988 Lifeline Restores “Press 3” Service for LGBTQ+ Youth

On September 30, 2026, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline restored “Press 3,” its specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth, which had been shut down since July 17, 2025. Congress directed and funded the restoration. Public reporting has not yet said which crisis centers answer the calls.

The change matters to families, schools, and counselors who rely on the national line, and it raises questions about who runs the service and how it will operate. For wider background on how federal policy and health services intersect for transgender people, see our transgender history and education hub.

What did the 988 Lifeline restore?

It restored “Press 3,” a specialized option that connects LGBTQ+ youth with counselors trained to support them.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline website now carries this statement: “The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline LGBTQ+ youth specialized service, also known as the ‘Press 3 option,’ has been restored pursuant to funding and congressional direction.” The page gives no date. The Trevor Project said in its statement that the services resumed on September 30, 2026, a date the Cap Times report, “LGBTQ+ 988 line returns more than a year after Trump ended it,” and the Bay Area Reporter report on the service’s return also report. The Bay Area Reporter noted it was the final day of Suicide Prevention Month.

According to the Medical Daily report, “LGBTQ+ Youth Can Again Press 3 on the 988 Lifeline as Specialized Crisis Counseling Returns After 14 Months,” people can call or text 988 and press 3, or chat through 988lifeline.org. Anyone in crisis can call or text 988 at any time. This article reports public information and is not medical advice.

Why was the service shut down in 2025?

SAMHSA ended the option on July 17, 2025, saying it wanted to focus on serving all help seekers.

The Medical Daily report quotes the agency’s 2025 explanation that the change would help it “focus on serving all help seekers” rather than separate services by identity. The option was launched in 2022. Rep. Seth Moulton’s office said it handled approximately 1.6 million contacts before the shutdown. In comparison, the Bay Area Reporter report on the service’s return reported more than 1.2 million crisis contacts between 2022 and May 2025. The totals differ, and the reports do not explain whether that reflects different periods or different counting methods.

Why did the service come back?

Congress required it through fiscal year 2026 spending legislation.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which became law on February 3, 2026, mandated that Press 3 be restored and funded with $33.1 million, according to the Medical Daily report, “LGBTQ+ Youth Can Again Press 3 on the 988 Lifeline as Specialized Crisis Counseling Returns After 14 Months”. Rep. Seth Moulton’s October 2 press release on the restoration says the law includes a funding directive requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to support the line, and that he and a bipartisan group of colleagues wrote to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in February 2026 demanding restoration.

In June, The Advocate’s June report on the administration’s plan quoted an HHS statement that “SAMHSA is working with the 988 Network Administrator Vibrant Emotional Health to reactivate Press 3 operations by the end of the year.” Vibrant Emotional Health is the nonprofit that administers the national 988 network. The service returned before that deadline.

Lawmakers who pushed for restoration welcomed it. “Restoring the Press 3 option is long overdue,” Moulton said. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat who helped create 988, said, as the Cap Times reported: “This lifesaving resource never should have gone away in the first place.” HHS has said the 988 Lifeline “provides 24/7 access to skilled, caring, and culturally competent crisis counselors.”

What happened with The Trevor Project?

The Trevor Project, which helped pilot the service, says it is not taking part in the restored version.

In The Trevor Project, “The Trevor Project Applauds the Return of the 988 Lifeline’s ‘Press 3’ Specialized Services for LGBTQ+ Youth”, the organization said it was formally notified on August 3, 2026, that it was ineligible to participate. It said it had been classified as “inactive” after the 2025 shutdown and so could not apply when 988’s administrators sought “active” centers. The Advocate’s August 13 report on the Trevor Project’s exclusion reported that Vibrant Emotional Health limited applications to “current and active” network members, and that the Trevor Project had handled nearly half of the network’s Press 3 contact volume before the shutdown.

CEO Jaymes Black welcomed the restoration and said: “The Trevor Project’s own 24/7 crisis lines remain available to directly support any LGBTQ+ young person in crisis, just as they always have.” He also said the organization would “monitor the launch and usage of these important services to ensure all LGBTQ+ youth are supported with clinically best standards.” The organization lists its services at thetrevorproject.org/get-help.

How does the federal executive order factor in?

The administration has said the restored service must operate within a January 2025 executive order on sex and gender, and it has not publicly explained how.

The Advocate’s August 13 report on the Trevor Project’s exclusion said SAMHSA was working to carry out Congress’s directive while complying with Executive Order 14168, which the outlet describes as declaring that the federal government recognizes only two sexes. When The Advocate asked about transgender callers, an HHS statement said: “HHS remains fully aligned with President Trump’s Executive Orders to defend women from gender ideology extremism and restore biological truth to the federal government.” Per The Advocate report, “Trump restores 988 LGBTQ+ youth crisis line. Asked about trans callers, HHS cites ‘gender ideology extremism'”, the department declined to say whether counselors would use callers’ chosen names and pronouns or affirm gender identities.

Supporters of restoration argue that Congress settled the question. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, said earlier this year: “Executive orders cannot override federal law, and Congress already settled this question.” HHS’s public statements emphasize the lifeline’s reach to all help seekers. The statements do not directly answer each other, and the practical effect on callers will depend on how the service is run. For related federal actions, see our HHS report on gender ideology and left-wing authoritarianism.

What remains unclear?

Public reporting has not identified which crisis centers answer Press 3 contacts or how the restored service is structured.

The Medical Daily report, “LGBTQ+ Youth Can Again Press 3 on the 988 Lifeline as Specialized Crisis Counseling Returns After 14 Months,” says public announcements it reviewed do not identify the centers now answering Press 3 contacts, and that federal officials have not publicly detailed the service’s structure. The Advocate’s reporting likewise did not name the operating organizations. The reports reviewed for this article cite no usage data for the restored service yet. Some states built their own options during the gap; a Bay Area Reporter report on the service’s return said California allocated $5 million for a state-based backup. For related reporting on mental health and policy, see our report on a study of anti-trans legislation and anxiety.

What should readers keep in mind?

The facts above come from the 988 Lifeline, the Trevor Project, a member of Congress, and news reports, and details may change as more is disclosed. Statements attributed to officials are quoted as reported. This article is reported information, not medical or legal advice. For policy context, see our politics and public policy guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 988 “Press 3” option?

It is a specialized service on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline that connects LGBTQ+ young people with counselors trained to support them. It launched in 2022 and was shut down on July 17, 2025.

When did Press 3 return?

The Trevor Project said the service resumed on September 30, 2026. The 988 Lifeline’s website says the service “has been restored pursuant to funding and congressional direction” but gives no date.

Why was Press 3 shut down in 2025?

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said it would end the option to focus on serving all help seekers, according to Medical Daily’s account of the agency’s 2025 statement.

Why did Press 3 come back?

Congress required it. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which became law on February 3, 2026, mandated that Press 3 be restored and funded with $33.1 million, according to Medical Daily.

Is The Trevor Project part of the restored service?

No. The Trevor Project says it was formally notified on August 3, 2026, that it was ineligible to participate. It says its own 24/7 crisis lines remain available.

How can a young person reach Press 3?

Call or text 988 and press 3, or chat at 988lifeline.org, according to Medical Daily and Rep. Seth Moulton’s office. This is reported information, not medical advice.