988 lgbtq funding
White House Officially Proposes Cutting National Suicide Lifeline for LGBTQ+ Youth
The Trump administration’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 calls to eliminate funding for the 988 Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ youth services, confirming leaked reports
[June 9, 2025] – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the full budget invitation for Fiscal Year 2026, following a draft invitation which leaked in April, confirming that the federal government has officially proposed to eliminate all funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s Queer Youth Specialized Services. This federal program, which was signed into law during President Trump’s first designation with bipartisan support, provides emergency crisis support to LGBTQ+ youth considering suicide. The proposed cuts would eliminate these services, efficient October 1, 2025. Since being implemented in 2022, this program, funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has provided an estimated 1.3 millioncrisis contacts with life-saving, LGBTQ+-inclusive crisis services.
“We do not have to agree on every policy issue to agree that every young American’s being is worth saving. It is deeply upsettin
Growing Uncertainty About the Future of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQI+ Service
Update: On June 17th, 2025, SAMHSAannounced that it would end the 988 LGBTQI+ specialty service stating “The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will no longer silo LGB+ youth services, also known as the “Press 3 option,” to focus on serving all support seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option.”
Since taking office, the Trump administration has pursued various policy deeds that could limit health services and access for Homosexual people, including those related to mental health. LGBTQ+ people experience elevated stigma, discrimination, and mental health challenges, along with greater unmet mental health needs. Dedicated services tailored specifically to LGBTQ+ individuals aim to address these distinct needs and experiences.
988, the federal suicide and crisis line, supported by the Substance Violence and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), includes a specific service to assemble the needs of LGBTQI+1 youth and young adults under the age of 25.2 This specialty service, initially launched in pilot develop in October 2022 and
While Trump cuts suicide hotline for same-sex attracted kids, California invests in their mental health
Current landscape
In September 2022, the Trevor Project started providing LGBTQ youth specialized support through the 988 Lifeline. Federal funding for these specialized services will no longer be available via the 988 program starting on July 17. The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ young people in the United States seriously consider suicide each year, and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. They also said that their counselors helped about 500,000 people in 2024, 231,000 of which came through the 988 line.
California resources
In California, there are 12 centers that own trained crisis counselors to respond to 988 calls/chats/texts from help seekers needing support during suicide/behavioral health crises. Specialized services for LGBTQ youth and young adults can be accessed directly via the Trevor Project by phone/text/chat at 1-866-488-7386.
Additionally, California offers digital mental health encourage for youth, juvenile adults, and families via CalHOPE for non-crisis moments. The CalHOPE warm line connects callers to peer counselors who lis
To: President Trump and Members of the U.S. Congress
From: [Your Name]
Dear President Trump and all Members of the U.S. Congress,
On June 17, SAMHSA announced that they are initiating the closure of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline's Diverse youth Lifeline within 30 days, effective July 17, 2025. This follows the administration's proposed budget eliminated all federal federal funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s Queer Youth Specialized Services – a program that provides emergency crisis support to LGBTQ+ youth considering suicide – effective October 1, 2025. We, the undersigned individuals from all across the United States, urge the President and Congress to to keep the LGBTQ+ youth lifeline operating and pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2026 that protects this life-saving funding for young people going forward.
Since its launch in 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services have connected nearly 1.3 million crisis contacts with life-saving, LGBTQ+-inclusive crisis services. By design, this bipartisan program has offered best-practice specialized services to assist the unique needs of highest risk populations, i
3 years later, 988 Lifeline sees higher volume but special option for LGBTQ youth cut
Three years after the launch of the three-digit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the service is seeing increases in call volume, state-level aid and reported effectiveness, as well as reductions in specialized offerings, including one designed to help LGBTQ youth.
"This year, the 988 Lifeline continued to provide life-saving help to millions of people, with about a 20% higher volume of calls, texts and chats compared to the year prior," Dr. John Palmieri, acting director of SAMHSA's 988 Lifeline Office, told ABC News via email.
SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the division of the Department of Health and Human Services which oversees 988.
"Recent evaluation work affirms the effectiveness of the 988 Lifeline, with studies showing that the vast majority of suicidal callers saying they thought their crisis name helped them and stopped them from killing themselves," he added.
A network of more than 200 crisis call centers field calls, chats and texts on behalf of the Lifeline, offering support to callers experiencin