A nonprofit that offers a crisis help line for youth is trying to avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in cuts from the Multnomah County budget, and congressional leaders are trying to help.
The county’s proposed budget would cut roughly $240,000 for YouthLine, a crisis prevention service run through the nonprofit Lines for Life. Supporters of the program, including all of Oregon’s congressional delegation within the county’s districts, are pressuring county leaders to think again. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson says the cuts align with state guidance about what services and programs counties should prioritize, and losing the county’s contribution won’t shutter the program or end county support for young people in need.
YouthLine provides a crisis line for youth up to the age of 24, as well as mentorship and workforce development through volunteer and internship programs. It also provides classroom education and community outreach intended to destigmatize mental health, encouraging youth to ask for help when they need it. The hotline helps young people with everything from grief over the loss of a pet, to high risk crises like suicidal ideation.
“We are there to normalize help-seeking,” Emily Moser, YouthLine’s national director, told the Mercury. “Helping a young person understand it’s okay to not be okay.”
A letter sent April 28 and signed by Oregon congressional leaders requested that the county continue the annual funding for YouthLine’s outreach, engagement, and crisis support services.
“Given the profound mental health needs facing young people in our community, sustaining this highly effective support is both urgent and essential,” the letter states.
Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Janelle Bynum, and Maxine Dexter signed the letter.
In their letter, congressional leaders cited jarring statistics. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people age 10 to 14, and 10 percent of high school students reported at least one suicide attempt in 2023.
“These trends underscore the importance of accessible, appropriate support that can reach young people when they are most vulnerable,” the letter said.
Moser said the program is not at risk of shutting down altogether, but losing funding could mean the organization could cut back outreach and education, or train fewer volunteers.
Lines for Life may have other resources available if the funding doesn’t go through. The organization reported $22 million in revenues in the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to its most recent tax documents. Its board of directors boasts a host of well-connected members, including executives at large banks, insurance and energy companies, Starbucks, and former top brass at the Portland Police Bureau.
And its CEO, Dwight Holton, is no stranger to county politics. Holton contributed $500 to Julia Brim-Edwards’ campaign for county chair this year, and made five other contributions to her runs for office dating back to 2017. Sam Adams, Sharon Meirian, and Deborah Kafoury have all received campaign donations from Holton in their runs for county office.
The optics of cutting funds for a teen suicide prevention line may not be politically favorable, but allocating county funds isn’t a simple choice in a tough budget cycle. Matt McNally, Vega Pederson’s spokesperson, said the recommended budget, and how it may impact YouthLine, aligns with new state guidance. In 2025, the OHA changed the priority order of how they direct the county to use funds given through a state and county agreement.
“This meant necessary changes to how certain programs are funded, either using state funds or general fund dollars,” McNally said. “In a year of difficult budget cuts, the Chair prioritized services that don’t have other funding sources aside from our general fund.”
The OHA guidance changed how counties should prioritize money passed through the state. That created additional budget challenges for the county this year. But McNally said Vega Pederson’s proposed county budget continues to allocate money for other local services, like the Behavioral Health Call Center, the Latine Mental Health Line, and others.
“The Chair’s proposed budget funds these services and ensures that 24-hour hotline access continues,” McNally said.
Moser added that YouthLine’s efforts compliment the other programs, with youth helping youth gain control around their own mental health. It also impacts the broader community beyond the crisis line itself.
“It’s about destigmatization and normalizing mental health and well-being across the county,” Moser said.
In Multnomah County, 640 youth between the ages of five and 24 were admitted to the emergency department for suicidal ideation, attempts, or self harm, according to 2023 data. That’s 16.5 percent of the state’s total. And 21 people in that age group died of suicide in the county the same year.
Exact numbers may change as the data is finalized for 2025, but preliminary data indicates that suicide deaths for all ages will decrease in Oregon, according to OHA spokeseperson Erica Heartquist. That isn’t the case for everyone.
Gender identity and sexual orientation among youth in Oregon present disparities in the data. A Student Health Survey showed roughly half of students in 6th, 8th and 11th grade who identified as transgender and about one-third of students who identified as gender expansive had considered suicide—higher than their cisgender peers.
Racial disparities persist as well, according to the data. Between 2018–2024, combined suicide deaths for Hispanic, Asian, Black, Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native youth increased by 9 percent, while suicide deaths have decreased overall.
“We talk to people that are worried about their identity probably every day,” Moser said. “That’s part of the work.”
A vote to adopt the county’s final budget is expected June 4.