The National Suicide Hotline For LGBTQ+ Youth Went Dead. States Are Scrambling To Help.

On July 17, the option went dead for LGBTQ+ youth to access specialized mental health support from the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said a month earlier that it would no longer “silo” services and would instead “focus on serving all help seekers.” That meant the elimination of the “Press 3” option, the dedicated line answered by staff specifically trained to handle LGBTQ+ youth facing mental health issues ranging from anxiety to thoughts of suicide.

Now, states such as California, Colorado, Illinois, and Nevada are scrambling to backfill LGBTQ+ crisis support through training, fees, and other initiatives in response to what advocates say is the Trump administration’s hostile stance toward this group. In his first da