Crisis calls from the 2SLGBTQ+ youth community triple within 72 hours
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — A leading national nonprofit providing a 24/7 crisis hotline and free mental health counseling to the 2SLGBTQ+ youth community is seeing an alarming surge of crisis calls in Oklahoma.
Rainbow Youth Project USA typically handles an average of 87 calls per week from Oklahoma, but within the past 72 hours, they have received over 237 crisis calls.
“A lot of these young people are suffering from isolation, anxiety fear, a couple did screen positive for depression,” Lance Preston, the founder and executive director of Rainbow Youth Project, said.
Preston said young callers cite political rhetoric and school board changes as triggers for the surge.
“There doesn’t have to be a passing of the policy,” Preston said. “There doesn’t have to be the passing of a legislation or a bill, the mere talk of that creates anxiety which results in crisis.”
Bullying was also cited as a trigger by young callers.
82% of the youth who reached out reported being victims of bullying in their schools and on social media platforms.
And 74% expressed growing concerns about violence targeted toward them solely because of their identities.
“Many students from this past weekend are, of course, discussing the incident of the student there in Tulsa that was beaten at the school,” Preston said.
67% of the young callers said the recent incident at Owasso High School contributed to their distress.
Earlier this month, a 16-year-old high school student was involved in a fight on the school’s property. The next day, the student passed away.
Local police are still investigating and have not confirmed the number of students involved in the incident or what started the assault.
Nonetheless, the current data is alarming. However, the Rainbow Youth Project is working to change that.
This week, Preston and others with Rainbow Youth Project are working with community partners in Oklahoma City to find a solution.
As a reminder for those struggling, Rainbow Youth Project USA offers free mental health counseling to 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
For more information about the organization and its services, visit their website.