On July 27, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones brought a full day of suicide-prevention training from The Trevor Project straight into San Antonio, turning Rise Recovery into a crash course in how adults can show up for LGBTQ+ young people before a crisis hits. The free, daylong “Public Health with Pride: Adult Allies Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth” session was aimed at educators, health-care workers and nonprofit leaders, with a clear goal: give the adults who see youth every day in schools, clinics and community programs the tools to spot distress, respond safely and connect young people to help early.
The training blended The Trevor Project’s Ally curriculum with its CARE (Connect, Accept, Respond, Empower) program, which walks participants through core terminology, what coming out can look and feel like, common risk factors and step-by-step guidance on how to respond when someone may be at risk of suicide, as outlined by The Trevor Project. Trainers focused on practical moves rather than clinical therapy: how to check in, how to listen without judgment and how to make “warm handoffs” to counseling instead of leaving a young person on their own. The day also featured a panel of local leaders and offered continuing-education opportunities for attendees.
Mayor and Trevor leaders weigh in
“We owe it to our young people to create an environment where they feel seen and are treated with dignity and respect,” Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said in a press release from the City of San Antonio, noting that LGBTQ+ youth face higher rates of depression, homelessness and suicide attempts than their peers. Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, called the city’s move “particularly meaningful” for Texas and pushed adults across sectors to make schools, clinics and community spaces more welcoming and supportive for LGBTQ+ youth.
Why the training matters
Organizers pointed to sobering numbers from The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. national survey: 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and more than 1 in 10 (12%) attempted suicide, according to The Trevor Project. Trainers said that when more adults are prepared to act as informed allies, it can shrink the gap between a young person’s first warning signs and their first real connection to help, reducing isolation along the way.
The Mayor’s Fitness Council, which frames emotional well-being as part of its broader mission to connect residents with healthier lives, backed the effort as one way to treat mental health as seriously as physical fitness.
Local partners and the venue
The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District teamed up with the Mayor’s Fitness Council to bring the program to the city; the council’s mission explicitly calls out emotional as well as physical health, according to the City of San Antonio. The council helped recruit local organizations, while Rise Recovery hosted the training at its Charlie Naylor Campus on Mossrock Road. Rise Recovery lists that campus at 2803 Mossrock Dr., which is where the session took place.
City officials also noted that San Antonio is the first major Texas city to partner with The Trevor Project for this kind of adult-focused ally training, calling the event one step toward building safer, more supportive environments for LGBTQ+ youth, per the City of San Antonio announcement. For media inquiries, the mayor’s office listed MarkAnthony Ball at 210-440-6048 in the city release.
