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SAMHSA Programs and Initiatives
SAMHSA’s LGBTQI-focused efforts include the following:
- Encouraging states to consider LGBTQI+ needs in administering their SAMHSA Block Grants resources
- Including a sexual and gender minority focus in funding announcements where it is appropriate
- Supporting the inclusion of sexual orientation questions in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). View the NSDUH Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Adults slide deck.
- Providing targeted technical assistance to grantees and other stakeholders issuing guidance on the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v. Windsor related to the federal definitions of “spouse” and “marriage”
- SAMHSA and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have compiled a list of professional training curricula to improve the health and well-being of the LGBTQI+ population.
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The Latest
- June 1, 2022 | Statements by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and HHS Principals on Pride Month
- May 31, 2022 | Proclamation from The White House on LGBTQI+ Pride Month 2022
- April 28, 2022 | Statement by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the White House LGBTQI+ Report
- March 30, 2022 | LGBTQI+ Youth - Like All Americans, They Deserve Evidence-Based Care, a blog by Assistant Secretary Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon.
- March 2, 2022 | Statement by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Reaffirming HHS Support and Protection for LGBTQI+ Children and Youth
- HHS LGBTQI+ Communities and Resources is designed to help strengthen the health resources available for LGBTQ+ communities.
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SAMHSA Behavioral Health Resources
- Ending Conversion Therapy: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth is a report that presents therapeutic practices related to youth, and sexual orientation and gender identity. These practices are based on research, clinical expertise, and expert consensus. The report makes the case for eliminating the use of conversion therapy among youth.
- A Provider’s Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals is a manual that informs clinicians and administrators about substance abuse treatment approaches that are sensitive to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) clients. Covers cultural, clinical, health, administrative, and legal issues as well as alliance building.
- A Practitioner’s Resource Guide: Helping Families to Support Their LGBT Children is a resource guide that offers information and resources to help practitioners throughout health and social service systems implement best practices in engaging and helping families and caregivers to support their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children.
- Helping Families Support Their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Children (PDF | 897 KB) is a report that provides information about sexual orientation and gender identity to help friends, family, and other adults support LGBT children and adolescents. It reports research findings from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco University and includes research on the impact of families on their LGBT children’s health, mental health, and well-being. It also provides ways ethnically, religiously, and socially diverse families, parents, and caregivers can support their LGBT children. Family materials and provider tools such as education materials, assessment and policy resources, research publications, and gender spectrum education and training materials are presented.
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LGBTQI+ Youth
The CDC offers resources for LGBTQI+ youth and their friends, educators, parents, and family members.
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LGBTQI+ Center of Excellence
The LGBTQI+ COE provides behavioral health practitioners with vital information to support the LGBTQI+ population.
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Resources from the LGBTQI+ Center of Excellence
- Emerging from the Margins: Identifying the Behavioral Health Needs of LGBTQ+ Midlife and Older Adults
- Center of Excellence LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity E-Learning Modules providing information on terminology, general identity development, disparities among LGBTQ+ populations across the lifespan, and best practices for behavioral health providers.
- Supporting Trans Youth, asking experts about supporting trans and gender diverse youth in the midst of a record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation.
Animated Short on Providing Equitable and Affirming Care to LGBTQ+ Older Adults (six minutes, 37 seconds) - Learning About Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression (SOGIE) (six minutes, 34 seconds)
- Webinars on foundational and advanced topics such as Caring for LGBTQ+ Older Adults Using a Behavioral Health Lens and Gender Identity, Expression & Behavioral Health 101.
- More Resources from the Center of Excellence
Federal Resources
- HRSA - Mental Health and LGBTQI+ is providing resources and trainings for kids and families.
- Stop Bullying a federal resource which contains a specific section for LGBTQ+ youth.
- CDC LGBTQ+ Health is used to review topics and resources on different sexualities within the LGBTQ+ community.
- CDC Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity addresses the health of LGBT and provides resources for HIV/STD prevention.
- MedlinePlus LGBTQ+ Health addresses health within the LGBTQ+ community and gives access to other resources.
- Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus Press Releases gives access to all press releases in relation to LGBTQ+ communities.
- LGBTQ+ Students offers supportive materials for LGBTQ+ students and educators.
Child Welfare Information Gateway and Other Children’s Bureau-Funded LGBTQ+ Resources
- Adoption by Family Type: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Families
- Capacity Building Center for States LGBTQ+ Resources
- National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability, and Permanency for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two-Spirit Children and Youth in Foster Care (QIC-LGBTQ2S)
- Strategies for Reducing Inequity: Addressing LGBTQ Disproportionality and Disparities
- Working With LGBTQ+ Youth and Families
- Support Services for Youth in Transition
More Resources
- American Psychological Association Office on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
- Family Acceptance Project
- Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Mental Health Resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness
- Lesbian and Gay Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Association LGBTQ Youth: Voices of Trauma, Lives of Promise (Video)
- The Trevor Project's National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021
- The Trevor Project
- HUD Exchange LGBTQ Homelessness
- Office on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Programs and Projects
- National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health
- NNEDshare
- OMH National Standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (National CLAS Standards)