Senate hearing on youth mental health spurs debate on hormone treatment, disparities for LGBTQ+ youth

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct attribution to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for the final quote in the article. We regret the error.

Debate in a Senate committee hearing about the youth mental health crisis grew tense when Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) brought up concerns about hormone treatment for transgender youth.  

The Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions met Thursday to evaluate the current mental health infrastructure and legislation. Nine mental health programs will lose their funding unless the committee re-approves their budget before the programs’ expiration date in September.  

A portion of the hearing focused on recent research regarding mental health in LGBTQ+ adolescents, specifically transgender youth.

“They couldn’t show that cross-sex hormones improved the psychosocial functioning for minors, so clearly this was really a waste of taxpayer dollars,” Budd said in reference to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study on hormone treatment for transgender kids.  

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also blamed the destruction of the nuclear family as the primary reason for the mental health crisis.  

Budd questioned the U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy about whether the studies could potentially present harmful consequences for the participants.

“It is vital to study both short and long-term impact on physical and mental health,” Murthy said, backing the NIH’s study.  

Other committee members showed their support for LGBTQ+ youth later in the hearing. The senators spoke about the disproportionate effect the mental health crisis has on this community.  

 “Forty-five percent of LGBTQ youth reported that they considered attempting suicide,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) said, referring to recent research from LGBTQ+ mental health nonprofit The Trevor Project.  

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) also commented on the growing anti-trans-youth sentiment in the U.S., saying the “discriminatory actions and statements of elected officials at every level of government are fueling the fire and making the youth mental health crisis worse.” 

State legislators have passed 75 bills that are discriminatory against LGBTQ+ people in the last six months, Markey said. This year, 491 such bills have passed, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). These laws often target and block gender-affirming healthcare.  

Baldwin also spoke about a pilot program for the 988 mental health hotline that offers specialized treatment for members of the LGBTQ+ community. This technology could provide immediate care for transgender youths who are currently suffering from mental illnesses.  

“I believe every child deserves to know they matter, regardless of what their background is,” Murthy said on Baldwin’s 988 pilot program.  

Updated 9:27 p.m. EDT.