Trump Administration Excludes The Trevor Project From Restored "Press 3" 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Lifeline

The Trevor Project — the nonprofit that helped design and operate the LGBTQ+ youth subnetwork of the 988 Lifeline and that at times answered nearly half of its contacts — says federal 988 administrators rejected its proposal to rejoin the restored "Press 3" service.

Background

Launched in 2022, "Press 3" let people under 25 reach counselors trained specifically to support LGBTQ+ young people by pressing 3 when calling 988, texting "PRIDE," or using the Lifeline chat. The Trevor Project initially ran the pilot and later became one of seven centers in the subnetwork. According to the organization, it handled nearly 50% of the network's contacts, including more than 231,000 crisis contacts in 2024.

Shutdown, Congressional Action, And Restoration Effort

On July 17, 2025, the Trump administration decommissioned the specialized LGBTQ+ subnetwork and moved to route all callers through the general 988 system. Congress then directed SAMHSA to allocate $33.1 million to restore specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth, including cultural competency training and routing systems. SAMHSA says it is working with Vibrant Emotional Health, the 988 network administrator, to resume Press 3 operations by the end of the year.

"The 988 Lifeline administrators informed us that The Trevor Project's proposal to join the restored 'Press 3' LGBTQ+ youth specialized services was rejected," Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said. "The exclusion of our nearly 30 years of expertise is of course disappointing."

Why The Trevor Project Was Rejected—and What’s Unclear

The administration's Executive Order 14168, which limits federal recognition of transgender identities and restricts how agencies collect and use gender identity information, has shaped how the restoration must be implemented. Vibrant limited applications for the renewed subnetwork to "current and active" members of the 988 network; The Trevor Project was deemed inactive after the administration shut the specialized service it operated. Despite submitting a proposal, the organization was rejected.

SAMHSA has confirmed the directive to restore specialized services but has not explained why The Trevor Project's proposal was denied, who approved the decision, which providers were selected, or whether evaluation criteria or scoring were used. The agency also has not said whether counselors in the restored subnetwork will be permitted to affirm transgender and nonbinary callers' identities, names, and pronouns. Vibrant did not respond to requests for comment.

What This Means For Youth

Research from The Trevor Project found that 68% of LGBTQ+ young people who used Press 3 judged it at least moderately helpful, with higher usage among teenagers, young people of color, rural residents, and those with fewer financial resources. The lack of clarity about provider selection and whether transgender-affirming care will be allowed raises concerns about access and quality for vulnerable youth.

Resources

If you or someone you know needs help: call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline (for transgender and gender-nonconforming people) is at (877) 565-8860. The Trevor Project Lifeline (LGBTQ+ youth 24 and under) is at (866) 488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting START to 678678.