National hotline cuts LGBTQ+ youth help
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The national 988 suicide hotline has dropped its LGBTQ+ youth support option, a move that leaves vulnerable Pittsburghers with fewer lifelines.
Why it matters: The Trump administration's decision reduces the availability of counselors trained to address the specific needs of LGBTQ+ youth — a group already at heightened risk for suicide.
Catch up quick: Hotline callers could previously press 3 to reach counselors focused on LGBTQ+ support for people under 25 — a service that routed about half of its calls to The Trevor Project, which fielded 231,000 crisis contacts in 2024.
- The option was dropped July 17 after its congressional funding expired.
- Members of Congress urged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse course, noting in a June 25 letter that the service logged about 1.3 million users and averaged 2,100 daily contacts from February to June nationwide.
Yes, but: The Trevor Project still takes crisis support calls, texts and chats, and launched a campaign to help fund its services.
What they're saying: Cutting specialized LGBTQ+ support strips callers of culturally competent care from people who understand their needs, says Molly Alvord, a licensed clinical social worker with Thriveworks in Pittsburgh.
- "There are specialized services for veterans and trauma in general," she tells Axios. "It allows there to be a focus that understands the world they live in and the things they've experienced."
The other side: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a statement that those who use 988 "will continue to receive access to skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors who can help with suicidal, substance misuse, or mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress."
The bottom line: The Pittsburgh Equality Center has a list of health resources available locally for LGBTQ+ people, including Central Outreach, re:Solve Crisis and the Metro Community Health Center.
If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat with someone at 988lifeline.org or contact The Trevor Project.