Trump administration moves to restore LGBTQ+ youth counseling on 988 line amid concerns over trans identity exclusion

Specialized counseling services for LGBTQ+ youth are slated to return to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by the end of the year, according to a recent confirmation from the Trump administration.

Federal health officials, however, say the restored services must align with President Trump’s executive order that effectively rejects the existence of transgender and nonbinary identities, which could change the experience for callers who select the option for LGBTQ+ support.

The Trevor Project, a long‑standing suicide‑prevention organization that has operated its own LGBTQ+ youth hotline since 1998 and answered roughly half of the calls to the 988 specialized line since its launch in 2022, may be left out of the reinstated service because of a technicality in the new guidelines.

Advocates caution that any exclusion of trans youth from these counseling resources could undermine suicide‑prevention efforts for a vulnerable population.