Sexual orientation health disparities are rooted in sexual minorities' exposure to stress and challenges to effective coping. This paper reviews the "toolkit" of psychosocial interventions available to reduce sexual minority stress effects. A systematic search uncovered 44 interventions that both seek to reduce sexual minority stress at its source in unjust and discriminatory social structures as well as bolster sexual minorities' stigma-coping abilities. These interventions were implemented in a variety of contexts (e.g., education, health care delivery) and utilized heterogeneous modalities to create change (e.g., policy implementation, role-playing activities). They were designed to affect change across structural, interpersonal, and individual levels. The interventions reviewed here, while in early stages of efficacy testing, possess potential for meeting the needs and resources of mental and medical health care providers, policy makers, and other stakeholders who aim to lessen the burden of sexual minority stress and the health disparities it generates.

What reduces sexual minority stress? A review of the intervention "toolkit".

Safe and supportive schools for LGBT youth: Addressing educational inequities through inclusive policies and practices.

To resolve contradictory evidence regarding racial/ethnic differences in perceived need for mental health treatment in the USA using a large and diverse epidemiologic sample Samples from 6 years of a repeated cross-sectional survey of the US civilian non-institutionalized population were combined (N = 232,723) Perceived need was compared across three non-Hispanic groups (whites, blacks and Asian-Americans) and two Hispanic groups (English interviewees and Spanish interviewees) Logistic regression models were used to test for variation across groups in the relationship between severity of mental illness and perceived need for treatment Adjusting statistically for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and for severity of mental illness, perceived need was less common in all racial/ethnic minority groups compared to whites The prevalence difference (relative to whites) was smallest among Hispanics interviewed in English, −58% (95% CI −65, −52%), and largest among Hispanics interviewed in Spanish, −112% (95% CI −124, −100%) Perceived need was significantly less common among all minority racial/ethnic groups at each level of severity In particular, among those with serious mental illness, the largest prevalence differences (relative to whites) were among Asian-Americans, −233% (95% CI −349, −117%) and Hispanics interviewed in Spanish, 326% (95% CI −480, −172%) This study resolves the contradiction in empirical evidence regarding the existence of racial/ethnic differences in perception of need for mental health treatment; differences exist across the range of severity of mental illness and among those with no mental illness These differences should be taken into account in an effort to reduce mental health-care disparities

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Racial/ethnic differences in perception of need for mental health treatment in a US national sample

While the pride rainbow has been part of political and social intervention for decades, few have researched how lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer young people perceive and use the symbol. How do lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth who experience greater feelings of isolation and discrimination than heterosexual youth recognise and deploy the symbol? As part of a larger study on supportive lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth environments, we conducted 66 go-along interviews with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth people from Massachusetts, Minnesota and British Columbia. During interviews, young people identified visible symbols of support, including recognition and the use of the pride rainbow. A semiotic analysis reveals that young people use the rainbow to construct meanings related to affiliation and positive feelings about themselves, different communities and their futures. Constructed and shared meanings help make the symbol a useful tool for navigating social and physical surroundings. As part of this process, however, young people also recognize that there are limits to the symbolism; it is useful for navigation but its display does not always guarantee supportive places and people. Thus, the pride rainbow connotes safety and support, but using it as a tool for navigation is a learned activity that requires caution.

Chasing the rainbow: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth and pride semiotics

To better serve the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and questioning (LGBTQIQ) youth population, counselor educators can assist school counselors-in-training in developing advocacy competencies within their training programs. A focus on advocacy competencies outlined by the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) standards, and infusion of techniques throughout the education process, may increase levels of comfort for neophyte school counselors-in-training when working with LGBTQIQ youth. To increase efficacy in this multicultural population, myriad environments representative of the systemic nature of the school environment and culture must be examined and explored through training processes. These authors discuss intervention strategies for counselor educators to develop future school counselor advocacy, which align with the ACA advocacy competency domain areas.

Developing the Fearless School Counselor Ally and Advocate for LGBTQIQ Youth: Strategies for Preparation Programs

African Americans reportedly have a greater severity of untreated mental health disorders than any other known racial group. History purports that African Americans are more likely to rely on the e...

Black Churches and Mental Health Professionals Can This Collaboration Work

Safe Space Programs can provide school staff with critical knowledge and skills to create a supportive learning milieu for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in K-12 schools. The literature related to Safe Space Programs suggests that they may be instrumental in helping alter anti-LGBTQ climates in schools. This article illustrates how Seattle University's Graduate Counseling program developed a student advocacy organization to provide Safe Space programming to school personnel in local area schools.

Safe Space Programs in K-12 Schools: Creating a Visible Presence of LGBTQ Allies

This chapter explores how the history of racism results in trauma for African Americans living in the United States. The chapter helps mental health professionals define and identify race-based trauma when working with African American clients. The chapter provides examples of the physical and psychological effects of race-based trauma and explains the importance of working through a culturally sensitive lens. Finally, the chapter provides a helpful framework for mental health professionals to address race-based trauma.

Keith Dempsey

Papers

Black Churches and Mental Health Professionals Can This Collaboration Work

Safe Space Programs in K-12 Schools: Creating a Visible Presence of LGBTQ Allies

The Trauma of Being an African American in the Twenty-First Century