Latest news with #SAMHSA
Global News
11 hours ago
- Health
- Global News
U.S suicide prevention hotline cutting service for 2SLGBTQ+ youth
The 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will stop providing tailored support options to LGBTQ+ youth and young adults on July 17, according to a statement on a federal agency's website. The decision preempts the Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal to cut funding for 988's LGBTQ+ youth and young adult services, and is raising alarm bells among LGBTQ+ advocates. Federal data shows the LGBTQ+ youth program has served nearly 1.3 million callers since it started in September 2022. The services were accessible under the 'Press 3' option on the phone or by replying 'PRIDE' via text. Story continues below advertisement The decision was was made to 'no longer silo' the services and 'to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option,' the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said in a statement dated Tuesday on its website. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy News of the LGBTQ+ service shutting down comes as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors on Wednesday. The Trevor Project said it received official notice Tuesday that the program was ending. The nonprofit is one of seven centres that provides 988 crisis support services for LGBTQ+ people, and serves nearly half of the people who contact the lifeline. 'Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,' Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement Wednesday. '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.' In its statement on the 988 decision, SAMHSA referred to the 'LGB+ youth services.' Black called the omission of the 'T' representing transgender people 'callous.' 'Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased,' he said. The Trevor Project will continue to run its 24/7 mental health support services, as will other organizations, and leaders of 988 say the hotline will serve anyone who calls with compassion. Story continues below advertisement The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 49,300 suicides in 2023 — about the highest level in the nation's history, based on preliminary data. Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk of suicide, including a 2024 analysis by the CDC that found 26 per cent of transgender and gender-questioning students attempted suicide in the past year. That's compared with 5 per cent of cisgender male and 11 per cent of cisgender female students. Young transgender people flooded crisis hotlines with calls after President Donald Trump was re-elected. Trump made anti-transgender themes central to his campaign and has since rolled back many civil rights protections and access to gender-affirming care. Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 into law in October 2020. The specific 988 subprogram for LGBTQ+ youth cost $33 million in fiscal year 2024, according to SAMHSA, and as of June 2025, more than $33 million has been spent on the services. The Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal called for keeping 988's total budget at $520 million, even while eliminating the LGBTQ+ services. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to wrap SAMHSA and other agencies into a new HHS office called the Administration for a Healthy America, where it would coexist with employees from other agencies responsible for chemical exposures and work-related injuries.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Trump administration's big crackdown on LGBTQ youth suicide hotline amid Pride month. Check details
The Trump administration is terminating a part of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth — known as 988 option 3, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced. The Trump administration has given a crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth 30 days to shut down. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will no longer use its LGBTQ youth services, also known as the 'Press 3 option,' effective July 17, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said in an announcement on Tuesday. The agency said those who contact 988 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." ALSO READ: Juneteenth 2025: From Texas to Washington, check 10 best places to celebrate with amazing activities across US Trump admin's big move against LGBTQ The Trump administration will shut down the national LGBTQ youth suicide lifeline in 30 days. Though the White House had signalled earlier that it would no longer fund the LGBTQ youth service, 'Press 3 option,' of the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline starting in 2026. It had said funding for the rest of this year would remain unchanged. Live Events Started as a pilot program in 2022, the "Press 3 Option" was unveiled in a government contract with the Trevor Project , a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ in need of help would call 988 and be given the option to 'press 3' to connect with counselors trained to assist people up to age 25. The nation's 988 hotline brings critical access to care for those battling mental health emergencies. Nationwide, calls increased 40% soon after the three-digit number was officially launched in 2022. ALSO READ: Juneteenth federal holiday in US: Check what's open and closed The SAMHSA said in a statement that the decision was made to 'no longer silo' the services and 'to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option.' The development comes as the US Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors on Wednesday. 'Federal funding in FY24 for the Press 3 services increased to $33 million. As of June 2025, more than $33 million in funds have been spent to support the subnetworks, fully expending the monies allocated for 988 Lifeline LGB+ subnetwork services.' What did the Trevor Project say? The Trevor Project said it received official notice Tuesday that the program was ending. The nonprofit is one of seven centers that provides 988 crisis support services for LGBTQ+ people — and serves nearly half of the people who contact the lifeline. ALSO READ: Amazon's 30-day deadline to employees amid mass layoff fear: Resign in 60 days or... 'This is devastating, to say the least. Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,' said Jaymes Black, the Trevor Project's CEO. '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.' The news comes in the middle of Pride Month, which Black called "callous." He also criticized "the administration's choice to remove the 'T' from the acronym 'LGBTQ+' in their announcement," saying, "Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased." Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump administration to shutter specialized LGBTQ+ suicide lifeline option
