Trump administration removing 988 hotline service tailored to LGBTQ+ youth in July
The decision preempts the Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal to cut funding for 988's LGBTQ+ youth and young adult services, and is raising alarm bells among LGBTQ+ advocates.
Federal data shows the LGBTQ+ youth program has served nearly 1.3 million callers since it started in September 2022. The services were accessible under the 'Press 3' option on the phone to by replying 'PRIDE' via text.
___
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.
___
The decision was was made to 'no longer silo' the services and 'to focus on serving all help seekers, including those previously served through the Press 3 option,' the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said in a statement dated Tuesday on its website.
News of the LGBTQ+ service shutting down comes as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors on Wednesday.
The Trevor Project said it received official notice Tuesday that the program was ending. The nonprofit is one of seven centers that provides 988 crisis support services for LGBTQ+ people — and serves nearly half of the people who contact the lifeline.
' Suicide prevention is about people, not politics,' Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said 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.'
In its statement on the 988 decision, SAMHSA referred to the 'LGB+ youth services.'
Black called the omission of the 'T' representing transgender people 'callous.' 'Transgender people can never, and will never, be erased,' he said.
The Trevor Project will continue to run its 24/7 mental health support services, as will other organizations, and leaders of 988 say the hotline will serve anyone who calls with compassion.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 49,300 suicides in 2023 — about the highest level in the nation's history, based on preliminary data.
Studies have shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk of suicide, including a 2024 analysis by the CDC that found 26% transgender and gender-questioning students attempted suicide in the past year. That's compared with 5% of cisgender male and 11% of cisgender female students.
Young transgender people flooded crisis hotlines with calls after President Donald Trump was re-elected. Trump made anti-transgender themes central to his campaign and has since rolled back many civil rights protections and access to gender-affirming care.
Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 into law in October 2020.
The specific 988 subprogram for LGBTQ+ youth cost $33 million in fiscal year 2024, according to SAMHSA, and as of June 2025, more than $33 million has been spent on the services. The Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal called for keeping 988's total budget at $520 million even while eliminating the LGBTQ+ services.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to wrap SAMHSA and other agencies into a new HHS office called Administration for a Healthy America, where it would coexist with employees from other agencies responsible for chemical exposures and work-related injuries.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Monroe Capital Supports Summit Professional Education's Acquisition of Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute
CHICAGO, August 20, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Monroe Capital LLC ("Monroe") announced it acted as sole lead arranger and administrative agent on the funding of a senior credit facility and equity co-investment to support the acquisition of Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute ("Herman & Wallace") by Summit Professional Education ("Summit"), an existing portfolio company of Avathon Capital. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Seattle, WA, Herman & Wallace provides comprehensive, hands-on and evidence-based curricula for treating pelvic floor dysfunction in all people throughout the life cycle. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Franklin, TN, Summit is a provider of in-person and online continuing and professional education courses for physical therapists and assistants, occupational therapists and assistants, and speech language pathologists. Together, Herman & Wallace and Summit will expand access, innovate clinician education, and continue to raise the standard of care in pelvic health. This transaction is representative of Monroe's ability to provide comprehensive "one-stop" solutions for private equity sponsors seeking debt and equity capital to finance their acquisitions and recapitalizations. About Monroe Capital Monroe Capital LLC ("Monroe") is a premier asset management firm specializing in private credit markets across various strategies, including direct lending, technology finance, venture debt, alternative credit solutions, structured credit, real estate and equity. Since 2004, the firm has been successfully providing capital solutions to clients in the U.S. and Canada. Monroe prides itself on being a value-added and user-friendly partner to business owners, management, and both private equity and independent sponsors. Monroe's platform offers a wide variety of investment products for both institutional and high net worth investors with a focus on generating high quality "alpha" returns irrespective of business or economic cycles. The firm is headquartered in Chicago and has 11 locations throughout the United States, Asia and Australia. Monroe has been recognized by both its peers and investors with various awards including Private Debt Investor as the 2024 Lower Mid-Market Lender of the Year, Americas and 2023 Lower Mid-Market Lender of the Decade; Inc.'s 2024 Founder-Friendly Investors List; Global M&A Network as the 2023 Lower Mid-Markets Lender of the Year, U.S.A.; DealCatalyst as the 2022 Best CLO Manager of the Year; Korean Economic Daily as the 2022 Best Performance in Private Debt – Mid Cap; Creditflux as the 2021 Best U.S. Direct Lending Fund; and Pension Bridge as the 2020 Private Credit Strategy of the Year. For more information and important disclaimers, please visit View source version on Contacts For more information, please contact: Zia UddinMonroe Capital LLC312-523-2374zuddin@ Daniel AbramsonBackBay Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Prof G says tariff ‘nonsense' gives away auto industry dominance to other countries — is Trump's protectionism failing?
