Key facts
- The Trump administration is moving to restart a specialized LGBTQ+ option for the 988 crisis intervention hotline.
- The specialized service, previously ended by the administration, allowed users to press 3 for LGBTQ+ specific support.
- The Trevor Project, a key non-profit in developing and running the service, may be excluded from the relaunched program.
- The administration ended the service last July, citing funding issues, but is now working to reinstate it due to congressional direction.
- Concerns exist that the exclusion of The Trevor Project could impact the quality of care for vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth.
The Trump administration is reportedly moving to reinstate a specialized LGBTQ+ option for the 988 crisis intervention hotline, a service it previously ended. However, The Trevor Project, a prominent non-profit that helped develop and operate the service, faces potential exclusion from the relaunched program. The administration had stopped the "press 3" option for LGBTQ+ youth last July, citing a lack of funding, but is now seeking to bring it back following congressional direction to allocate $33 million towards LGBTQ+ youth interventions.
Concerns are mounting over The Trevor Project's potential ineligibility, as applications for managing the "press 3" lines are limited to current and active members of the 988 network, a status The Trevor Project lost when the service was cancelled. Experts and advocates, including Dr. Christine Yu Moutier of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, emphasize The Trevor Project's role as a trusted resource for LGBTQ+ individuals. Senator Tammy Baldwin has urged the administration to restore the service with experienced personnel, warning against needless limitations.
Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, expressed concern that the exclusion could degrade clinical standards and potentially exclude transgender and non-binary youth entirely. The "press 3" option, when operational, fielded 1.6 million contacts, with The Trevor Project handling approximately half. While the administration stated that general 988 services remain available, the specific focus on LGBTQ+ youth is seen as critical given their higher rates of suicide attempts.