hotline to relaunch this year. But the group that helped start it might be excluded
The Trump administration plans to relaunch the LGBTQ+ youth crisis line under the 988 hotline but may exclude The Trevor Project, the organization that helped develop it. The service, which previously fielded 1.6 million contacts, was halted in July due to funding issues but is set to restart with $33 million allocated by Congress. Critics argue excluding The Trevor Project undermines efforts to support LGBTQ+ youth, who face higher suicide risks.
- Pride and resilience in Seattle’s LGBTQ+ spaces
The Lambert House in Seattle provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth aged 10-22, offering peer support and volunteer mentorship. Despite eight anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in Washington state (none passed), the organization emphasizes resilience and mental health benefits for youth.