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SAMHSA announces LGBTQI+ Family Counseling and Support Program – US

Deadline: 3-Jul-23

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Office of Behavioral Health Equity (OBHE) is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Family Counseling and Support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning and Intersex+ (LGBTQI+) Youth and their Families program (Short Title: LGBTQI+ Family Support).

The purpose of this program is to prevent health and behavioral health risks (e.g., suicide, depression, homelessness, drug use, HIV) and to promote well-being for LGBTQI+ youth in the context of their families/caregivers, cultures, and communities by establishing LGBTQI+ family counseling and support programs and training providers on family counseling and support interventions.
With this program, SAMHSA aims to prevent or ameliorate the development of serious mental health and substance use conditions and disorders and build healthy futures for LGBTQI+ youth by increasing family acceptance and support.

Research has shown that LGBTQI+ youth are at greater risk for poor behavioral health outcomes than there is gender, heterosexual counterparts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) in 2021 reported LGBQ+ teens were much more likely to have experienced all forms of violence, had worse mental health outcomes than heterosexual youth, and were more likely than their peers to engage in substance use behavior. The survey reported that more than half of LGBQ+ students experienced poor mental health during the past month, almost a third were bullied online while almost a quarter were bullied at school, and more than 1 in 10 did not go to school because of safety concerns.

Funding Information
  • Estimated Total Program Funding: $1,700,000
  • Award Ceiling: $425,000
  • Length of Project: Up to 3 years
Activities
  • Funds must be used to support infrastructure development and family counseling, including the following of activities:
    • Within 4 months of award, develop and implement an outreach and engagement strategy plan to connect LGBTQI+ youth and their families with counseling and supports.
    • Within 4 months of award, develop and implement a public awareness communications plan to engage families of LGBTQI+ youth and promote family support of such youth.
    • Develop and implement screening and referral protocols to identify LGBTQI+ youth and their families needing family counseling and support services.
    • Identify and coordinate referral pathways with community-based service providers for LGBTQI+ youth referred to the family counseling program who have a diagnosed mental or substance use disorder and need more intensive or long-term clinical services.
    • Develop and implement a training and workforce development plan for counselors and their supervisors on the implementation of the evidence-based family counseling intervention(s).
    • Within 6 months of award, implement an evidence-based family counseling intervention (e.g., the Family Acceptance Project, AFFIRM Caregiver) to promote family acceptance of LGBTQI+ youth and prevent behaviors associated with family rejection of the LGBTQI+ youth that can lead to mental health and substance use conditions.
    • Within 6 months of award, establish or enhance an existing LGBTQI+ youth and family advisory workgroup. Workgroup representation may include but is not limited to: LGBTQI+ youth; parents, guardians and/or family caregivers of LGBTQI+ youth; behavioral health providers with expertise in providing family support and counseling aimed at LGBTQI+ youth; representatives from youth serving sectors and organizations; leaders of local LGBTQI+ community centers, support groups; and Gender and Sexuality Alliances.
    • Develop and implement training sessions about family counseling intervention(s) for LGBTQI+ youth-serving, community-based organizations and providers.
    • Coordinate efforts and access relevant technical assistance (TA) and resources with the SAMHSA funded LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, Technology Transfer Centers (TTCs), and other SAMHSA and relevant Health and Human Services (HHS) TA Centers and resources.
Eligibility Criteria
  • Eligible applicants are States and Territories (American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), including the District of Columbia; political subdivisions of States (i.e. county, city, state); Indian tribes, or tribal organizations (as such terms are defined in section 5304 of title 25); health facilities, or programs operated by or in accordance with a contract or award with the Indian Health Service; or other public or private non-profit entities.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.