Washington, D.C.— May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and June is LGBTQ Pride Month, and Maine’s congressional delegation is the first in the country to come together in an effort to raise awareness of the particular challenges facing LGBTQ youth.

In a public service announcement web video released by the Trevor Project, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden highlight the fact that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people in the U.S. and the leading cause in Maine. In a 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health recently released by the Trevor Project, 42 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. The video points to resources provided by the Trevor Project, including a 24-hour crisis hotline, and emphasizes that help is available and that just one accepting adult can help reduce the risk of teen suicide.

“No one should feel that suicide is their only option, but the sad truth is that far too many teenagers who identify as LGBTQ are struggling and do not feel safe or welcome,” said Maine’s congressional delegation in a joint statement. “We want these young people to know that they are never alone and that there is always hope and help. As National Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close and Pride Month kicks off, this is a perfect time to help share the resources that are available and to send a message that you are never alone.”

The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people. The 2021 results are from the group’s third national survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, and they emphasize the need for greater investment in mental health care and intersectional policy solutions to confront the public health crisis of suicide.

The Trevor Project is collaborating with lawmakers around the country on this video project, and the videos will be distributed via its social media channels.