On the Ground Report: Federal Impacts in North Dakota
By: Prairie Action North Dakota Institute
September 12, 2025
What Happened?
On July 17, SAMHSA ended the “Press 3” option on the 988 Lifeline, which had previously routed LGBTQ+ youth to specially trained counselors.
(SAMHSA is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that focuses on improving the quality and availability of mental health and substance abuse treatment services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
In North Dakota (and 17 west Minnesota counties), FirstLink in Fargo now handles all 988 calls, without the LGBTQ+ specialization option.
Why It Matters, Especially Here
In North Dakota:
36% of LGBTQ+ youth considered suicide in the past year; for transgender and nonbinary youth, that rises to 41%.
55% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care couldn’t get it.
Many LGBTQ+ Youth face discrimination, bullying, or have considered leaving ND because of politics and policies.
Removing a trusted, specialized option like Press 3 risks deepening this crisis.
North Dakota’s 988 Lifeline: No LGBTQ+ Option
988 Lifeline still active in ND, offering mobile crisis teams and walk-in services via Human Service Centers in Bismarck, Fargo, and Jamestown.
But no specialized LGBTQ+ training or protocols are formally in place statewide.
Local suicide prevention advocates like Faye Seidler (Safe Harbors Project, Harbor Health Initiative) have long emphasized improving cultural competency and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.
Why Specialized Support Matters
“Since the election, we’ve seen a clear increase in young people feeling devalued, erased, uncertain about their future …” Becca Nordeen, The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project handled half of the ~1.5 million LGBTQ+ lifeline contacts before shutdown. Now with fewer counselors, it's straining to keep up.
Loss of Press 3 means youth may now face untrained counselors who don’t understand coming-out stressors, family rejection, an essential bridge for trust.
