The money will go to the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Blueprint for Adults and Youth (CoSPLAY) program, which strives to reduce the suicide rate of LGBTQ+ people between the ages of 10 and 24. One of the program's objectives is to lower the number of suicide attempts in Bexar County by 10% over the next four years, according to University Health officials.
The funding comes as Texas continues to enact new laws limiting the rights of LGBTQ+ Texans, notably including one that prevents transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming care. Families and doctors have sued to overturn that law, but the Texas Supreme Court allowed it to remain in effect while the challenge proceeds.
One in three participants in a recent national survey of LGBTQ+ youth by the Trevor Project said their mental health was poor "most of the time" or "always" due to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and policies being adopted in Texas and other states. The survey also found that 41% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, including half of transgender and nonbinary young people.
The nonprofit Trevor Project was established in the late 1990s to curtail high suicide rates among LGBTQ+ young people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control are providing the funding for CosPLAY, University Health officials said.
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