Ohio’s LGBTQ+ Residents Face Severe Mental Health Gaps, New 2026 Data Shows
Ohio’s 2026 Health Value Dashboard, published by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, documents a sharp mental health disparity for LGBTQ+ residents. Transgender Ohioans are 3.5 times more likely than other state residents to report frequent mental distress. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual Ohioans are 2.6 times more likely to report it.
3.5x more likely: the rate at which transgender Ohioans report frequent mental distress compared to other residents, per the 2026 Health Value Dashboard.
That gap does not exist in isolation. Roughly 10.6% of Ohioans identify as LGBTQ+, meaning more than 1.2 million people are affected by policies and funding decisions that researchers say consistently fall short.
Stigma and Funding Shortfalls Drive Worse Outcomes
Dr. JaNelle Ricks, an associate professor of public health at Ohio State University who studies HIV risk and prevention in marginalized communities, connects the data directly to political conditions. “It really has to do with the powers that be, in terms of funding that’s available and where they think the importance is to target,” Ricks told the Ohio Capital Journal. Without money to fund education and access programs for the communities most at risk, she said, “it’s difficult to see change.”
HIV treatment and prevention offer a clear example. Medications and treatments exist, but reaching communities of color and women requires sustained funding and public education. Ricks notes that while HIV outcomes have improved broadly over decades, “those who are most at risk and have the worst outcomes aren’t seeing the same level of improvement.”
Ohio Law Adds a Structural Barrier to Care
Ohio’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors creates a specific obstacle on top of the general access problem. Dr. Lauren McInroy, an associate professor of social work at Ohio State University who studies LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, describes what happens when a population learns to expect discrimination from providers.
“LGBTQ people expect to experience discrimination in healthcare and all that does is make them less willing and able to access care, because they anticipate this.”
Dr. Lauren McInroy, Associate Professor of Social Work, Ohio State University
That anticipation of harm is not irrational. It is learned from documented experience. And it compounds: a young person already experiencing mental health strain from bullying or identity-based stigma now also avoids the provider who could help.
What You Can Do Now
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Call your Ohio state legislators at (614) 466-8842 and tell them to restore funding for LGBTQ+ health programs in Ohio’s budget. Ask specifically for line-item funding for community health centers that serve LGBTQ+ populations.
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Contact Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s office at (614) 466-3555 and urge him to direct the Ohio Department of Health to publicly track and report LGBTQ+ health outcomes annually, using the Health Policy Institute’s dashboard as a model.
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Contact your U.S. senators at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to oppose any federal legislation that would further restrict access to gender-affirming care or defund HIV prevention programs targeting high-risk communities.
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Find your nearest LGBTQ+ health center using GLMA’s provider directory at glma.org and share it with community members who may be avoiding care due to anticipated discrimination.
Sources
Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio LGBTQ+ Health Outcomes Impacted by Funding Gaps and Stigma Health Policy Institute of Ohio: 2026 Health Value Dashboard Overview KFF: LGBTQ+ Adults’ Experiences with Mental Health Care Access ACLU of Ohio: Gender-Affirming Care Ban Legislation CDC: HIV in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2024 Data