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The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it plans to end support services for LGBTQ+ youth who call a federal 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline.

Currently, those who call 988 and press 3 are connected with counselors who are specifically trained to assist LGBTQ+ youth. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a statement that it would no longer fund this service beginning July 17. The hotline will continue, but without dedicated support for the LGBTQ+ community.

鈥淓veryone who contacts the 988 Lifeline will continue to receive access to skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors who can help with suicidal, substance misuse, or mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress,鈥� said the statement.

The statement said it will no longer 鈥渟ilo LGB+ youth services鈥� 鈥� dropping the 鈥淭鈥� of the acronym, which stands for 鈥渢ransgender.鈥�

In the last year, the service provided help to over 45,000 callers each month who pressed 3 鈥� or about 1,500 calls a day, according to federal data. The number of LGBTQ+ calls surged to over 61,000 in November 2024. It has served approximately 1.3 million callers.

The federal government began this service as a pilot in 2022 in partnership with the Trevor Project, a West Hollywood-based nonprofit founded to support LGBTQ+ youth experiencing a mental health crisis. Six other groups joined to create a network for LGBTQ+ youth nationwide.

CEO Jaymes Black called the decision 鈥渄evastating鈥� and called on Congress to reverse the decision.

鈥淭he administration鈥檚 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,鈥� Black said in a statement. 鈥淭he fact that this news comes to us halfway through Pride Month is callous 鈥� as is the administration鈥檚 choice to remove the 鈥楾鈥� from the acronym 鈥楲GBTQ+鈥� in their announcement.鈥�

The Trevor Project continues to offer crisis counselors on its own hotline 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or via texting START to 678678.

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