Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+)

Resources on the LGBTQI+ population include national survey reports, agency and federal initiatives, and related behavioral health resources.

SAMHSA Programs and Initiatives

SAMHSA’s LGBTQI-focused efforts include the following:

• Launching the LGBTQI+ Family Support grant program.
• Encouraging states to consider LGBTQI+ needs in administering their SAMHSA Block Grants resources
• 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 Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Behavioral Health: Results from the 2021 and 2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (PDF | 682 KB).
• 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.

SAMHSA Behavioral Health Resources

• Guidance to States and Communities on Using Federal Funding to Support Mental Health Services for LGBTQI+ Youth is guidance to states and communities on using federal funding to support mental health services for LGBTQI+ 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 use disorder 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.

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 (6 minutes, 37 seconds)
• Learning About Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression (SOGIE) (6 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

• Stop Bullying a federal resource which contains a specific section for LGBTQ+ youth.
• Supporting LGBTQ Youth offers resources (from CDC) for schools and those who work with LGBTQ+ youth
• Health Considerations for LGBTQ Youth offers an overview (from CDC), with sub-pages on protective factors, resilience, and disparities.
• MedlinePlus LGBTQIA+ Health addresses health within the LGBTQIA+ community and gives access to other resources.
• Congressional Equality Caucus Press Releases gives access to all press releases in relation to LGBTQI+ communities.
• LGBTQI+ Students offers supportive materials for LGBTQI+ students and educators.

Child Welfare Information Gateway and Other Children’s Bureau-Funded LGBTQI+ Resources

• Working With LGBTQ+ Families in Foster Care and Adoption
• 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 Inequality: Addressing LGBTQ+ Disproportionality and Disparities
• Equity for LGBTQIA2S+ Individuals
• Providing Support Services for Youth in Transition

More Resources

• American Psychological Association: LGBT Programs and Projects
• American Psychological Association: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
• Family Acceptance Project
• LGBTQI Resources from NAMI
• 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 2022
• The Trevor Project
• HUD Exchange LGBTQ Homelessness
• 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)