DENVER (KDVR) — A lifeline for LGBTQ youth is among the services getting the axe amid federal budget cuts. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced that LGBTQ services through 988 will end next month.

Though that federal resource is going away, the state's 988 Director wants people to know help will still be here for Coloradans.

"In Colorado, we have the fourth largest number of calls for 988 in the nation. So we see the impact and we need to be prepared to handle that," said Gordon Coombes, the Director of the 988 Colorado Mental Health Line.

Coombes said the state will be ready when the services for LGBTQ youth go dark at the federal level on July 17.

"We're building up capacity," he said. "We anticipate there is going to be an increase in call volume. There are certain regulations that have to occur to be in compliance with the national 988 guidelines. So one: the calls have to be answered by a trained specialist for crisis. And two: there has to be an assessment."

SAMHSA announced the cut, citing that the funding for those services cost around $33 million in last year's federal budget. Here at home, state lawmakers also made a change to the hotline due to budget constraints.

Instead of cutting services, bipartisan members of the state joint budget committee combined the 988 crisis line with the behavioral health telephone crisis service to save the state about $200,000. That change takes effect July 1. Coombes said all the operators on the state line are trained to help these young people.

"Our trained specialists in our contact center — they're specially trained to work with the LGBTQ+ population so they can offer that service to anybody who calls in," said Coombes.

As for funding, in Colorado, 988 is funded by a surcharge of up to 30 cents per phone line.
They can also raise money for the hotline through private donors to support the line.