Fact Check: 2026 budget proposal eliminates youth-specialized hotline services.

Fact Check: "2026 budget proposal eliminates youth-specialized hotline services."

What We Know

A leaked document detailing the proposed 2026 budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., indicates plans to eliminate funding for specialized services aimed at LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This proposal was first reported by The Washington Post, which noted that the document specifically states it "eliminates the 2024 Congressionally-directed set-aside … for Specialized Services for LGBTQ+ Youth" (source-2). The 988 Lifeline, which was established to provide mental health support, has reportedly handled over 1.2 million crisis contacts since its launch in 2022, with a significant portion of those involving LGBTQ+ youth (source-4).

The proposed budget maintains overall funding for the 988 Lifeline at $520 million but does not allocate any funds for LGBTQ-specific counseling services, which previously received $33.1 million in 2024 (source-6). The budget proposal is set to take effect in October 2025, pending Congressional approval (source-2).

Analysis

The claim that the 2026 budget proposal eliminates youth-specialized hotline services for LGBTQ+ individuals is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The leaked budget document has been referenced by established news outlets like NBC News and Axios, which confirm the elimination of funding for LGBTQ+ youth services while maintaining the overall budget for the 988 Lifeline.

The reliability of these sources is bolstered by their established reputations in journalism and their commitment to fact-checking. The Washington Post's initial reporting on the leaked document provides a foundational basis for the claim, while follow-up articles from other outlets corroborate the details (source-2, source-4).

However, it is important to note that while the document appears authentic, Snopes has yet to independently verify its contents (source-2). The potential bias in the language used by some sources, particularly in the framing of the budget cuts as part of a broader political agenda, should also be considered when evaluating the overall narrative.

Conclusion

The claim that the 2026 budget proposal eliminates youth-specialized hotline services for LGBTQ+ individuals is True. The evidence from multiple reputable sources confirms that the proposed budget does indeed cut funding for these critical services while maintaining the overall budget for the 988 Lifeline. The implications of these cuts are significant, given the high volume of crisis contacts from LGBTQ+ youth and the ongoing mental health challenges faced by this demographic.

Fact Check: 2026 budget proposal eliminates youth-specialized hotline services.