JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will stop providing tailored support options to LGBTQ+ youth and young adults on July 17, according to a statement on a federal agency’s website.
RELATED: Trump administration ends 988 hotline service tailored to LGBTQ+ youth on Thursday
The decision preempts the Trump administration’s 2026 budget proposal to cut funding for 988’s LGBTQ+ youth and young adult services, and is raising alarm bells among LGBTQ+ advocates.
At the JASMYN campus in Jacksonville’s Riverside neighborhood, the name of the game is acceptance and support. If there’s anyone who understands this, it’s the interim leader, Tina Wirth.
“Individuals who are experiencing homelessness or a transition in housing can come here and receive support,” Wirth said.
Clients can do laundry, take a shower and get a hot meal, or even groceries. They even have access to healthcare. Like many, Wirth is taking the news of the 988 specialized care hard.
“The heaviness, the heartbreak, really of this particular moment in time sticks with all of us here at JASMYN,” Wirth said.
Data from JASMYN said that last year, 194 teens and young adults accessed mental health services and that there were 606 mental health appointments.
Federal data shows the LGBTQ+ youth program has served nearly 1.3 million callers since it started in September 2022. The services were accessible under the “Press 3” option on the phone or by replying “PRIDE” via text.
The decision was made to “no longer silo” the services and “to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said in a statement dated Tuesday on its website.
The Trevor Project said 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and 1 in 10 actually did attempt. That’s why so many saw this 988 specialized access as a lifeline.
“Explain why it’s so important to have that specialized attention,” Wirth said. “Why that makes a difference.”
Specialized attention is required for populations facing specialized threats. In 2024 on X, hate speech was up 50% and transphobic slurs were up 260% in one year.
Wirth gave works of encouragement to people at home who are still processing the news of its closure.
“They are seen, they are heard, and they are loved,” Wirth said. “And sometimes messages that are negative carry a little bit further than the enduring one of love, but love is what makes the world go round, and there are so many allies and so many people who care about these young individuals, and we’re going to keep being here for them.
Click here for more information about JASMYN’s services.
The Trevor Project will continue to run its 24/7 mental health support services, as will other organizations, and leaders of 988 say the hotline will serve anyone who calls with compassion at 866-488-7386.