America's trillion-dollar auto sector may be past its prime. That's according to New York University Stern School of Business professor and media entrepreneur Scott Galloway, who claimed in a recent YouTube video that 2025 marks 'the beginning of the end of the U.S. automobile industry.' Galloway argues that U.S. automakers are struggling to compete with rising Chinese manufacturers and that President Donald Trump's ongoing trade war and 'tariff nonsense' are having a counterproductive effect, further undermining the industry's global competitiveness. He is not alone in sounding the alarm. A growing number of experts — including some U.S. auto executives — have raised concerns about the Trump administration's unpredictable trade policies and their long-term impact on the sector. Don't miss Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Ceding advantage to Japan Although the Trump administration's tariff policy remains fluid, as of August it appears to favor some foreign automakers over domestic ones. For example, Japan currently faces a flat 15% tariff on all exports to the U.S., including vehicles from its globally dominant brands. Meanwhile, most other countries face a 25% tariff on auto imports. As a result, an American carmaker that manufactures domestically but imports car parts from Mexico or Canada may incur higher production costs than Japanese rivals. According to the American Automotive Policy Council — a group representing G.M., Ford, and Stellantis — this creates a significant advantage for brands like Toyota or Honda at the expense of U.S.-based manufacturers. 'We just struck a deal with Japan that made it easier for Americans to buy, quite frankly, their superior cars,' Galloway explains in the recent YouTube video. The global auto supply chain is so complex that even the most 'American' vehicles rely on imported components. Tesla's Model 3 Long Range, for example, contains '40% Chinese content,' according to Frank DuBois, associate professor at American University's Kogod School of Business. As domestic automakers struggle, emerging challengers are rapidly gaining global market share in the industry's fastest-growing segment: electric vehicles (EVs). Read more: Nervous about the stock market? Gain potential quarterly income through this $1B private real estate fund — even if you're not a millionaire. Losing the EV race In addition to tariff challenges, legacy U.S. automakers are also struggling to compete in the rapidly expanding global EV market. As of 2024, only one U.S. brand — Tesla — ranked among the top 10 global EV manufacturers by market share, according to JD Power's AutoVista Group. However, Tesla has been losing ground, with reports from Reuters and Le Monde attributing the decline in part to CEO Elon Musk's controversial political behavior and growing foreign competition. In contrast, Chinese rival BYD has taken a commanding lead. As of 2024, BYD held 22.2% of the global EV market — more than double Tesla's share — according to AutoVista. Galloway sees little chance for a turnaround. 'My sense is the EV race has been lost now, because Tesla has lost it to BYD,' he says. What does this mean for consumers? If 2025 is indeed the beginning of the end for the American auto industry, as Galloway predicts, the economic and consumer implications could be significant. The auto sector contributes $1.2 trillion to national output and supports 10.1 million jobs — about 4.9% of the total U.S. workforce — according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. A slowdown in the industry could mean widespread job losses and reduced income for working families across the country. Consumers are already feeling the effects of the ongoing trade battle. Vehicles priced under $40,000 could see price increases of up to $6,000, while higher-end models may face even steeper hikes, according to Kelley Blue Book. While the full economic impact of Trump's trade policies remains uncertain, the effects on car prices and American households are already taking shape — and they're not encouraging. What to read next Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 simple ways to grow rich with real estate if you don't want to play landlord. And you can even start with as little as $10 Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive-The US Navy is building a drone fleet to take on China. It's not going well
By David Jeans NEW YORK (Reuters) -During a U.S. naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagon's top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly. As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boat's starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water – an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters. The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by U.S. defense tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies, is one of a series of recent setbacks in the Pentagon's push to build a fleet of autonomous vessels, according to a dozen people familiar with the program. Weeks earlier, during a separate Navy test, the captain of a support boat was thrown into the water after another autonomous BlackSea vessel it was towing suddenly accelerated, capsizing the support boat, according to four people familiar with the matter. The captain was rescued and declined medical attention. The incident was first reported by Defense Scoop. Both incidents stemmed from a combination of software failures and human error, including breakdowns in communication between onboard systems and external autonomous software, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to share sensitive information. The Navy, Saronic and BlackSea declined to comment on the incidents. U.S. military leaders, seeing the outsized impact of maritime drones in the Ukraine war, have repeatedly said they need autonomous swarms of aerial and maritime drones to hinder a potential advance by China across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan itself has begun acquiring its own