Excerpt from Health Hub: WAMU’s Weekly Health Series:

“The Trump administration will end a specialized LGBTQ+ suicide hotline operated by The Trevor Project this week. The service is considered by advocates to be an essential mental health lifeline for queer youth and adults across the country. The hotline saw an unprecedented 700% spike in calls following President Trump’s re-election in November, according to the Trevor Project.

Advocates fear the consequences of ending this dedicated support could be devastating, as LGBTQ+ individuals are already facing heightened feelings of anxiety and isolation.

Dr. Matt Salmon, director of psychiatry at Whitman-Walker Medical Clinic in D.C., has witnessed that toll firsthand. “Since the election, we’ve seen a steady progression of people declining in their mental health,” he explained to WAMU’s Natalie Yuravlivker. “What began as fear of what might happen has become fear of what is happening.”

Listen to the full 5 min audio interview here:

https://wamu.org/story/25/07/16/end-of-the-lgbtq-suicide-hotline/