AB 1540: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: LGBTQ+ youth.

The bill aims to improve mental health crisis response in California by adding a press 3 function to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, allowing callers to dial 988 and press "3" to be automatically routed to a specialized LGBTQ+ suicide prevention center. The state must request the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to enable this function by June 1, 2027, and ensure the technology is available within 12 months. California must also identify and contract with qualified entities specializing in LGBTQ+ suicide prevention services by the end of the same 12-month period. These entities must establish eligibility criteria, administer funds, and have a primary objective of reducing suicide rates or addressing mental health crises. The bill takes effect immediately as an urgency statute.