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Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced four awards totaling $5.1 million for Family Counseling and Support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex+ Youth and their Families.
These grants are in addition to $1.7M in grant funding previously awarded in 2023 to four other recipients. All eight awardees will be engaging LGBTQI+ youth and their families to prevent risk of health conditions, including behavioral health conditions (e.g., suicidality, depression, homelessness, drug use, HIV) and promote well-being for LGBTQI+ youth by establishing family counseling and support programs and training providers on family counseling and support interventions tailored for LGBTQI+ families.
“The health of our nation begins with the wellness of our youth, and every young American must receive adequate behavioral health supports regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Facilitating behavioral health services for communities in need are a vital part of our obligation to ensure overall health and human dignity.”
“The pursuit of equity in behavioral health care remains a key component of SAMHSA’s mission,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure behavioral health services for all, with distinct attention to young people in particular need.”
Various SAMHSA publications and other agency-facilitated supports for the LGBTQI+ population have been made available in recent years:
Learn more about SAMHSA’s equity efforts to support the needs of LGBTQI+ individuals https://www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity/lgbtqi.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).
Reporters with questions should send inquiries to media@samhsa.hhs.gov.
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For general media inquiries, please contact media@hhs.gov.