Gender Archives - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)
Better Research Needed To Solve the LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Crisis
September 24, 2023 | NWI
This opinion piece from Scientific American notes that young people do not fall into neat categories of race, sexual orientation or gender identity, and argues that research into LGBTQ mental health must take a more nuanced approach.
Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+
April 21, 2023 | NWI
This report from SAMHSA provides behavioral health professionals, researchers, policymakers and other audiences with a comprehensive research overview and accurate information about effective and ineffective therapeutic practices related to youth of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.
Long-Term Outcomes from Gender-Affirming Hormones
October 24, 2022 | NWI
According to a new Dutch study, years after young teens initiate puberty suppression and hormone treatment, nearly all continue to embrace the transition process as young adults.
Girls and Young Women More Likely to Drink Alcohol
May 13, 2022 | NWI
For at least the past two decades, data showed that boys and young men were more likely to drink than girls and young women. However, data now show that girls and young women, ages 12 to 20, are drinking more alcohol than their male counterparts. Alcohol use by people under the legal drinking age of 21 has decreased over the past few decades, but the decreases have been more pronounced for males than females. In 2020, more girls and young women reported past-month alcohol use than boys and young men.
Fear of Coming Out for LGBTQ+ Youth in Foster Care
November 14, 2021 | NWI
This editorial in USA Today argues that, for many LGBTQ+ young people living in foster care, celebrating their identity openly could have dire consequences. It is fear of these consequences that silences LGBTQ+ young people and creates an invisible population that is overrepresented in foster care.
LGBTQ Youth Mental Health: Trevor Project Survey Highlights Disparities
June 13, 2021 | NWI
The Trevor Project — the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for young LGBTQ people — has published the results of its third annual national survey on the mental health of LGBTQ youth. The findings reveal the consequences of the ongoing pandemic and call for urgent policy solutions to curb a mental health crisis.
Video Reviews Terminology Important When Working With LGBTQ+
June 13, 2021 | NWI
This educational animated short, created by the Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity, reviews basic terminology that is important to know when working with people who have diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, or expressions.
Experiences and Well-Being of Sexual and Gender Diverse Youth in Foster Care
December 2, 2020 | NWI
This is the first survey to report on the proportion of youth in foster care in New York City who are LGBTQAI+ and differences in their experiences compared to those of youth who are not LGBTQAI+. This survey was commissioned by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), which is committed to serving youth in foster care that are LGBTQAI+. This report provides the detailed findings from this survey.
American Pediatrics Association Statement on Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents
September 19, 2018 | Emily Taylor
This month the American Association of Pediatrics issued a policy guideline with broad recommendations for the field on the Gender Affirmative Care Model (GACM) in which pediatric providers will “offer developmentally appropriate care that is oriented toward understanding and appreciating the youth’s gender experience.” The recommendations for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth and adolescents also point out that “GACM is best facilitated through the integration of medical, mental health, and social services, including specific resources and supports for parents and families.”
STUDIES TAKE CLOSER LOOK AT MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR LGBTQ YOUTH
April 24, 2018 | Emily Taylor
This news story summarizes results of a few recent studies looking at the instance of mental health challenges among LGBTQ youth. One study that examined medical records found mental health diagnoses were more common for transgender and gender-nonconforming youth. A second study
of survey data from almost 82,000 high school students in Minnesota found LGBTQ adolescents were more likely to experience abuse and victimization than heterosexual teens. Notably, the majority of youth didn’t experience any abuse, bullying or victimization.
In his commentary on the studies, Dr. Stanley Ray Vance of the Child and Adolescent Gender Center at the University of California, San Francisco noted: “It should be emphasized that LGBTQ youth are incredibly resilient, but they unfortunately face poor mental health outcomes and adversity. Their childhood environment and experiences matter and reducing rejection, abuse and other adverse events could potentially make a difference.”