Trump admin rejects The Trevor Project from restored LGBTQ+ 988 crisis lifeline it helped build

The Trevor Project spent years helping build the federal crisis service for LGBTQ+ young people and handled roughly half of all calls, texts, and chats routed through it. Now, as the Trump administration prepares to reinstate the service it abruptly discontinued last year, the organization has been told it will not be included.

The LGBTQ+ suicide prevention nonprofit told The Advocate Wednesday that its proposal to join the restored 988 Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services network, commonly known as “Press 3,” was formally rejected. In other words, the federal government is rebuilding a specialized crisis service without the organization that piloted it, served as its first provider, and has nearly three decades of experience supporting LGBTQ+ young people.

Related: Trump administration finalizes plan to eliminate LGBTQ+ 988 crisis services during WorldPride

“The 988 Lifeline administrators informed us that The Trevor Project’s proposal to join the restored ‘Press 3’ LGBTQ+ youth specialized services was rejected,” Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement to The Advocate. “The exclusion of our nearly 30 years of expertise is of course disappointing.”

Black said the organization remains committed to ensuring that the restored service follows clinical best practices for all LGBTQ+ young people, “including and especially transgender youth,” who face disproportionately high suicide risk.

That concern is sharpened, Black said, by the administration’s requirement that Press 3 comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order directing the federal government not to recognize transgender identities.

Related: These crisis hotlines are still available for LGBTQ+ youth after Trump ends special 988 services

“No matter what, The Trevor Project’s own 24/7 crisis lines remain available to directly support any LGBTQ+ young person in crisis, just as they always have,” Black said. “Our team of experts has already begun working to train 988 Lifeline counselors in California and Illinois to ensure 988 Lifeline counselors in those states are equipped to support LGBTQ+ youth who reach out.”

Black added that the organization remains “ready, able, and willing” to help institutions provide comprehensive, up-to-date care to LGBTQ+ young people.

Press 3 launched in 2022. People younger than 25 could press 3 when calling 988, text “PRIDE,” or use an online chat to reach counselors trained specifically to assist LGBTQ+ young people. The Trevor Project initially operated the pilot alone before the service expanded to a seven-center network.

The Trevor Project handled nearly 50 percent of the network’s contact volume, including more than 231,000 crisis contacts in 2024, according to the organization.

The broader service received approximately 1.6 million contacts before the Trump administration shut it down on July 17, 2025, according to SAMHSA data reported by the Associated Press. Recent Trevor Project research underscores what is at stake.

SAMHSA said at the time that it would “no longer silo” LGBTQ+ callers in a specialized network and would instead serve everyone through the general 988 system. The administration also proposed eliminating the program’s dedicated funding while preserving the broader national hotline.

Related: The Trump administration is excluding The Trevor Project from the 988 service it helped create

Congress intervened, directing the administration to allocate $33.1 million for specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth, including cultural competency training and a system to route young people to providers equipped to help them.

A May research brief found that 68 percent of LGBTQ+ young people who used Press 3 considered it at least moderately helpful. Teenagers, young people of color, rural residents, and those with fewer financial resources were especially likely to use it.

As The Advocate reported in June, an HHS spokesperson said SAMHSA was working with Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit administrator of the 988 network, “to reactivate Press 3 operations by the end of the year.” Information subsequently shared with The Advocate indicates that service could be restored as soon as October 1.

But the restoration was bound from the beginning to the administration’s broader campaign against transgender recognition.

SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Carroll told a bipartisan group of lawmakers that the agency was determining how to carry out Congress’s directive while complying with Trump’s Executive Order 14168. The order declares that the federal government recognizes only two sexes, directs agencies not to request gender identity on forms, and orders them to prevent federal funds from being used to “promote gender ideology.”

Then came another obstacle.

Vibrant limited applications for the renewed service to “current and active” members of the 988 network. The Advocate reported on June 30 that The Trevor Project was no longer an active member precisely because the administration had eliminated the specialized service it operated. The other six centers from the former LGBTQ+ network remained active because they also served the general population.

The organization nevertheless submitted a proposal. Its rejection now raises questions about which providers were selected, what qualifications they possess, and whether counselors working under the renewed Press 3 program will be permitted to recognize transgender and nonbinary callers’ identities, names, and pronouns.

On Thursday, The Advocate asked SAMHSA why The Trevor Project’s proposal was rejected, who made or approved the decision, what criteria and scoring system were used, and which organizations were selected. The agency was also asked whether Trump’s executive order affected the selection process, whether the program will provide affirming services to transgender and nonbinary young people, whether The Trevor Project may appeal, and whether the service will resume Oct. 1 with the full $33.1 million directed by Congress.

In response, SAMHSA officials emphasized the reach of the broader crisis network but did not explain why The Trevor Project’s proposal was rejected.

“The 988 Lifeline gives all Americans an easy way to reach skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors 24/7 for help with a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis,” SAMHSA officials said in a statement to The Advocate. “Since its launch, the 988 Lifeline has received more than 26 million contacts.”

The officials said the agency is carrying out Congress’s directive to restore the specialized service.

“As directed by Congress, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is working with Vibrant Emotional Health, the 988 Network Administrator, to resume operations of specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth by the end of the year,” they said.

SAMHSA explained that Vibrant oversees contractors operating specialized subnetworks and that limiting requests for proposals to active 988 network members is standard practice. They said the LGBTQ+ youth subnetwork solicitation followed the same rule.

SAMHSA officials noted that many of the original LGBTQ+ youth subnetwork providers remain active in the broader 988 system by delivering other services, including local and national backup coverage. The Trevor Project was the only one of the seven original providers devoted specifically to LGBTQ+ young people.

The officials confirmed that Congress required SAMHSA to use $33.1 million of its fiscal year 2026 funding to restore the specialized service. They referred questions about the solicitation and selection process to Vibrant.

SAMHSA did not identify the providers selected, disclose the evaluation criteria or scoring, address whether The Trevor Project may appeal, or answer whether counselors will be permitted to recognize transgender and nonbinary young people’s identities, names, and pronouns.

The Advocate sent those questions directly to Vibrant, which received a $255 million SAMHSA award in May to administer the national crisis network. Vibrant did not respond.

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.