ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Starting Thursday, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will no longer offer a separate line for LGBTQ+ youth, ending the service known as the “Press 3” option.

The change comes after Congress did not renew federal funding for the option. Since its launch in 2022, more than 1.3 million Americans have used the LGBTQ+ line, which was designed to connect callers with counselors specially trained to address issues impacting the queer and transgender community.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Trump administration removing 988 hotline service tailored to LGBTQ+ youth in July

Noel Heatherland, a Georgia resident who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, said they turned to the Press 3 option during a mental health crisis after losing a friend.

“My mental health was unstable. I was feeling borderline suicidal,” Heatherland recalled. “If I hadn’t had that option in that moment, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Heatherland said a counselor on the line helped ensure they were safe and offered coping strategies to help manage their anxiety and grief.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defended the decision in a statement, saying, “The continued funding of the Press 3 option threatened to put the entire 988 Lifeline in danger of massive reductions in service.”

Since 2022, more than $33 million in federal funding has been spent on the LGBTQ+ line. While the Press 3 subnetwork will no longer operate, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which runs the hotline, emphasized that all callers will continue to receive help: “Everyone will continue to receive access to skilled, caring, competent crisis counselors.”

Mental health professionals and LGBTQ+ advocates are warning that the change could leave some young people more vulnerable, especially in rural areas, where support is already limited. Licensed professional counselor Kathryn Cross said the Press 3 option helped bridge a crucial gap in access.

“It’s important for them to feel related to and connected with,” Cross said.

Statistics show LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, according to The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit that helps support queer youth in crisis.

While the 988 Lifeline will no longer offer the dedicated LGBTQ+ line, The Trevor Project — one of the key partners behind the Press 3 option — has announced it will continue to provide 24/7 support through its own hotline and online chat platforms.

In a statement to Atlanta News First, Governor Brian Kemp’s office encouraged anyone in need to reach out.

“The Kemp administration continues to urge all Georgians who are experiencing a mental health crisis to remember that it is okay to not be okay — and to call or text 9-8-8 for help,” said a spokesperson for the governor.

Anyone in need of help can still contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.

Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.