California moves to restore a lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth that Trump eliminated

Less than a year after the Trump administration eliminated the specialized LGBTQ+ youth option within the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, California lawmakers are advancing legislation to bring it back.Assembly Bill 1540, introduced by Assemblymember Mark González, would require California officials to establish a pathway for callers to dial 988 and connect directly with counselors trained to work with LGBTQ+ youth in crisis, effectively recreating the "Press 3" option that disappeared nationwide last summer.The bill passed the Assembly last week on a 64-8 vote and now heads to the Senate.Related: These crisis hotlines are still available for LGBTQ+ youth after Trump ends special 988 services For González, a gay Democrat representing Los Angeles County's 54th Assembly District, the measure is about more than a hotline. It is about whether states will step in as federal protections and programs affecting LGBTQ+ people disappear."We knew what this federal administration was going to do on day one," González told The Advocate in an interview. "We knew this federal administration was going to attack women, LGBTQ individuals, people of color, and our immigrant population."Last year, the Trump administration ordered the closure of the LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program within the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Beginning in 2022, callers could press 3 after dialing 988 or text "PRIDE" to connect with counselors trained to work specifically with LGBTQ+ young people experiencing a mental health crisis.The service officially ended on July 17, 2025, after the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced it would "no longer silo LGB+ youth services" and would instead focus on serving all callers through the broader 988 network. The agency's announcement notably omitted any reference to transgender people, who the federal government does not acknowledge per an executive order by President Donald Trump on the day of his second inauguration