This story originally appeared in our Queer Issue on June 4, 2025.

In the three years it has existed, the specialized services line for LGBTQ youth on the nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has been heralded as a major step forward in aiding young queer people in crisis.

Now, however, the future of the specialized services line is under threat. According to a leaked document reviewed by multiple national news organizations in late April, the Trump administration is proposing defunding the specialized services option for LGBTQ youth in the upcoming federal budget.

It would be a seismic change to the program. Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can call 988 to be connected to a trained counselor for help, but LGBTQ youth currently have an additional option: After calling 98

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