Land Warns of Fiscal Cliff Consequences for LGBT Youth

West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tempore Abbe Land wrote an opinion piece that appeared this week in The Huffington Post on the negative affects that looming federal budget cuts could have on LGBT youth and other vulnerable segments of American society.

Funding for mental health services, schools and homeless shelters is in jeopardy as Congress debates what to do about the government's financial shortfall.

Land wrote:

Should Congress fail to reach a budget agreement and take action before New Year's Day, $54.7 billion in federal spending will be cut immediately. These arbitrary cuts to vital services will mean that millions of Americans start the New Year with less. Importantly, it would mean decreased access to mental health care for LGBTQ youth and other populations at risk for suicide. Endangering some of our nation's most vulnerable groups is an irresponsible way to fix our nation's budget deficit, and Congress needs to find a stronger and more sustainable solution, now. ...

The process of sequestration (taking assets like federal programs away by force because of a debt) could reduce or eliminate the vital services upon which at-risk Americans, including many LGBTQ youth, depend. Mental Health America estimates that budget cuts to lifesaving health programs would reduce the ability of the federally funded suicide prevention lifelines to respond to suicide-related calls, negatively affecting upwards of 350,000 callers in crisis. Additionally, screenings for at-risk youth and suicide prevention trainings will be cut due to lack of funds, eliminating trainings for thousands of professionals and lowering the chance that children will be screened for mental health conditions and suicide-related behaviors.

Less immediate but still very important would be the impact felt by schools, especially regarding programs that protect students from bullying and harassment. ... Drastic cuts to these important programs would reduce the resources available for prevention, enforcement and training related to bullying and harassment, essentially rolling back the clock on the progress we have made to improve school safety for LGBTQ youth.

Inaction in Congress could also affect homelessness rates, namely by endangering grants that keep shelters open, safe and operational. Up to 40 percent of all homeless youth in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ, even though LGBTQ people make up only 5 to 7 percent of the general population. Unfortunately, the holidays often see rates of homelessness increase among these youth.

Land is executive director and CEO of The Trevor Project, a national organization that provides crisis and suicide prevention services to LGBT youth.

Click here to read Land's entire article.

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