In a decision critics are calling both devastating and politically motivated, the Trump administration has announced that it will shut down the LGBTQ+ youth suicide hotline under the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The dedicated “Press 3” option, which connects LGBTQ+ youth to trained crisis counselors, will be officially discontinued on July 17, 2025—just 30 days after the announcement made by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Launched as a pilot program in 2022 and funded by a bipartisan congressional directive, the LGBTQ+ youth services subnetwork has provided critical mental health support to more than 1.3 million young people. But according to SAMHSA, the administration now plans to “focus on serving all help seekers,” stating that siloing specific services will no longer be part of the 988 Lifeline’s strategy. Notably, the administration’s official June 17 statement omitted the “T” in “LGBTQ+,” referring only to “LGB+” youth.
RELATED: What Exactly Is a ‘Normal Gay’? Richard Grenell Thinks He Knows
For many, the move feels not just tone-deaf, but willfully cruel. The timing alone—during Pride Month—feels like a targeted dismissal of a community already under intense political scrutiny and social attack.
“This is devastating, to say the least,” said Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, one of the primary organizations responsible for operating the LGBTQ+ youth crisis line.
“Suicide prevention is about people, not politics. The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible.”
Founded in 1998, The Trevor Project has long been the national leader in LGBTQ+ suicide prevention. Since 2022, the organization has played a pivotal role in the 988 Lifeline’s specialized LGBTQ+ services, offering phone, text, and chat options through the “Press 3” and “Reply PRIDE” mechanisms. The Trevor Project alone served more than 231,000 crisis contacts in 2024 and trained nearly 250 crisis counselors to provide culturally competent, life-saving care.
RELATED: RAINN Cuts LGBTQ+ Resources to Keep Trump Happy — Survivors Pay the Price
The administration insists that all individuals who contact 988 will continue to receive high-quality crisis care, regardless of identity. But mental health professionals, advocates, and LGBTQ+ organizations say that generalized support does not replace the targeted, affirming services offered through the “Press 3” line.
“When young LGBTQ+ people are in crisis, being able to speak to someone who understands their unique challenges—who gets it—can mean the difference between life and death,” said a crisis counselor from the LGBTQ+ Youth Subnetwork, who asked to remain anonymous. “This isn’t just about having someone on the other end of the line. It’s about having someone who sees them.”
The numbers are sobering. LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide compared to their peers. Among trans and nonbinary youth, the risk is even higher. These are the very individuals who relied on the “Press 3” service for support.
To add salt to the wound, this decision arrives after years of growing bipartisan support for mental health services tailored to LGBTQ+ communities. In Fiscal Year 2023, Congress allocated $29.7 million to fund the specialized services, and that funding increased to $33 million in FY2024. By June 2025, however, SAMHSA said those funds had been “fully expended.”
In response to the decision, The Trevor Project has launched an emergency lifeline fundraising campaign and petition urging lawmakers to reverse what it calls a “fatal decision.” The campaign is bolstered by over 100 entertainment and public figures who signed an open letter in support of LGBTQ+ youth mental health funding.
“Congress can still act to reverse this,” Black emphasized. “We are asking everyone to join the overwhelming public support for evidence-based crisis services. Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased.”
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate who have championed LGBTQ+ youth services in the past are now under increasing pressure to act. Advocates say defunding the specialized service sends a dangerous message—that the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth is less important or less urgent.
“It’s hard enough for queer youth to reach out and ask for help,” said one former crisis counselor. “We built something that met them where they were. And now we’re taking it away.”
The decision underscores a broader cultural shift under the Trump administration, which has ramped up anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and policy rollbacks since returning to office. While the administration claims the change is to promote inclusion and efficiency, many see it as another blow in an ongoing political war targeting queer and trans Americans.
To every LGBTQ+ young person reading this: you are not alone. You are worthy. You are loved. The Trevor Project continues to offer 24/7 support, and organizations across the country are stepping up to fill the gap.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can reach The Trevor Project’s trained counselors 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, by texting START to 678678, or via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help.
Your life matters—no matter what this administration says.