A new report released by the Trevor Project in May found an astonishing one in 10 LGBTQ+ young people attempted suicide last year, and more than a third seriously considered it.
These findings add urgency to the call for the federal government to restore the LGBTQ+ youth option for its national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, discontinued in 2025. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has since promised to restore the LGBTQ+ hotline program, and asserted to Congress on April 21 that HHS was “working on getting it up now.” But more than a month later, the line remains down, and every day without the service leaves young people without critical support.
When the federal government launched the 988 Lifeline in 2022, it included dedicated services for three high-need groups: veterans (Press 1), Spanish-speakers (Press 2) and LGBTQ+ youth (Press 3). In July 2025, the Trump administration eliminated the Press 3 option, claiming funds had run out and there was no need to “silo” LGBTQ+ youth care.
But the need is demonstrably clear — and by all metrics, the Press 3 option was a resounding success. During its nearly three-year operation, nearly 1.6 million LGBTQ+ youth used the service, accounting for roughly 10% of the lifeline’s total call volume.
The option filled a critical gap, connecting young people to specially trained crisis counselors who understood their unique challenges, including bullying and discrimination based on their LGBTQ+ identities.