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Rep. Sharice Davids speaks onstage at Human Rights Campaign dinner, Los Angeles, March 2022.
"We are failing our most vulnerable children on this issue," Davids said.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids is observing Pride Month by reintroducing a bill aimed at improving mental health care for LGBTQ+ and intersex youth.
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Her Pride in Mental Health Act, introduced Thursday, would update care standards, develop training for caregivers, identify school bullying prevention guidelines. It would call for a report on the mental health and mental health care of LGBTQ+ and intersex youth in foster care and other federal social services programs and direct the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to review and update resources listed on its website that pertain to LGBTQ+ communities.
Davids, a Kansas Democrat who is gay and Native American, introduced similar bills in 2023 and 2024, and a Senate version was introduced in 2024, but no version has passed.
In a press release announcing the bill, Davids pointed to the challenges faced by young LGBTQ+ people. They report worse mental health than their non-LGBTQ+ peers, and surveys have indicated nearly 40 percent have considered suicide.
“Children here in Kansas and across the country continue to struggle with mental health challenges, but we are failing many of our most vulnerable children on this issue,” Davids said in the release. “My Pride in Mental Health Act takes a comprehensive and data-driven approach to tackling the mental health crisis among LGBTQI+ youth. By increasing access to mental health support for our children and teens, we can save lives.”
The act has been endorsed by the Congressional Equality Caucus, Human Rights Campaign, GLSEN, National Education Association, Advocates for Trans Equality, PFLAG National, American Psychological Association, Institute for Health Research and Policy at Whitman-Walker, interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Trevor Project, Seattle Indian Health Board, and American Academy of Pediatrics.
In the release, several representatives of these organizations spoke in support of the bill. “Passing the Pride in Mental Health Act would provide vital resources to support the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people and shine a necessary spotlight on the serious mental health crisis facing our country,” said Mark Henson, interim vice president of advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor Project. “The Trevor Project’s research found that 39 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, yet half of those who wanted mental health care were not able to get it. It’s clear that we need more resources to end suicide among this high-risk group, and this legislation creates a critical avenue for providing the resources, data, and awareness we need to help LGBTQ+ young people across the country lead the happy, healthy lives they deserve.”
“LGBTQ+ youth are growing up in a moment of crisis — where their very existence is being debated in legislatures across the country,” said David Stacy, HRC vice president for government affairs. “They are not just facing the everyday pressures of adolescence, but also the constant drumbeat of rejection and discrimination. Mental health support from affirming, qualified professionals isn’t just helpful — it’s lifesaving. The Pride in Mental Health Act is a crucial response to this national emergency.”
“On behalf of PFLAGers everywhere, I thank Rep. Davids for introducing this important bill providing tools and accountability to SAMHSA,” said Brian K. Bond, CEO of PFLAG National. “Across races, places, genders, and abilities, all people — including LGBTQ+ youth — deserve to thrive as their authentic selves. This bill will ensure access to and measurement of critical behavioral health services, especially for trans youth who are facing unprecedented attacks by people who are seeking to remove the most basic access to health care of all kinds.”
Some of Davids’s colleagues expressed support as well. “As someone who faced firsthand the challenges of growing up LGBTQI+ while struggling with their mental health, I know how isolating and overwhelming it can be,” said Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York. “Across the country, LGBTQI+ youth face alarmingly high rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and disproportionate representation in the foster care system. For too long, we’ve failed to meet their needs with the compassion and support they deserve. That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the Pride in Mental Health Act with Rep. Sharice Davids to confront these disparities head on and ensure every young LGBTQI+ person has access to the care and support they need to thrive.”
“Young people across the country are struggling right now with unprecedented levels of depression and mental health challenges, and it is felt most acutely among LGBTQ+ youth,” said Rep. Eric Sorensen, an Illinois Democrat. “It’s important this Pride Month that we help our vulnerable youth access the mental health care, treatment, and resources they need to live happy and healthy lives as their full selves. I’m proud to work with my fellow Equality Caucus cochairs, Reps. Davids and Torres, to address this crisis head on. With this legislation, we can improve and save lives.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
