The Greater Youngstown LGBTQ+ community is set to take a major step forward with the launch of the 'Lake to River” LGBTQ+ Community Needs Assessment in 2025. Led in collaboration between the Center for Community Solutions and Kent State University's College of Public Health, this inter-organizational initiative is the first of its kind in Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, and Ashtabula counties. This work aims to identify and address the most pressing needs of the local LGBTQ+ community. Over 50 local community organizations will be participating in the study, with the primary community partners such as Equality Ohio and Full Spectrum Community Outreach.
The project will include a comprehensive community survey, intersectionality listening sessions (think focus groups), and key stakeholder interviews, to gather input and feedback from local members of the LGBTQ+ community in Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana and Ashtabula counties. These activities will be inclusive and reflective of the diverse voices and perspectives within the LGBTQ+ community. The results of the study will be used to develop strategies for addressing the identified needs and improving the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Lake to River region.
Capturing insight about the current status and potential accomplishments and deficiencies in the LGBTQ+ community will provide valuable information freely accessible by the community to support and validate decision making and prioritize commitments to community health interventions, resources, and investments. This work, an expansion of LGBTQ+ community needs assessments conducted in Greater Akron (2022) and Greater Cleveland (2024), contributes to improving the day-to-day lives of LGBTQ+ residents across Northeast, Ohio.
The study will cover several critical areas including:
- Health and Wellness,
- Religion and Spirituality,
- Education and Literacy,
- Housing, Food, and Basic needs,
- Business, Employment, and Commerce,
- Safety and Law Enforcement, and
- Recreation and Leisure.
If you're part of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, you can help make this study a success by getting involved and providing input. The study team encourages members of the LGBTQ+ community and organizations to participate in the subcommittee meetings where surveys, listening sessions, and interview plans are developed with local input to make sure that the voices of the community are heard and reflected in the study results. These planning meetings will begin in February 2025.
For more information or to get involved, click the button below and submit your information via our webform and a member of the research team will reach out to you.