During federal budget cuts in July 2025, the Trump administration pulled funding from a counseling hotline for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis. The administration maintains the stance that the group does not need specialized services , but leaders in Los Angeles feel otherwise.

A UCLA college student who only wished to be identified as "J" told CBS LA that they were on the brink of suicide when specially trained counselors talked them down.

"The presence of this hotline, you know, was a saving grace for me," J said. "Identifying as queer, as trans, there are a lot of dangers that come with being out. It also creates a lot of anxiety for people like myself to even have these conversations."

The services that were cut were part of the broader 988 crisis lifeline launched three years ago.

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