September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
In April 2022, a CDC report found that rates of suicide in Florida had grown faster than much of the nation between 2019 and mid-2021. State health officials have acknowledged that Florida gay, transgender, and questioning youth face elevated rates of mental health challenges and suicidal thoughts.
Thriving Mind South Florida, one of the leading mental healthcare providers in Miami-Dade requested YES Institute to lead multiple trainings in Spanish and English for their staff. When our team led the first of the series of the workshops, one of the very first questions we heard was “What is gender and orientation?” Participants are asking deep and thoughtful questions as they inquire about gender in relation to mental health. The participants are fully engaged, sharing that they want to understand language and terminology that they are unfamiliar with.
Quite a few participants opened up and were vulnerable about the personal impacts of these specific topics. One person reflected on the ways masculinity affected his day-to-day life, feeling judged as a man and ultimately not knowing how to be the man he wants to be. Another participant shared how easily she could support one of her families, a family with a gay child, yet when her own daughter came out to her, she couldn’t say the word “lesbian” and wanted to know how to disappear that barrier, and repair their relationship.
Thriving Mind personnel walked away with resources and an understanding of their clients that allows them to better provide gender affirming mental health care. Learn more about our services and trainings by clicking here: What We Offer
The Trevor Project is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1998. It focuses on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth.Through a toll-free telephone number, it operates The Trevor Lifeline, a confidential service that offers trained counselors.
988 is now active across the United States. This new, shorter phone number will make it easier for people to remember and access mental health crisis services. (Please note, the previous 1-800-273-TALK (8255) number will continue to function indefinitely.) Click below to learn more about 988.