SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — California will fund a crucial mental health hotline for LGBTQ+ youth after the federal government announced plans to cut its funding.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the state will partner with The Trevor Project to maintain the specialized hotline service, also known as the "Press 3" option.
"These resources are critical to the well-being and support of our LGBTQ youth. They are particularly vulnerable populations who are disproportionately affected by issues by mental health issues," said a member of the San Diego LGBT Center's crisis services team.
The Trevor Project's national survey revealed that 39 percent of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year. The specialized hotline served more than 231,000 crisis contacts in 2024 alone.
San Diego County operates its own clinics tailored for LGBTQ+ youth, providing services to 71 youth during the last fiscal year. County officials emphasize that the general 988 hotline can connect people with necessary resources.
"The key is for folks to call if you're experiencing a mental health or behavioral health crisis, call 988, call the Accessing Crisis line, that is the most important thing there's still access to crisis care," a county representative said.
The LGBT Center and its South Bay and Hillcrest youth centers provide services during the day. For local services, residents can call the county's crisis line or the national suicide hotline at 988.
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