Politics

Trump administration has officially closed the national suicide lifeline for LGBTQ+ youths

KJZZ | By Kathy Ritchie

Published July 17, 2025 at 10:46 AM MST

Man holding cellphone — Maricopa County Public Health says older individuals who test positive, or anyone who lives in a communal setting, receive a phone call from a live contact tracer. But one in every five positive cases reported to the county has no contact information.

As of Thursday, the Trump administration has officially closed the national suicide lifeline for LGBTQ-plus youth.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is no longer offering separate LGBTQ+ youth counseling — also known as the “Press 3 option.”

The counselors who answered the “Press 3” calls or texts either had a shared lived experience or were specially trained to serve the LGBTQ+ youth community.

The executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness — Valley of the Sun Chapter told KJZZ last month that they have more individuals attending support groups and reaching out for education.

According to advocacy group the Trevor Project, “the Press 3” option provided 1.3 million crisis contacts since it was implemented in 2022.

The Human Rights Campaign has a page of other hotlines and resources for the LGBTQ+ community.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, there is help. Contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 (en Español, llame al 988, prensa 2; for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, dial 711 then 988). You may also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.