Pride Month 2024

Hello everyone we here at Blu Alliance Counseling Center are very excited to celebrate Pride Month. Pride is a time of celebration, reflection, and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. It serves as a reminder of the progress made in the fight for equality and the ongoing struggles faced by LGBTQ+ community. At Blu Alliance Counseling Center, Pride Month holds a special place in our hearts as we stand committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community. This month, we not only celebrate the vibrant diversity of identities but also acknowledge the unique challenges and mental health disparities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Below, we have organized a list of valuable resources to help you find support, advocate for change, and stay informed about LGBTQ+ mental health issues.

Resources for LGBTQ+ Mental Health

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI is dedicated to supporting mental health within the LGBTQ+ community by advocating for policies that ensure non-discriminatory access to care. During Pride Month, NAMI encourages everyone to support equal access to mental health care by signing their petition.

You can access their Website by clicking this link: NAMI – Pride Month

Share some of NAMI’s graphics below (access NAMI’s full set of graphics here). Don’t forget to tag @NAMICommunicate on Instagram and Twitter, and @NAMI on TikTok and Facebook — and use NAMI’s hashtag #IAmNAMIPride!

NAMI’s Key Statistics on Mental Health Struggles within LGBTQ+ Community

LGB youth are nearly 4x more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth.
In 2021, nearly one-quarter of LGBQ+ students were bullied at school and nearly 30% were electronically bullied.
Transgender adults are nearly 9x more likely to attempt suicide at some point in their lifetime compared to the general population.
61% of LGBT people ages 18–29 report symptoms of anxiety compared to about 35% of their non-LGBT counterparts.
Half of LGBT people ages 18–29 report symptoms of depression compared to about 29% of their non-LGBT counterparts.
Hate crimes against LGBT people rose 70% from 2020 to 2021.
LGBT people are 9x more likely than non-LGBT people to be victims of violent hate crimes.
76% of LGB adolescents reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row during the previous year.
86% of LGBTQ youth in 2019 reported being harassed or assaulted at school.
LGB adults are nearly twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a substance use disorder.
Transgender individuals are almost 4x as likely as cisgender individuals to experience a substance use disorder.
LGBTQI youth and young adults have a 120% higher risk of experiencing homelessness — often the result of family rejection or discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

NAMI’s LGBTQ+ Blogs

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing

The National Council emphasizes the importance of mental wellbeing for LGBTQ+ individuals, advocating for access to appropriate care and providing educational resources. We have included below links to their resources and information on how to take action during this month of Pride, and also during the year.

You can access their Website by clicking this link: The National Council – PRIDE Month 2024

Take Action

Advocate for Change: Help us expand access to care for LGBTQ+ persons — sign up for our Advocacy Alerts to receive breaking policy news and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for advocacy insights and opportunities.
Connect with Experts: Learn how to promote healing and resilience in your organization, for your staff and for the communities you serve by contacting our consultants.
Explore Solutions: Explore and address behavioral health challenges in the LGBTQ+ community by joining our LGBTQ+ Interest Group, an exclusive member benefit.
Get Trained: Sign up for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to learn how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in LGBTQ+ peers.
Keep Learning: Access our content and educate others — read our National Council blog and MHFA blog for insight into LGBTQ+ issues and trends.
Show Your Support: Download and share our National Council graphic or MHFA graphic on your social media channels to show your support this month.
Stay Informed

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing LGBTQ+ resources:

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is an organization that is committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community and promoting advocacy for mental health struggles within the community. We have provided below The Trevor Project’s statement for this year’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People which provides critical insights into the mental health challenges and resilience of LGBTQ+ youth.

The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People amplifies the experiences of more than 18,000 LGBTQ+ young people ages 13 to 24 across the United States.

For the sixth year, the U.S. National Survey uncovers the reality that there is a significant association between anti-LGBTQ+ victimization and disproportionately high rates of suicide risk — and that far too many young people struggle to access the mental health care they need.

The survey critically provides data-driven ways we can all show support and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ young people in our lives, based on their own responses — as well as the potentially life-saving benefits of creating affirming spaces and communities.

For the first time, we asked respondents to share a message of advice or encouragement to other young people in the LGBTQ+ community. There is no doubt that this has been a challenging year for LGBTQ+ young people. Yet despite these challenges, including the historic wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that has targeted them, these young people remain powerful, optimistic, and resilient.

The Trevor Project remains unwavering in our commitment to support them, and we will continue fighting toward a world where all LGBTQ+ young people feel safe, accepted, and loved exactly as they are.

Thank you to all the LGBTQ+ young people who took this survey, honestly and bravely sharing their experiences with us. We hope these findings help to equip fellow researchers, policymakers, educators, and other youth-facing professionals and organizations with the data they need to protect and uplift LGBTQ+ young people in their communities and to help us end the public health crisis of suicide, once and for all.
– The Trevor Project

They have released a teaser for their motto this year “Pride In Action”. You can watch their message below.

You can access their Website by clicking this link: The Trevor Project – Survey 2024

Key Findings:
- 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year — including 46% of transgender and nonbinary young people. LGBTQ+ youth of color reported higher rates than White peers.
- More than 1 in 10 (12%) LGBTQ+ young people attempted suicide in the past year.
- More than half (54%) of transgender and nonbinary young people found their school to be gender-affirming, and those who did reported lower rates of attempting suicide.
- 50% of LGBTQ+ young people who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it.
- 90% of LGBTQ+ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics.
- 45% of transgender and nonbinary young people reported that they or their family have considered moving to a different state because of LGBTQ+-related politics and laws.
- Nearly half (49%) of LGBTQ+ young people ages 13-17 experienced bullying in the past year, and those who did reported significantly higher rates attempting suicide in the past year than those who did not experience bullying.

The Trevor Project’s Crisis Resources

The Trevor Project offers crucial crisis resources to support LGBTQ+ youth in immediate need. Their trained counselors understand the challenges LGBTQ young people face and are available for support 24/7. They will listen without judgment. When text, chat, or call, all of your conversations are confidential, and you can share as much or as little as you’d like.

Text Support: Text ‘START’ to 678-678 from anywhere, anytime. Standard text messaging rates may apply.
Phone Support: Call 1-866-488-7386 to speak to a live voice on the line.
Online Chat Support: Reach out from your computer by clicking this link https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/ to start a chat.

Tips on how to show Advocacy and Support during Pride Month

Taking Action

Sign Petitions: Advocate for non-discriminatory access to mental health care with NAMI.
Join Conversations: Follow and engage with organizations like NAMI and the National Council on social media.
Stay Informed: Subscribe to newsletters and alerts from mental health organizations to stay updated on LGBTQ+ issues.

Educational Opportunities

Webinars and Training: Participate in webinars and training sessions offered by organizations like the National Council to better understand and support LGBTQ+ mental health needs.
Reading Resources: Explore peer-reviewed literature, reports, and survey findings to gain deeper insights into the experiences and challenges of the LGBTQ+ community.

Community Engagement

Support Networks: Engage with local and national LGBTQ+ support networks to foster a sense of community and belonging. This can include volunteering or spreading the message of the services offered by The Gay and Lesbian Center in Los Angeles, The Trevor Project, and/or Nami.
Events and Parades: Participate in Pride Month events and parades to celebrate diversity and advocate for equality.

“As Always Blu Specializes In You”

Quirino Robles LMFT

I am the Director of Operations at Blu Alliance Counseling Center. I contribute to the Blu Alliance Blog where my focus is providing information about therapy in a way that is honest, and relatable. My educational background includes a BA in Psychology from Cal State Los Angeles, and an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy from Alliant International University.