Posted: Thursday, October 12, 2006 7:00 pm
Majorities in the Lincoln City Council and Lancaster County Board took a responsible step in funding a program designed to help professionals do a better job of counseling gay and lesbian youths.
The $1,500 in keno tax revenue will be used to hold four seminars, create a Web site and gather materials for professionals.
Lincoln-Lancaster County Human Services Administrator Kit Boesch said that she expects 200 professionals will use the materials to aid in dealing with “hard-to-work-with” teens.
Experts say gay and lesbian youths are at risk for depression and suicide. In 2001, the American Psychological Association testified in a Senate hearing that suicide was the leading cause of death among gay teens.
The council and county board majorities tried to de-escalate controversy by awarding the contract to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Health Center rather than the nonprofit Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays advocacy group.
That wasn’t enough for Councilwoman Robin Eschliman, County Commissioner Bob Workman and other critics in the community who said the program would undermine traditional values.
Fortunately for teens dealing with sexual orientation issues, the council and county board majorities were unwilling to turn their backs on a genuine community need.