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LGBTQ-specific option being removed from 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline

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Published  June 20, 2025 6:17pm EDT
Hillsborough County
FOX 13 News
Feds to drop support live for suicidal LGBTQ youth

Feds to drop support live for suicidal LGBTQ youth

The ‘press 3 option’ on the Suicide and Crisis hotline was a $33M pilot program that began in 2022 and that money has dried up and is going away. FOX 13’s Aaron Mesmer reports

The Brief

    • • The LGBTQ-specific option on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline will be removed by mid-July, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
    • LGBTQ advocacy organizations warn the change could result in more lives lost due to lack of targeted support.
    • SAMHSA says all callers will still receive "skilled, caring, culturally competent" care, but local leaders emphasize the need for more awareness and tailored support.

TAMPA, Fla. - A specialized hotline option for LGBTQ+ individuals facing a mental health crisis is being eliminated from the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, sparking concern among some LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations across Florida.

By the numbers:

The LGBTQ+ line was launched in 2022 as a support system for members of the community struggling with mental health and in need of help.

The Trevor Project, which advocates for suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth, reports that 37% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered suicide in the past year.

Jackson Budinger, senior director of communications at The Trevor Project, warned the change could prove deadly.

"It’s going to result in more lives lost," Budinger said.

Dig deeper:

SAMHSA, the federal agency overseeing 988, says all callers will continue to receive compassionate, culturally competent care, even without the specialized option.

But Budinger and other advocates argue that trained counselors with specific knowledge of LGBTQ+ issues are essential.

"For those communities that are at a higher risk… it makes a lot of common sense that you would want to have a more sophisticated training in the counselor," he added.
In the Tampa Bay region, 988 calls are routed to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. The volume is increasing.

READ: Tampa teen’s accused killer was mad their relationship got exposed and about her sexual past, witnesses say

"Since 2022, we’re taking anywhere between 50 and 70 suicide calls every single day from people in Hillsborough County who are in some sort of crisis or suicidal," said Clara Reynolds, CEO of the Crisis Center.

A recent national study found Florida ranks among the states with the fewest calls to 988, which experts attribute partly to a lack of public awareness.

"If people don’t know [the hotline] exists, they don’t want to call," Reynolds said.

READ: Beloved New Tampa baseball coach’s killer to spend rest of his life in prison

What they're saying:

Reynolds said, that while the national LGBTQ+ option may disappear, the local center is preparing to meet the needs of those callers.

"We’re going to have a local solution for local individuals who are calling, looking for help and support," Reynolds said.

What's next:

The LGBTQ+ option will be removed from the national 988 hotline menu by mid-July. In the meantime, local crisis centers and advocacy organizations are working to fill the gap and raise awareness of available resources.

READ: Florida dad arrested in toddler's hot truck death: 'No reason for this little boy to be dead'

If you or someone you know are experiencing a mental health crisis and need help, experts urge you to dial 988.

The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer. 

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