Overview

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will close the LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on July 17, accelerating the previously planned October 1 deadline.
• The Trevor Project received a stop work notice that ends its federal "Press 3" program within 30 days, severing its contract to provide queer-specific crisis counseling.
• Since its 2022 launch, the specialized hotline has served over 1.2 million LGBTQ+ callers, at a time when the Trevor Project estimates 1.8 million queer youth consider suicide annually.
• CEO Jaymes Black called the funding cut politically motivated and warned that the loss of counselors trained in LGBTQ+ issues could cost lives.
• Advocacy groups, celebrities and lawmakers are urging Congress to restore the funding in its annual budget to prevent the shutdown.