Few Mental Health Programs Specifically Geared Toward LGBTQ Youth, Report Finds

Evidence suggests that youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ)are more likely to experience mental health problems than those who identify as heterosexual and cisgender. Yet, areport inJAMA Pediatrics has found that few U.S. mental health facilities that offer services for youth include treatments or groups specifically tailored to LGBTQ youth.“Compared with heterosexual or cisgender youth, LGBTQ youth have 3 times higher prevalence of depression and anxiety, and 42% have considered suicide,” wrote Kristen R. Choi, Ph.D., R.N., of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues. “Fifty-four percent of LGBTQ youth reported wanting mental health care but not receiving any, partly due to adverse experiences with clinicians and perceptions that clinicians do not understand sexual or gender identity–related mental health needs.”To determine the availability of LGBTQ mental health services for youth in the United States, Choi and colleagues relied on data collected by theNational Mental Health Services Survey. The authors specifically focused on how those surveyed responded to the following question: “Does this facility offer a mental health treatment program or group that is dedicated or designed exclusively for clients [who are] lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ)?” From this information, they calculated the percentage of mental health facilities for youth tha t offered LGBTQ-specific servic...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: access to care gender minority JAMA Pediatrics LGBTQ mental health mental health problems sexual minority Source Type: research