Couch to Capitol: June Legislative Updates

Protections for LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio face significant threats through budget proposals and legislative actions that may fundamentally alter counselors' ability to provide ethical, affirming care. Recent developments include proposed restrictions on gender-affirming care, resource access, and support services that would directly impact vulnerable youth populations and create ethical dilemmas for mental health professionals.

• Ohio's budget proposal (HB96) defines gender strictly as male or female, ignoring transgender, intersex and non-binary experiences.
•  Proposed budget would restrict library materials on sexual orientation for minors and prohibit funding for affirming homeless shelters.
•  988 Suicide and Crisis Response Line received a $2.5 million increase effective in fiscal year 2026
• Supreme Court ruling in US v. Scrimeti upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
• Ohio's HB68 (ban on gender-affirming care) is being challenged in Moe v. Yost using different legal arguments.
• Advocacy opportunities exist through Equality Ohio's legal clinics and resources  

If you have questions, feedback or want to get involved with our advocacy efforts, drop us a line through text or connect with our socials found in the show notes. Stay tuned, stay engaged and keep advocating for the future of counseling in Ohio, because what happens at the Capitol doesn't stay at the Capitol – it impacts every counseling conversation.

Resources:

• LINK to equality ohio’s legislative analysis bit.ly/EO_Skrmetti 
• https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/clerk/ecms/#/recentfiling
• https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/status-reports
• https://ohiocounseling.org/legislative-advocacy

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Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee

·Hosted by Victoria Frazier

·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Victoria Frazier, Linda Marcel-Rene & Kendra Thornton

·Editing by Leah Wood & Marisa Cargill

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

Welcome to Ohio Counseling Conversations Couch to Capital, your quick connection from the Counseling Office to where laws meet lives. In this segment we break down the latest legislative and judicial updates, policy changes and advocacy efforts that impact counselors across Ohio. Whether you're licensed in training or just passionate about the field of counseling, we've got what you need to stay informed and empowered.

Welcome to Couch to Capital

LGBTQ+ Protections Under Attack

Speaker 2 0:29

Welcome back to Couch, to Capital on Ohio Counseling Conversations, where we bridge the gap between your clinical couch and the halls of Ohio Statehouse and beyond. I'm Victoria Frazier and each month it's our goal to bring you the most relevant legislative updates impacting counselors, clients and the mental health profession across our state. This Pride Month, protections for LGBTQ plus youth in Ohio are under attack. On last month's episode, we covered Substitute House Bill 96, a budget with major mental health consequences Included in the state budget proposal. The bill has strong implications for counselors and clients, specifically those working with LGBTQ plus youth. The bill includes language that would define gender as strictly male or female, with no consideration of trans, intersex or other clients that exist outside of the gender binary. Additionally, it would require public libraries to segregate or restrict access to materials on sexual orientation or gender identity for minors, prohibit funding for homeless shelters that affirm a young person's social transition, enforce outdated educational retention policies that disproportionately impact LGBTQ plus Black and Brown students, and undermine public education by removing elected oversight and shifting funding to private institutions. These provisions directly threaten access to affirming mental health support, education, equity and safety, especially for LGBTQ youth. The Chemical Dependency Professionals Board would also be affected by measures in the budget. Peer recovery supporters are an essential workforce and this initiative serves to professionalize the peer recovery support professional role and ensure there is public protection and state oversight to ensure these services are delivered ethically and safely.

Budget Updates and 988 Crisis Line

Speaker 2 2:18

Thanks to the advocacy work of equality-focused communities, ohio senators removed an amendment previously included in the budget requiring biological sex markers on driver's licenses. However, measures that ban insurance coverage for gender-affirming mental health care, prohibit all but the state flag flying at government buildings, including pride flags, and banning menstrual products in men's restrooms in state buildings remain. These measures are particularly affecting LGBTQ plus youth, 75% of whom access therapy in person and half are also doing, or exclusively accessing, virtual therapy. These kids rely on our spaces. The Ohio Counseling Association is a part of the Coalition for Healthy Communities, which compiled a memo and was sent to the Budget Conference Committee, governor DeWine, house Speaker Huffman and Senate President McCauley, urging them to consider these points before voting on the budget. This budget proposal has since been finalized and sent to Governor DeWine for signature before June 30th. As of the recording of this episode, governor DeWine will now be able to line item veto these items if he so chooses. There's no guarantee that Governor DeWine will make these vetoes, but we will do our best to keep you updated as changes occur.

Speaker 2 3:33

In brighter news, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Response Line received an increase, to take effect in the 2026 fiscal year, of $2,500,000. The hotline offers access to highly trained individuals that are skilled at delivering compassionate care, de-escalating crises and connecting individuals with appropriate behavioral health services. The hotline is resolving callers' concerns with no further intervention, transfer to an emergency room or engagement of first responders 85% of the time. 988 operators are experiencing increasing call volume month to month and an actuarial study indicates call volume will increase by 28% over the biennium. So this increase could not have come at a better time.

Supreme Court Ruling Impact

Speaker 2 4:18

Now let's shift our focus to some national news. Recently, the US Supreme Court ruled on United States v Scrimeti upholding Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Us v Scrimeti considers whether Tennessee's Sub Bill 1 violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Sb 1 puts limits on hormone therapy, puberty blockers and gender-affirming surgeries for those under 18. The bill allows for these treatments in cases where they are addressing other issues, such as precocious puberty, but does not allow their use when treating gender dysphoria. This ruling states that the law does not classify based on sex, but rather age and purpose of treatment, and can be reviewed under more lenient standards. Essentially, the court ruled that Tennessee had a legitimate government interest in regulating medical treatments it views as experimental or risky, and the law was found to be constitutionally valid.

Speaker 2 5:16

While this decision to uphold the ban on gender-affirming care in Tennessee is concerning, it may not seem immediately relevant to our work in Ohio. However, current legislation in Ohio that is also seeking to change minors' access to gender-affirming care is ongoing and these rulings set a precedent. So let's explore how this can impact us in Ohio. Currently, house Bill 68, ohio's own ban on gender-affirming care for minors, is being challenged in the case of Moe v Yost. The Scrimetti ban does not create a national ban on gender-affirming care for minors and does not affect adult access to gender-affirming care. It does not invalidate ongoing litigation, including the Moe v Yost case, and the ruling is narrow, leaving it open for other legal arguments against similar bans in Ohio and elsewhere. There are still strong legal grounds, including the equal protection arguments and protections under the state constitution, to challenge these laws in court. This lawsuit includes legal claims beyond those considered in the Supreme Court case, including parental rights, rights under the Ohio Constitution and targeting of a minority group based on animus, which may violate the Equal Protection Act.

Speaker 2 6:31

If you would like to know more about the ruling or other ways you can get involved, we have included a link to Equality Ohio's legal clinics analysis of the decision and its impact on Ohioans. The analysis also includes suggestions for your own advocacy work if you are so inclined. In the ACA Code of Ethics, we uphold social justice as a core pillar of our profession. Showing up for our clients and fellow clinicians is something that we have been trained under and agreed to, and now is the time to reaffirm our dedication to our core values. That wraps up this month's episode of Couch to Capital. Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an update. If you have questions, feedback or want to get involved with our advocacy efforts, be sure to drop us a line. You can text us or connect with our socials found in the show notes.

Speaker 1 7:18

That's it for this edition of Couch to Capital, brought to you by the Ohio Counseling Association and Ohio Counseling Conversations. In the meantime, stay tuned, stay engaged and keep advocating for the future of counseling in Ohio, because what happens at the Capitol doesn't stay at the Capitol. It impacts every counseling conversation.