As the Trump administration accelerates plans to shut down the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth, The Trevor Project is sounding the alarm over the potentially catastrophic consequences for a population already teetering on the edge of crisis.
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A spokesperson for The Trevor Project told The Advocate that the organization has witnessed an estimated 20 percent increase in calls and messages to its crisis services in the week following the administration’s announcement, a surge reflecting the fear and uncertainty gripping LGBTQ+ young people in the current political climate.
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“Young people are expressing fear and uncertainty about the current hostile anti-LGBTQ+ political environment in this country,” Alex Boyd, director of crisis intervention at The Trevor Project, said in a statement.
The specialized LGBTQ+ services within the 988 lifeline, which President Donald Trump signed into law during his first term and implemented under the Biden administration, are now slated to close on July 17, a timeline that accelerates what had initially been planned as a cutoff on October 1. The move will strip roughly $25 million in federal funding that helps pay for crisis counselors and support infrastructure for the lifeline’s LGBTQ+ network, which has become, for many, a rare harbor in turbulent times.
“The administration’s abrupt announcement to end the 988 Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ specialized services on July 17, giving only 30 days’ notice, has put our organization in an impossible situation,” Boyd said. “Their decision to strip The Trevor Project of an estimated $25 million in federal funds that support many crisis counselor roles through the 988 Lifeline will create a major gap in service beginning on July 17. Sadly, we know that this closure will impact hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ+ youth that The Trevor Project was able to serve each year through 988.”
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For advocates, the threat cuts to the heart of a stark reality: LGBTQ+ youth in the United States remain at significantly elevated risk for suicide and mental health crises. The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+young people seriously consider suicide each year, with one LGBTQ+ youth attempting suicide every 45 seconds. In 2023, the organization reported that 41 percent of LGBTQ+ youth had seriously contemplated suicide, a rate even higher among transgender young people.
The LGBTQ+ subnetwork of 988, launched in 2022, was explicitly designed to address this crisis. Created with bipartisan support, it allows callers to “press 3” or text “PRIDE” to reach trained counselors who understand LGBTQ-specific experiences. Since its inception, the network has handled more than 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats, and The Trevor Project itself manages tens of thousands of contacts each month.
“LGBTQ+ youth are four times as likely as their peers to consider attempting suicide,” said Mark Henson, director of federal advocacy and government affairs for The Trevor Project, in a previous interview with The Advocate. “The specialized LGBTQ+ services within 988 were designed because of this elevated risk, much like the separate support track for veterans. It’s about meeting people where they are with someone who understands their lived experiences.”
Following the 2024 presidential election, The Trevor Project reported a staggering 700 percent surge in outreach, with a 46 percent spike on Inauguration Day 2025 alone compared to average daily volume.
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The looming defunding has prompted rare bipartisan objections on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both parties have urged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to halt the cuts.
“This is not some kind of hotline set by a liberal Democratic administration,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, told The Advocate in June. “It was actually signed into law by President Trump. Eliminating this lifeline is cruelty because you are essentially discontinuing a service that saves lives.”
Among the voices defending the lifeline is Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House press secretary under President Joe Biden and a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, who struggled with suicidal thoughts growing up. In prior remarks to The Advocate, she described the specialized services as nothing less than essential.
“It’s what stands between despair and survival, isolation and hope,” Jean-Pierre said. “Dismantling this support system isn’t just negligent—it’s dangerous.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not respond to The Advocate’s request for comment. However, Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai directed The Advocate to a June statement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which said the “Press 3” option will end on July 17 and services for LGBTQ+ callers will be integrated into the general 988 system. The agency said all callers "will continue to receive compassion and help."
Some LGBTQ+ young people have already described experiencing long waits for help. A Reddit user on Tuesday posted about waiting an hour for The Trevor Project to respond during a mental health emergency.
A Trevor Project spokesperson said the organization could not fully verify the details of that user’s experience but confirmed that during the same period, the longest recorded wait time was about 60 minutes.
“There has been no observable, significant trend or sustained impact on wait times experienced across The Trevor Project’s crisis lines,” Boyd said. “However, as always, wait times may vary depending on a number of factors, including contact volume at a given moment, the timing of outreach, and the number of counselors staffing the lines.”
Boyd urged those seeking help not to give up if they encounter a delay and encouraged them to explore The Trevor Project’s online resources for immediate support.
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“If contacts find themselves experiencing a longer wait than usual, we encourage them to try a calming exercise to help them breathe and focus,” Boyd said. “We also encourage contacts to check out The Trevor Project’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center for helpful articles and information. If they are in acute medical crisis or need medical attention, they should reach out to 911.”
Boyd emphasized that The Trevor Project remains determined to protect LGBTQ+ youth.
“The Trevor Project is doing everything in our power to close the gap in care caused by the administration’s callous decision to end a lifeline that has supported 1.5 million LGBTQ+ young people,” Boyd said. “Right now, we desperately need our allies, partners, and supporters to join us. For anyone looking to help during this challenging time, please support and share The Trevor Project’s Emergency Lifeline Campaign for LGBTQ+ Youth.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
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