maritime drones. The drones being developed in Ukraine, which often look like speedboats without seats, and are capable of carrying weapons, explosives and surveillance equipment, are primarily remote-controlled and cost close to $250,000 – making them optimal for kamikaze missions that have effectively neutralized Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The U.S., meanwhile, is aiming to build an autonomous naval fleet that can move in swarms and without human command – a more ambitious task at a higher price point; as much as a few million dollars per speedboat. The recent test failures highlight the challenges facing the Navy's effort to deploy the nascent technologies, said Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare expert at the Hudson Institute. It will need to adapt its "tactics as it better understands what the systems can do and what they can't do." But the Navy's problems go beyond getting the boats to work: its autonomous maritime drone acquisition unit has also been rocked by the firing of its top admiral, and a top Pentagon official voiced concerns about the program in a candid meeting with Navy brass last month, Reuters found. Since the most recent incident, the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which had acquired technology for the tests, has indefinitely paused a contract – valued close to $20 million – with L3Harris, one of the companies providing autonomous software used to control some of the vessels, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the cause of the accidents or the L3Harris contract being paused, which has not been previously reported. A Pentagon spokesperson said it conducted drone tests as part of a "competitive and iterative approach, between operators and industry." L3Harris declined to comment on the contract and directed questions to the DIU. The DIU declined to comment. "L3Harris stands behind the safety, integrity and capability of our autonomy command-and-control product," said Toby Magsig, who oversees L3Harris' autonomous software products. RISE OF SEA DRONES To accelerate its drone effort, the Pentagon in 2023 launched the $1 billion Replicator program, through which branches like the U.S. Navy and the DIU planned to acquire thousands of aerial and maritime drones, along with the software to control them. The first systems from this program are due to be announced this month. The Navy has committed at least $160 million to BlackSea, which is producing dozens of its Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft boats a month, according to procurement records. Saronic, which was recently valued at $4 billion in a funding round backed by Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, makes the competitive sea drone Corsair, but is yet to announce a major contract. Federal procurement records show the company has generated at least $20 million from prototype agreements. "These systems will play a critical role in the future of naval warfare by extending fleet reach, improving situational awareness, and increasing combat effectiveness," acting chief of naval operations Jim Kilby said during a visit to BlackSea's facility in June. NAVY TURMOIL Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has made fielding swarms of drones a top military priority. Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' passed last month included almost $5 billion for maritime autonomous systems. But, so far, the Navy's approach has faced skepticism under the new administration. In April, the Navy's key drone boat procurement unit – known as Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) – touted a successful demonstration of the software used to control BlackSea's vessels in a post on LinkedIn, hailing it as "a major step forward in advancing #maritime autonomy." In response, Colin Carrol, then-chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, suggested the program was duplicating other efforts within the Pentagon. 'I have a feeling that there are changes in this program's future,' he replied to the LinkedIn post. Carrol, who is no longer with the Pentagon, declined to comment further. The PEO USC was recently placed under review, according to four people familiar with the matter, due to a series of setbacks, and could be restructured or shut down. This comes two months after the Navy said it had sacked the unit's leader, Rear Admiral Kevin Smith, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership after the Naval Inspector General substantiated a complaint against him. Reuters was unable to contact Smith. During a meeting last month, Feinberg grilled Navy officials about their autonomous vessel capabilities, including those being fielded by the PEO USC, according to three people briefed on the meeting. Feinberg was unimpressed by some of the capabilities being acquired by the Navy and questioned whether they were cost-effective, the people said. A Pentagon spokesperson said, "we're not going to comment on private internal meetings" and directed questions about PEO USC to the Navy. The Navy declined to comment on the meeting or the acquisition unit being put under review. Spokesperson Timothy Hawkins said the PEO USC stands by its mission, including its role as acquisition authority for the maintenance and modernization of unmanned maritime systems. The turmoil comes as shipbuilders and software providers are angling to secure even larger autonomous maritime projects, such as unmanned submarines and cargo-carrying ships. Last week, the PEO USC started accepting proposals for the Modular Attack Surface Craft, to acquire medium and large vessels capable of carrying containers, surveillance equipment, and conducting strikes. T.X. Hammes, an autonomous weapons expert and Atlantic Council fellow, said the Navy is in uncharted waters, trying to overhaul decades of tradition at high speed. "You've got a system that's used to building big things, taking years to make a decision, and now suddenly you're asking them to move fast," he said.
