• Trump administration set to cut the "Press 3 option" for LGBTQ+ youth on the national 988 suicide hotline by July 17.
• The decision has met backlash from mental health advocates and organizations, such as The Trevor Project.
• Over 1.3 million LGBTQ+ youth used the lifeline since its inception in 2022, highlighting the need for specialized services.
• Critics argue the service cut is particularly harmful during Pride Month and will worsen mental health support for vulnerable youth.
• The shut down has been described as politically motivated, contradicting prior bipartisan support for LGBTQ+ services.

The Trump administration has confirmed that the "Press 3 option," a specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth on the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, will be terminated on July 17. This decision comes as part of a broader strategy to eliminate what the administration has labeled "siloed services," aiming to redirect efforts towards a more generalized support model for all help seekers, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Salon and ABC News.

The announcement has triggered significant backlash from mental health advocates, including Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, who has called the shutdown "devastating" and described it as a removal of an essential lifeline that had helped over 1.3 million LGBTQ+ young people. Black criticized the timing of the announcement, noting it coincided with Pride Month and stating that "suicide prevention is about people, not politics" CBS News, Huffpost, and BBC.

The specialized "Press 3 option" was implemented in 2022 to provide immediate support from counselors trained in LGBTQ+ issues. However, SAMHSA has indicated that all callers to the 988 hotline will still receive assistance without the specialized option. This decision has raised concerns about the adequacy of support available to LGBTQ+ youth, who are at a significantly higher risk for suicide compared to their heterosexual counterparts, with studies indicating they are over four times more likely to contemplate suicide CBS News, ABC News, and BBC.

Critics have pointed out that the decision reflects a broader pattern of distancing from LGBTQ+ support services by the Trump administration. The recent termination of the program has been labeled as politically driven, with health officials citing concerns over perceived "radical gender ideology" associated with the service. This view has been challenged by mental health professionals who emphasize that effective suicide prevention should be non-political Huffpost and BBC.