Discussion What would happen if the Trump admin defunded the CTB prevention hotline or CTB prevention programs?

[TAW122]

In the past few months, there was a news article about how the Trump administration is seeking the defund the CTB prevention service for LGBTQ+ youth (article linked below):

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/06/18/nx-s1-5438405/lgbtq-988-lifeline-samhsa-hhs

So this brings up a question for discussion. What would happen (even hypothetically speaking) if the Trump admin decides to ban or even heavily hamper, defund, or dismantle (ideal) the CTB prevention hotline and similar CTB prevention programs that would actively intervene against people who would attempt, ideate, or plan CTB? Personally, even though I did not vote for Trump, I, as a pro-choicer, would be in support of such an action because I understand and seen the paternalistic and authoritarian practices that the hotline as well as CTB prevention programs employ against CTB individuals. While there may be opposition and such, I personally think that if the state won't provide medical assisted death or peaceful, dignified exits for people who really want to go, then at the minimum, laissez faire off bodily autonomy would be step in the right direction, and while there may be more people who may end up CTB'ing, overall, it would still be a net positive towards the overall sum of bodily autonomy for most individuals.

A lot of opponents of such a change may cite that there would be unnecessary people who may end up dying, but the counterargument I have for that is that there would be less people wanting to CTB to begin with and perhaps even more who would open up due to the lessened risk of unwanted intervention and impingment upon one's bodily autonomy as well as civil liberties. Given that scenario (even if hypothetical) what do you think would happen if the Trump admin did something like that, either to a large degree or even to a smaller degree? This includes the rollback, defunding, and even dismantling of similar CTB prevention programs or even making it where the CTB prevention hotline is less prevalent and such.

 

[VargosMelon]

Well the issue I have is that he's not just defunding CTB hotlines, just LGBTQ+ hotlines, I can't help but see it as another extention of him rescending resources from these indivduals -- such as removing the mention of trans people from government websites. I believe that a lot of these hotlines are possibly the (maybe) the only outlet sometimes of support for these individuals. I can't say I have any resources to back up that claim. I guess another issue I have is what about the people who do want support, or aid, and they can't find it in their communities, family, or otherwise -- where do they reach out to?

 

[Forveleth]

...I understand and seen the paternalistic and authoritarian practices that the hotline as well as CTB prevention programs employ against CTB individuals.

This viewpoint comes from someone who actively wants to die and does not want interference. Therefore you see hotlines as the "enemy". Many, many people call the hotlines because they need someone to talk to and many get actual help calling. Your viewpoint here is very narrow and biased.

...there would be less people wanting to CTB to begin with...

This does not make any sense. People do not get the desire to kill themselves because suicide resources exist. As the US continues to move towards fascism, more and more people are having a hopeless outlook on life. I do not think suicide rates are decreasing anytime soon.

...and perhaps even more who would open up due to the lessened risk of unwanted intervention...

Open up to whom? Look at the threads on this site. So many people are here because they have no friends or family to talk to about this. Not only because they are afraid of intervention but because they have no one who genuinely cares about them. The threat of intervention is only one of the reasons people do not reach out.

...and impingment upon one's bodily autonomy as well as civil liberties.

While I suspect calling the hotline is one of the most common ways people get hauled off to a psych ward, it is often done by the police. Police loooooooove to haul people off and lock them up and, again, a fascist state favors an unchecked police force. If anything, lockups would increase. Also many medical facilities that people are hauled off to are privatized. Meaning their funding does not come from the government but from the bank accounts of their prisoners patients. Government funding does not affect them. Even if medical facilities no longer wanted to take psych patients, there are plenty of private prisons to hold them. Society just wants those people out of the way and will not change because government funding is cut.

I disagree with your reasoning on this. If hotlines are defunded, there are going to be many, many more people pent up and not reaching out at all. I think we would see an increase in drug use (or other escapism activities) and probably an increase in suicide.

 

[popcorn1234]

This viewpoint comes from someone who actively wants to die and does not want interference. Therefore you see hotlines as the "enemy". Many, many people call the hotlines because they need someone to talk to and many get actual help calling. Your viewpoint here is very narrow and biased.

This does not make any sense. People do not get the desire to kill themselves because suicide resources exist. As the US continues to move towards fascism, more and more people are having a hopeless outlook on life. I do not think suicide rates are decreasing anytime soon.

Open up to whom? Look at the threads on this site. So many people are here because they have no friends or family to talk to about this. Not only because they are afraid of intervention but because they have no one who genuinely cares about them. The threat of intervention is only one of the reasons people do not reach out.

While I suspect calling the hotline is one of the most common ways people get hauled off to a psych ward, it is often done by the police. Police loooooooove to haul people off and lock them up and, again, a fascist state favors an unchecked police force. If anything, lockups would increase. Also many medical facilities that people are hauled off to are privatized. Meaning their funding does not come from the government but from the bank accounts of their prisoners patients. Government funding does not affect them. Even if medical facilities no longer wanted to take psych patients, there are plenty of private prisons to hold them. Society just wants those people out of the way and will not change because government funding is cut.

I disagree with your reasoning on this. If hotlines are defunded, there are going to be many, many more people pent up and not reaching out at all. I think we would see an increase in drug use (or other escapism activities) and probably an increase in suicide.

I agree, I think there should still be hotlines, but there should be no intervention.

 

[TAW122]

Good points and originally I made this thread as a way to garner discussion on what would happen and while my position itself may not always be agreeable, others have brought up very interesting counterarguments and points. I will say that I agree on having somewhat of a compromise to our existing system; which is some messaging and programming about CTB prevention or what not, but no active impingement, intervention, interference upon the individual(s) unless they pose a serious, imminent risk to the greater public or others (not just themselves). With such a compromise, that would respect the rights of the individual as well as their dignity while also having support for the people that seek the support (of CTB prevention and intervention) rather than imposing blanket CTB prevention on everyone, regardless of whether they approve or not, regardless of whether they are a threat to others or not. As the current system stands where CTB prevention is imposed on ALL those who are deemed a risk to themselves or others, it results in people not opening up, resorting to brutal means to escape (either failing and suffering more, or those who do succeed end up possibly causing collateral damage to those around them - society's fault), and many other consequences, but I digress..

 

[Dejected 55]

To be fair, and don't make the mistake of thinking I like Trump or any of this... but, what was defunded regarding LGBTQ+ and the hotline was the recently enacted special services. In theory they were supposed to be hiring/training people specifically to handle those calls and whenever someone LGBTQ+ called in the call went to those specialists.

I'm not sure there is any evidence, though, that those "specialists" were particularly special. The suicide hotlines are infamously ineffective and useless from anyone I've ever heard who tried calling them, myself included. They appear to follow scripts and either want to get you to police/medical if they think you're about to do it OR get you off the phone as fast as possible. There is very little help going on those help hotlines.

So... to that end... while I have no doubt the current administration is targeting LGBTQ+ support in general, I think in this one specific case they aren't actually going to change the already ineffectiveness of these services. I don't think throwing money at these existing hotlines will make them care and try harder.

I feel for people who need support and make an effort to reach out for it... but they haven't really been getting the help they need.