The removal
When the 988 hotline first launched, callers could press 3 to reach specialists in the LGBTQ+ Youth Subnetwork, a service created through bipartisan legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump during his first term. Last summer, the Trump administration announced it would discontinue that specialized option “to focus on serving all help seekers,” according to a statement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the federal agency overseeing the program. The administration cited budget constraints, saying the specialized subnetwork’s pilot program had exceeded its initial $33 million budget.
The move left veterans and Spanish-speaking callers with dedicated options, but removed the only streamlined entry point for LGBTQ+ youth seeking specialized support.
The impact on Texas
Texas crisis centers, already operating under a $7 million funding deficit, are absorbing the displaced calls. The Texas 988 system received 25,511 calls in December 2025, up from 18,916 a year earlier and 14,961 in December 2023, according to data the state tracks.
“When access narrows for those at highest risk, the system becomes less protective overall,” said Julia Hewitt, a suicide prevention leader with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and a parent of an LGBTQ+ child. “It was a punch to the gut because if you work or volunteer in this space, you know the families who are impacted by this; it can be hard to reconcile when you know how much good this does.”
Christine Busse, a peer policy fellow for the Texas branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said the removal compounds existing capacity challenges. “Texas’s 988 system was already strained before the removal of Option 3,” Busse said. “Without additional investment, meeting current demand — let alone absorbing the additional contacts previously handled by specialized services — will remain difficult.”
Specialized services now harder to access
The Trevor Project and other organizations continue to offer LGBTQ+ youth support outside the 988 system, but advocates say the streamlined access was critical. “The program was created with overwhelming bipartisan support because, despite our political differences, we should all agree that every young person’s life is worth saving,” said Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, which helped create the original option. “I am heartbroken that this administration has decided to say, loudly and clearly, that they believe some young people’s lives are not worth saving.”
Some states, like California, have trained their crisis operators to provide specialized LGBTQ+ support. Texas has not committed additional resources to such training, leaving general counselors to handle calls from LGBTQ+ youth without the background the specialized network provided.
“LGBTQ+ young people need more resources to end suicide, not fewer,” said Mark Henson, vice president of advocacy and government affairs at The Trevor Project.
The funding crisis
The changes come as federal funding for the 988 system faces uncertainty. The Texas 988 program receives $19 million annually from two federal grants, with one set to expire in September. It is unclear whether Congress will extend the funding or whether the Trump administration will establish new funding streams.
Earlier this month, the administration announced wide-ranging budget cuts affecting mental health services nationally. The announcement generated concern among health providers, though the administration reversed course the same day.
“People got letters, and everyone was panicking, and then it got reversed,” Hewitt said. “A great outcome, but this terminal uncertainty is creating a really poor experience for not only the client but also the person answering the calls.”
State-level efforts
State Sen. José Menéndez has pushed for sustainable funding. Last year, lawmakers created the 988 Trust Fund through House Bill 5342 and required a study on funding mechanisms, including a potential telecommunications fee modeled on the one supporting 911 emergency services.
“I’m concerned that if we don’t have any state funds, 988 is going to have to get reliant on philanthropy, fundraising, and other methods,” Menéndez said. “We have already started reaching out about how people can make contributions because this year some funds run out.”
The idea of a state telecommunications fee was quickly rejected at the Capitol, according to Menéndez. No state dollars have yet been appropriated to the trust fund.
This article is released under CC0. For mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth, call the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386 or reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.