Stress is everywhere right now: jobs, money, safety, identity. For the queer community, the pressure is compounded. Medical services and protections are being reduced, coverage is being cut, and many are forced to carry crises alone. The gap between needing care and being able to access it is growing, and that gap can feel like isolation or worse.
Cuts to targeted programs hurt people who already carry extra burdens. LGBTQ+ individuals and especially trans and nonbinary people, face higher rates of harassment, stigma, isolation, and suicidal thoughts. Having a line to call that doesn’t judge your identity, especially for those moments when you feel like you’re running out of time, is a lifesaver.
There are local and national resources that honor dignity, respond without judgment and won’t turn you away for lack of funds.
Local Charlotte Resources
Sante Mobile Crisis Team
704-566-3410
http://thesantegroup.org/
April Jones, a Crisis Specialist with Mobile Crisis, says her team operates every hour, every day, responding to crises across Mecklenburg County. Suicidal thoughts, HIV-related emergencies, moments where someone feels they have nowhere to turn, Mobile Crisis shows up at no cost to the person in crisis.
They don’t provide transportation, but they work closely with law enforcement, paramedics , and community groups. If you have no insurance, or if navigating the system scares you, they help link you to other options. “We’re out there at 2 a.m., 2 p.m., whenever the call comes,” Jones explained. “It’s not about insurance or paperwork. It’s about keeping people safe and alive when they feel like no one else will listen.”
Dudley’s Place at Rosedale
704-977-2972
https://www.dudleysplace.org
Broderick Roary, Director of Special Populations, shared that due to funding cuts, Dudley’s Place has temporarily scaled back some therapy services. Full therapeutic programming is expected to resume in early 2026. Until then, Dudley’s Place refers clients to community-based providers who can offer care now.
“Scaling back services is never what we want to do,” Roary said. “But when the money isn’t there, we have to find creative ways to make sure our clients are still connected to care. It’s heartbreaking, because the need doesn’t shrink just because the funding does.”
Moss Counseling Services
704-493-8535
https://www.mosscounseling.com/
Founded by Beverly (Mecca) Moss, this practice has been standing with the queer community since 2010, serving more than 870 families. Moss specializes in transgender and nonbinary care, depression, bipolar disorder, youth , and adults including those on Medicaid or without it. She also runs a nonprofit, A.S.P.I.R.E Inc., to help with basic needs like food or school supplies for patients and the community.
“People come to us carrying more than just mental health challenges,” Moss said. “They’re facing poverty, rejection , or unsafe homes. We don’t just treat the symptoms. We walk with them, because healing takes more than one appointment.”
Quality Comprehensive Health
704-394-8968
https://www.qchealth.org/
QC Health offers outreach, education, HIV prevention including PrEP, and links people with mental health services. They hold pop-ups and workshops, especially in underserved communities and for those pushed out by insurance gaps.
Ra’Shawn Flournoy, the CEO of Quality Comprehensive and a community health advocate with QC Health, underscored the stakes: “When funding disappears, the first programs to go are the ones serving those already on the margins. We see it with HIV prevention, we see it with mental health. It’s the trans community, young people of color, the uninsured, those who most need a lifeline and end up with nothing.”
Other Resources and Hotlines
These resources and hotlines are answered by people who care, who understand, and who can help guide you to safety or the next step.
Atrium Health Behavioral Health (704-) 444-2400, https://atriumhealth.org/locations/detail/atrium-health-behavioral-health
Monarch
(866-) 272-7826
https://monarchnc.org/
Trans Lifeline
For trans people who need peer support. U.S. number: 1-877-565-8860. Staffed by trans peers, offering understanding and confidentiality.
The Trevor Project
Youth under pressure, LGBTQ+ young people who feel there is no one to turn to, you can call them 24/7: 1-866-488-7386. They also do chat and text.
Crisis Text Line
Prefer texting? Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the U.S. It’s free, confidential, 24/7.
The Bigger Picture: Funding Cuts Matter
Nationally, the numbers paint an even starker picture. In the past two years, federal funding for LGBTQ+ medical and mental health programs has faced significant reductions, with some reports estimating cuts of 20 to 30 percent in grants that support community health centers and crisis response programs. Trans-focused initiatives have been hit hardest. Entire clinics in some states have shut down, and others are operating with skeleton staff, offering fewer therapy sessions, cutting back support groups, or ending specialized programs altogether.
The Human Rights Campaign reports that transgender people are four times more likely to experience mental health distress than the general population, yet they are also the group most affected by shrinking federal resources.
April Jones from Santé put it bluntly: “We’ve seen services end or scale back because the dollars just aren’t there anymore. Without crisis response teams like ours, people would be left alone in their darkest hours. That’s the reality of these cuts.”
Broderick Roary echoed the urgency from Dudley’s Place: “When programs close their doors, it’s the most vulnerable, often Black and Brown trans people who pay the price. They already face the most barriers, and taking away resources just pushes them further to the margins. We’re talking about lives on the line.”
Why This Matters Now
These local groups and national hotlines are not optional extras. They are essential. They are the difference between someone isolating in silence or being seen, being heard, and getting care.
In moments of fear or despair, reach out. No one should feel alone. Your identity matters. Your life matters. If you or someone you know is in crisis, use these resources. Share them widely. Community is built one call, one conversation, one shared phone number at a time.