Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

SAMHSA’s LGBT-focused Efforts

SAMHSA’s LGBT-focused efforts include encouraging States to consider LGBT needs in administering their SAMHSA Block Grants resources, promoting a sexual and gender minority focus in funding announcements where it is appropriate, supporting creation of sexual orientation questions for HHS national surveys, and providing ongoing leadership to help stop bullying of LGBT youth that includes significant participation in the development of the LGBT section for StopBullying.gov, a major resource for helping victims, potential victims and their families, and for raising public awareness.

SAMHSA contributes to efforts towards developing national data collection protocols and expanding health services for transgender individuals. Multiple training efforts for behavioral health service providers have and will continue to improve service delivery and outcomes for LGBT individuals.

SAMHSA Mental Health and Substance Abuse Data and Educational Resources

• Top Health Issues for LGBT Populations Information & Resource Kit: Equips prevention professionals, healthcare providers, and educators with information on current health issues among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations. Includes an overview of terms related to gender identity and sexual expression.
• A Provider’s Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender : 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.
• Helping Families Support Their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Children (PDF - 897kb) : This brief 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; and 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.
• Providing Services and Supports for Youth who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex or Two-Spirit (PDF - 1.7mb): This Practice Brief is for policymakers, administrators, and providers seeking to learn more about (1) youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, or two-spirit (LGBTQI2-S) and (2) how to develop culturally and linguistically competent programs and services to meet their needs and preferences.
• Larkin Street Stories: Meet Toby, Loch, and the youth of Larkin Street Youth Services and learn more about the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth who are homeless. The video series offers tips on best practices for providers serving LGBTQ youth who are homeless.
• High School Gay–Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Young Adult Well-Being (PDF - 144kb): An Examination of GSA Presence, Participation, and Perceived Effectiveness: Gay–Straight Alliances (GSAs) are student-led, school-based clubs that aim to provide a safe environment in the school context for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, as well as their straight allies. This study examines the potential for GSAs to support positive youth development and to reduce associations among LGBT-specific school victimization and negative young adult well-being.

Federal Initiatives and Resources

• Healthy People 2020-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Health: Provides a comprehensive set of 10-year, national goals and objectives for improving the health of LGBT populations.
• Better Health and Well-Being: Making Improvements for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Americans: The document summarizes specific actions that HHS has taken through 2011, at the direction of President Obama and Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, to promote equal treatment of LGBT Americans, provide enhanced resources for LGBT health issues, and develop better information regarding LGBT health needs. The update also summarizes how the Affordable Care Act is improving access to health coverage for LGBT Americans.
• The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding : To help assess the state of the science, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to evaluate current knowledge of the health status of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations; to identify research gaps and opportunities; and to outline a research agenda to help NIH focus its research in this area.
• Stop Bullying: This HHS website contains a specific section for LGBT youth.

Additional Behavioral Health Resources

• Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists
• Lesbian and Gay Child Adolescent Psychiatric Association
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) GLBT Mental Health Resources
• TA Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health- LGBTIQ2-S

More Behavioral Health Resources