Trump Admin Considers Cutting LGBTQ+ Services from 988 Crisis Line

The Trump administration is considering eliminating specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth from the 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline, according to an internal document reviewed by CNN. The preliminary memo dated April 10 outlines potential cuts to discretionary federal health spending as part of broader restructuring at the Department of Health and Human Services. If implemented, these changes would take effect in October as the administration consolidates many HHS functions into the newly created Administration for a Healthy America.

The 988 Lifeline was established through bipartisan legislation signed by Trump during his first term in 2020, with the three-digit number launching in July 2022 under the Biden administration. The service currently includes a subnetwork for LGBTQ+ individuals, allowing callers to press 3 to reach crisis counselors specifically trained to work with LGBTQ+ youth. According to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 1.2 million of the 14.5 million total contacts to the 988 Lifeline since July 2022 were routed to this specialized service.

The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ youth that serves as one of seven call centers within the subnetwork, expressed concern about the potential changes. The organization's CEO, Jaymes Black, emphasized that suicide prevention is about risk rather than identity, noting that suicide rates are four times higher among LGBTQ+ youth compared to others. The leaked budget document indicates plans to maintain the $10 million for Spanish-language services while eliminating the set-aside for LGBTQ+ youth services.

Beyond the LGBTQ+ subnetwork, the document reveals potential cuts to several other specialized health programs, including various Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence focused on specific demographic groups. Former HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam Delphin-Rittmon expressed concern about how the agency's restructuring might affect 988 as a public health resource, as well as other services under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Since 2022, the federal government has invested approximately $1.5 billion in the 988 project, including expanding access to services for Spanish speakers, LGBTQI+ youth, and people who are deaf or hard of hearing through specialized subnetworks. The White House Office of Management and Budget did not respond to CNN's request for comment on the leaked budget proposal, which remains preliminary at this stage.