Resources

LGBTQ+

Everyone deserves access to evidence-based mental health education and resources. If you are an LGBTQ+ person looking for mental health support for your loved one or for yourself, know that you are not alone. Find family and connection in a NAMI LGBTQ+ support group, or learn more about local resources below.

I Am NAMI Pride - Mental Health Without Conditions

Societal injustice is a key factor in the increased risk of mental health conditions amongst LGBTQ+ people. LGBTQ+ people are more often rejected by or mistreated in their families. They are more likely to be discriminated against at work, in social settings and in public. There is an increased level of violence directed at LGBTQ+ people as well as significantly higher incarceration rates. LGBTQ+ people also encounter increased stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, which can lead to compromised care and poor health outcomes.

In recognizing these societal prejudices and systemic barriers, NAMI GLAC is committed to providing ongoing and wide-ranging support to the Los Angeles LGBTQ+ community.

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Get Support from Your NAMI LGBTQ+ Community

Starting in June 2024, NAMI GLAC’s Glendale chapter will begin offering both of NAMI’s signature support groups for all members of the LGBTQ+ community. These will be affirming, inclusive, and safe places for the kind of deep connection NAMI support groups are known for.

  • Connection Recovery Support Group is for those of us living with a mental health condition who want to share about the successes and challenges of living with a mental health condition as LGBTQ+ folks.
  • Family Support Group is for those of us in the LGBTQ+ community who have someone we care about living with a mental health condition (a partner, a close friend, an ex, a sibling, a parent, etc).

If you would like to learn more and stay updated about LGBTQ+ NAMI Support Groups in Los Angeles, fill out the following interest form by clicking the button below.

A person sitting at their living room table attending a Zoom support group meeting

Educating Our Community

Focused on topics relevant to the community, NAMI GLAC will host regular webinars to foster vital conversations for LGBTQ+ individuals and those who support them, as well as ways to be an effective ally.

The Queer Experience & Mental Health - Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 - 6 p.m.

Join us virtually on Wednesday, June 26th, for “The Queer Experience & Mental Health.” Our two panelists and moderator will illuminate disparities within the mental health system, celebrate the community’s resilience and creativity, and foster a deeper understanding of the unique mental health challenges faced by Queer individuals.

Resources That Can Help

We’ve compiled a host of resources to support LGBTQ+ people in their specific mental health journey.

For the LGBTQ+ Community

  • The Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBT individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond. This includes a variety of free and low-cost group therapy sessions, led by mental health professionals, as well as social networking groups. The Center also offers gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy, and legal services supported by a team of staff and volunteer attorneys, law students, paralegals, and interns.
  • The GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society is the leading voice in providing resources, programming, and advancing equality for LGBTQ+ Armenians worldwide since 1998
  • Latino Equality Alliance advocates for safety, equity and wellness for the Latinx Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer + community.
  • SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest national organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers through supportive services and consumer resources. They have a 24/7 Hotline at 877-360-LGBT (5428).
  • Gender Justice envisions a world where everyone can thrive regardless of their gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Step by step, we’re creating that world by dismantling legal, structural, and cultural barriers that contribute to gender inequity.

For LGBTQ+ Youth

  • Colors LGBTQ Youth Counseling Services provides free LGBTQAI+ affirmative counseling and healing psychotherapeutic services to youth under 25 and their families in greater Los Angeles.
  • Rainbow Labs emboldens Queer and Gender Nonconforming Youth to discover, curate, and experiment with the elements of a fulfilled life through community building and the lived experiences of mentors.
  • The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Youth Services are here to help LGBTQ+ youth in Los Angeles. You’ll find housing support, drop-in services, mentorship opportunities, employment assistance, educational support, and personal development.
  • The Trevor Project aims to end suicide among LGBTQ young people through crisis support, advocacy, research, and education. Offers call, chat, or text crisis and counseling services for youth.
An pair of African American dads warmly enjoy the company of their young daughter
A pair of friends joyfully laugh at a social media post shared on a smartphone

For the Transgender & Non-Binary Community

  • The Trans Wellness Center (TWC) provides comprehensive resources and services for transgender and non-binary people under one roof in DTLA.
  • Trans* Lounge, the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s groundbreaking empowerment program for social connection and support, serving the TGI/ENBY+ (Trans, Gender Non-Conforming, Intersex, Non-Binary, Gender Expansive) communities! The Los Angeles LGBT Center also offers a host of Transgender Groups led by mental health professionals.
  • Trans Empowerment Project focuses on the abolition of white supremacy to ensure that our most marginalized community members, Disabled Queer and Trans People of Color, can thrive and live their best lives.
  • Trans Lifeline provides trans peer support for our community that’s been divested from police since day one. We’re run by and for trans people. Call for support 24/7 at 877-565-8860.
  • The Gender Health Center (GHC) is a non-profit organization located in Sacramento, CA dedicated to providing services, resources, and support to the transgender and gender diverse community.
A trans woman enjoys a spring day standing on a city street

For LGBTQ+ Allies

We at NAMI GLAC believe that LGBTQ+ people shouldn’t have to be the only ones trying to change the behaviors of straight and cis people. That’s why we are providing resources for non-LGBTQ+ folks to learn to be an ally.

Allyship means shaping a world where LGBTQ+ folks are not facing regular discrimination, threats, and violence – all factors that adversely affect a person’s mental well-being. According to Cincinnati Children’s, “Suicide attempts are 18% lower when states clearly include sexual orientation and gender identity in antibullying laws. States with more gay/straight alliances have lower rates of physical harm and suicide.”

Harassment and discrimination happen in everyday settings and there are more opportunities to educate yourself and step up than you might think.

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  • PFLAG​ is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. Multiple chapters exist throughout LA County.
  • A project of Community Partners, Transforming Family are a Los Angeles-based family support group creating a positive environment for children, adolescents and their families to explore issues of gender identity.
  • Gender Spectrum is a national organization committed to the health and well-being of gender- diverse children and teens through education and support for families, and training and guidance for educators, medical and mental health providers, and other professionals.
  • Using affirming pronouns is a great way to show support and respect for the transgender and non-binary people in your lives. This blog post from the Transgender Training Institute guides you through various pronouns, and how to ask and use them in affirming ways.
  • Not only does pronoun use shape the way you think about that person, but using correct pronouns can “provide a protective, inclusive space, promote well-being and reduce [a person’s] risk of suicide by helping them feel like they belong.”. Read this study from the Minnesota Department of Health for more information.
  • The UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence offers training, consultation, and implementation support for educators and school teams in LA County. The linked PDF has LGBTQ+ resources which are split into three categories—Affirming Communication Skills, Inclusive Practices, and Supporting Transgender and Gender Expansive Identities—with each category containing readings, videos, and interactive learning resources.
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