Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) is breaking with the Trump administration over its decision to discontinue the LGBTQ+ youth option on the national suicide prevention hotline. The move, announced by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is set to go into effect on July 17.
Lawler publicly condemned the plan Wednesday evening, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval and call for the immediate reversal of the policy. “This is wrong,” Lawler wrote. According to studies, LGBTQ+ young people have an elevated risk of suicide and are more likely than their peers to attempt it.
We should ensure they have the resources necessary to get help. The 988 hotline has been a lifesaver. This decision should be reversed.” His remarks come in response to the administration’s decision to eliminate the “Press 3” option on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which specifically routes LGBTQ+ youth to counselors trained to meet their unique needs, told NBC News.
Lawler, a moderate Republican representing New York’s 17th Congressional District, first voiced concerns about the proposed cut in May, according to a report by NOTUS. In a letter sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he described the move as a “devastating setback” and pointed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data showing a disproportionately high suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth.
The Trump administration defended its decision in a statement this week, telling NOTUS that the change was intended “to no longer silo LGB+ youth services, also known as the ‘Press 3 option,’ to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option.”
Notably, the administration’s official statement omitted the “T” in LGBTQ+, a detail that drew criticism from advocates for transgender individuals. The exclusion has been interpreted by some as symbolic of broader erasure within federal policy decisions.
In response, The Trevor Project, the nonprofit organization that has operated the “Press 3” option under a government contract, announced that it would continue offering crisis support independently. “Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,” said Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black in a statement Wednesday.
“The administration’s decision to remove a bipartisan, evidence-based service that has effectively supported a high-risk group of young people through their darkest moments is incomprehensible.” As July 17 approaches, pressure is mounting on the administration to reconsider a decision that critics say could cost lives.