Officials of Colorado’s mental health line said Tuesday it is working to marshal resources following a decision by the Trump administration to cut funding for a special hotline line dedicated to LGBTQ callers.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced on June 17 that it will nix the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline hotline’s specialty line for LGBTQ youth on July 17.

The agency said everyone who contacts 988 will continue to get access to “skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors,” who can help tackle suicidal, substance misuse or mental health crises — but that the special hotline, called Option 3, would be discontinued. 

It appears the move is part of the Trump administration’s campaign to root out diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives throughout the federal government, arguing such programs are “illegal and immoral discrimination” rife with “waste.” 

The Colorado Mental Health Line is “actively reviewing how state resources can be utilized to support additional outreach and education efforts to ensure all Coloradans are aware of the continuous, inclusive support available,” Gordon Coombes, Colorado’s 988 line, said in a news release on Tuesday.

Colorado’s 988 provides both phone and text support for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

The 911-like system was federally mandated by the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020. Each state has a call center that puts callers in contact with live specialists, combining the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and Veterans Crisis Line under a 3-digit alias.

The LGBTQ youth program, or “Press 3” option, started in September 2022 — just a few months after the national hotline went live in July that year. 

The “Press 3” option provided LGBTQ-specialized counseling. The Trevor Project — the country’s largest initiative focusing solely on LGBTQ suicide prevention — and five other subcontractors provided trained staff to the hotlines. 

BHA said that the changes will not affect direct staffing with 988’s local partners as of now. 

Along with the consolidation of the lines, the federal government is also cutting the Trevor Project’s $26 million contract with the federal government.

“This is devastating, to say the least. Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,” Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, said in a statement on June 18. “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.”

The LGBTQ option has served around 1.3 million callers since it started in 2022, according to the Trevor Project. 

SAMHSA said there was a congressional directive for $29.7 million to fund the specialized services in 2023. That funding increased to $33 million in 2024. As of June 2025, more than $33 million has already been spent on the subnetwork.

The consolidation will save money and provide the same services to all callers, according to SAMHSA. 

“Anyone who calls the Lifeline will continue to receive compassion and help,” the federal agency said.