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Time of India
a day 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
a day 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.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
US LGBTQ+ suicide hotline to shut in July
NOTE: THIS STORY CONTAINS REFERENCES TO SUICIDE US President Donald Trump's administration is ending funding for an LGBTQ+ suicide prevention hotline it says encourages 'radical gender ideologies'. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifelife would close its LGBTQ+ Youth Specialised Services program on July 17. In September 2022, the lifeline launched the program to specifically address the needs of LGBTQ+ Americans under age 25, by providing services with a counsellor trained to support LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. In March 2023, the program expanded to 24/7 services. The lifeline has been helping LGBTQ+ individuals since 2022 Credit: Supplied SAMSHA data shows more than 1.2 million LGBTQ+ people have contacted the hotline between its creation in September 2022 and February 2025. A spokesperson for the White House Office of Budget said funding would continue for the wider suicide prevention hotline. 'The president's Budget funds the 988 at $520 million – the same number as under (former President Joe) Biden'. 'It does not, however, grant taxpayer money to a chat service where children are encouraged to embrace radical gender ideology by 'counsellors' without consent or knowledge of their parents,' the spokesperson said. The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention amongst LGBTQ+ youth, was providing support for the specialised program. Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black Credit: The Trevor Project Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said the organisation had received notice of the program ending on Wednesday and that the development is devastating. '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 Trevor Project will continue to run its 24/7 mental health support services. A 2023 US national survey found LGBTQ+ youth are at a higher risk of suicide, with 41% seriously considering suicide within the past year. IT'S NOT WEAK TO SPEAK - HELP IS AVAILABLE LIFELINE: 13 11 44 BEYOND BLUE: 1300 224 636
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
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.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
GOP Rep. Lawler: Trump cutting LGBTQ youth suicide hotline is ‘wrong'
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said Wednesday that the Trump administration's decision to cut the LGBTQ youth suicide hotline is 'wrong.' 'This is wrong. 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,' Lawler said in a post on the social platform X. 'The 988 hotline has been a lifesaver. This decision should be reversed,' he added. The Trump administration recently ordered a crisis service for LGBTQ youth to close within 30 days in an action that opponents have said will result in dire consequences. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said Tuesday that 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, is going to 'no longer silo' LGBTQ youth services, also known as the 'Press 3 option' starting July 17. The agency made the announcement during Pride month, a time when LGBTQ people celebrate their identities. In the announcement, the agency said that the 'Press 3 option,' which started in 2022 during former President Biden's term, had provided specialized services to 'LGB+ youth,' taking 'transgender' out of the acronym in line with an earlier executive order stating that the U.S recognizes male and female as the only two sexes. In May, Lawler and California Rep. Young Kim (R) wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stating 'concern regarding reports that the Department of Health and Human Services budget request for fiscal year 2026 would eliminate the Specialized Services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline.' 'We firmly believe in parents' rights, and think they must play a significant role in this process, but we cannot leave our children without critical mental health care,' Young and Lawler said in the letter. The Hill has reached out to SAMHSA and the Department of Health and Human services for comment.