A part of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth — known as 988 option 3 — is being terminated under the Trump administration, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced. "On July 17, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will no longer silo LGB+ youth services, also known as the 'Press 3 option,' to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option," a statement Tuesday from SAMHSA read. The agency said those who contact 988 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." It's unclear if staff for the specialized option 3 care line will be cut or moved to the general 988 line. CBS News has reached out to SAMHSA for more information. The nation's 988 hotline brings critical access to care for those battling mental health emergencies. Nationwide, calls increased 40% soon after the three-digit number was officially launched in 2022. Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people, described the planned change as "devastating." "This means that, in 30 short days, this program that has provided life-saving services to more than 1.3 million LGBTQ+ young people will no longer be available for those who need it," Black said in a statement Wednesday. "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." The news comes in the middle of Pride Month, which Black called "callous." He also criticized "the administration's choice to remove the 'T' from the acronym 'LGBTQ+' in their announcement," saying, "Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased." Sen. Tammy Baldwin also condemned the agency's move as "cruelly and needlessly taking" away a crucial resource for LGBTQ+ people in crisis. "During Pride Month, a time to celebrate the progress we've made, the Trump Administration is taking us a step back and telling LGBTQ+ kids that they don't matter and don't deserve help when they are in crisis," she said in a statement. Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, wrote the legislation that created the three-digit 988 hotline. The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees SAMHSA, has announced plans to reorganize and fold its functions into a new Administration for a Healthy America. SAMHSA has also lost staff to job cuts this year, including some who worked on the 988 hotline team. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here. The Trevor Project's trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at or by texting START to 678678. For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@ Teen questioned after family's quadruple murder Iranians evacuate capital Tehran, some say the regime is frightened Parents, brother of slain Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman speak about her death
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump administration removing 988 hotline service tailored to LGBTQ+ youth in July
The 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will stop providing tailored support options to LGBTQ+ youth and young adults on July 17, according to a statement on a federal agency's website. The decision preempts the Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal to cut funding for 988's LGBTQ+ youth and young adult services, and is raising alarm bells among LGBTQ+ advocates. Federal data shows the LGBTQ+ youth program has served nearly 1.3 million callers since it started in September 2022. The services were accessible under the 'Press 3' option on the phone or by replying 'PRIDE' via text. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. ___ The decision was was made to 'no longer silo' the services and 'to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said in a statement dated Tuesday on its website. News of the LGBTQ+ service shutting down comes as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors on Wednesday. The Trevor Project said it received official notice Tuesday that the program was ending. The nonprofit is one of seven centers that provides 988 crisis support services for LGBTQ+ people — and serves nearly half of the people who contact the lifeline. ' Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,' Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement Wednesday. '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.' In its statement on the 988 decision, SAMHSA referred to the 'LGB+ youth services.' Black called the omission of the 'T' representing transgender people 'callous.' 'Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased,' he said. The Trevor Project will continue to run its 24/7 mental health support services, as will other organizations, and leaders of 988 say the hotline will serve anyone who calls with compassion. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 49,300 suicides in 2023 — about the highest level in the nation's history, based on preliminary data. Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk of suicide, including a 2024 analysis by the CDC that found 26% transgender and gender-questioning students attempted suicide in the past year. That's compared with 5% of cisgender male and 11% of cisgender female students. Young transgender people flooded crisis hotlines with calls after President Donald Trump was re-elected. Trump made anti-transgender themes central to his campaign and has since rolled back many civil rights protections and access to gender-affirming care. Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 into law in October 2020. The specific 988 subprogram for LGBTQ+ youth cost $33 million in fiscal year 2024, according to SAMHSA, and as of June 2025, more than $33 million has been spent on the services. The Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal called for keeping 988's total budget at $520 million even while eliminating the LGBTQ+ services. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to wrap SAMHSA and other agencies into a new HHS office called Administration for a Healthy America, where it would coexist with employees from other agencies responsible for chemical exposures and work-related injuries. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration to end LGBTQ+-specific crisis hotline
The Trump administration is cutting a program for LGBTQ+ youth from the national suicide and crisis hotline. SAMHSA will end the service, known as the "Press 3" option, on July 17, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced this week. The Trevor Project, a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group that works with the government to help administer the Press 3 option for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, warned that the decision could have grave consequences. 'This is devastating, to say the least,' Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement Wednesday. '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.' SAMHSA said the decision was made to maximize efficiency, writing in a statement Tuesday that it would no longer 'silo LGB+ youth services' with a focus on instead 'serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option.' 'The fact that this news comes to us halfway through Pride Month is callous — as is the administration's choice to remove the 'T' from the acronym 'LGBTQ+' in their announcement. Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased,' Black said. A 2024 survey from the Trevor Project found that nearly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ young people had 'seriously considered' suicide in the past year. And half of the survey's respondents who reported wanting mental health care in the previous year had not been able to access it. The LGBTQ+ hotline has received roughly 1.3 million calls since its pilot program in 2022. At least one Republican, Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, has come out against the decision. "This is wrong," Lawler wrote on X. "According to studies, LGBTQ+ young people have an elevated risk of suicide and are more likely than their peers to attempt it. We should ensure they have the resources necessary to get help. The 988 hotline has been a lifesaver. This decision should be reversed." When asked for comment, the White House referred POLITICO back to SAMHSA's statement from Tuesday. HHS had already proposed removing funding for the hotline in its fiscal year 2026 budget.
