Crisis calls from LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio surge after 'outing' bill signed into law

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A national crisis hotline received a significant increase in calls from LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio within hours after Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill that opponents say will result in the "outing" of students.

The Rainbow Youth Project USA Foundation said its crisis hotline received 579 calls from LGBTQ+ young people in Ohio on Jan. 8 closely following DeWine's signing of House Bill 8, coined by supporters as "The Parents' Bill of Rights." The quantity is notable given the hotline usually handles an average of 284 calls per month from Ohio. Watch a previous NBC4 report on H.B. 8 in the video player above.

H.B. 8 will go into effect in April and will require teachers to notify parents before teaching "sexuality content" and of changes in a student's mental, emotional or physical health. Other legislation was folded into the bill to require public schools to adopt a policy permitting excused absences for students who attend religious instruction during the school day.

"This bill endangers lives. It strips transgender and nonbinary youth of the safe spaces they need to confide in educators and school staff, putting them at risk of being outed to unsupportive families," said TransOhio, Ohio's only statewide trans-led organization, in a previous statement. "H.B. 8 sends the harmful message that there is something 'wrong' with LGBTQI+ youth and punishes schools for fostering trust and safety for students."

In addition to calls from youth, the national suicide prevention hotline also recorded 82 calls from educators seeking clarity on their rights and responsibilities under the new legislation. Rainbow Youth Project said this indicates "a significant level of uncertainty and concern among school staff regarding the potential implications for their students' well being."

DeWine told reporters after a separate bill-signing at the Statehouse on Jan. 8 that H.B. 8 will provide a path for parents to be informed about what's going on in their child's life. "[Parents are] the first teachers, they're the best teachers, and that's very, very important," the governor said, also noting that he does not see the bill as harming LGBTQ+ students.

"We love these students as we love anybody else and they're not only welcome in Ohio, they're welcome in our schools and we want to protect them as we protect every other student," the governor said. "But, I do believe that parents, again, having information, they're the most likely people to help that child."

The Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio's largest Christian public policy organization, celebrated DeWine's signature and said "parents, not government bureaucrats, should be making healthcare and education decisions for their kids."

"H.B. 8 protects children by safeguarding parents' rights to make important decisions for their children," said Aaron Baer, the group's president. "Whether it's a decision about healthcare, a decision about when a child has a discussion about sexuality, or a decision over whether a child can access a religious released time program like LifeWise Academy, H.B. 8 puts parents back in control."

Equality Ohio, a statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy group, said it is "deeply disappointed" DeWine signed the legislation given it includes "language similar to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill."

"H.B. 8 had bipartisan opposition in the state legislature because it did nothing to create a school that welcomes LGBTQ+ Ohio students as they are, and did nothing to support teachers in creating a safe learning environment," said Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio executive director. "We will continue to fight for an Ohio that makes all students feel safe and secure in their schools."