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8h ago

Trump Administration to End LGBTQ+ Youth Hotline Option on 988 Lifeline

Critics say removing the dedicated line strips vital crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth at far higher risk of suicide.

FILE - A man uses a cell phone in New Orleans, Aug. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
Sign for the 988 Lifeline mental health emergency hotline in Walnut Creek, California, December 20, 2024.
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Overview

  • A June 17 SAMHSA announcement confirmed that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s “Press 3” option, which connects LGBTQ+ youth to specialized counselors, will end on July 17.
  • The youth service, launched in September 2022 under a contract with the Trevor Project, has handled nearly 1.3 million calls, texts and chats from LGBTQ+ young people.
  • SAMHSA said it will integrate all callers into a general queue to “focus on serving all help seekers,” and its statement referred only to “LGB+ youth services,” omitting transgender and queer identities.
  • Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black called the decision devastating, launched a petition urging Congress to restore dedicated funding and vowed to maintain its separate 24/7 crisis line.
  • The shutdown precedes the Trump administration’s 2026 budget plan to freeze overall Lifeline funding at $520 million while eliminating earmarked support for LGBTQ+ youth.