Content Warning: This story contains references to suicide. Discretion is advised.
The federal government will eliminate the LGBTQ+ “Press 3” option from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on July 17, raising concerns among local mental health advocates about the future of identity-specific support for high-risk callers.
“We are very concerned about it,” said Greg Hansch, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Texas. “To take away this needed resource that has been accessed by hundreds of thousands of young people in the country is very concerning because it removes access to a lifeline for them that has likely saved lives and will only continue to save lives if it continues to exist.”
The “Press 3” option, launched in 2022 in collaboration with The Trevor Project, connects LGBTQ+ callers with affirming counselors trained to handle identity-based mental health crises. The specialized line has served over 1.3 million people nationwide. Its removal comes after Congress declined to extend funding for the program.
“It means quite simply, one less resource for LGBTQ+ young people,” Hansch said. “The impact will be devastating and will likely result in many people not reaching out for help.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 41% of LGBTQ+ high school students seriously considered suicide in 2023, compared to 13% of their heterosexual peers. Nearly one in five LGBTQ+ students reported attempting suicide, and 65% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, more than double the rate reported by cisgender, heterosexual students.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a June 17 statement that continued funding for the LGBTQ+ subnetwork would have jeopardized the broader 988 system. The “Press 3” service was operated by a third-party provider and funded through a congressional directive, which has since expired.
“Continued operation of Press 3 would have required SAMHSA to reallocate funds away from supporting the main 988 Lifeline, thereby compromising the entire system,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. “SAMHSA made a critical decision that sustained the entire 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.”
Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, criticized the decision to eliminate the “Press 3” option.
“This is devastating, to say the least,” Black said in a June 19 statement. “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 2024 alone, The Trevor Project responded to more than 231,000 crisis contacts through the LGBTQ+ subnetwork. The nonprofit staffed the service with nearly 250 trained crisis counselors and support staff, handling almost half of all specialized contacts nationwide.
Rachel Cauley, a spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget, emphasized concerns about taxpayer funds supporting crisis services, according to Context News.
Hansch said the sole purpose of the 988 Lifeline is to save lives by providing crucial crisis support.
“We should be centering saving lives in our public policy decision-making,” Hansch said. “It’s hard to think of any more noble purpose of government than saving lives, especially of youth.”
