The six LGBTQ organizations that receive CRDP grants are mostly small, community-based organizations that are providing promising mental health interventions with emphasis on California’s diverse LGBTQ populations.
The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity
The Center for Sexuality & Gender Diversity’s Reducing Isolation through Support and Empowerment (RISE) is a PEI program aimed at preventing and reducing social isolation and loneliness and addressing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and long-standing trauma for LGBTQ+ community members. RISE is comprised of four program components: social support groups (e.g., Gender Rebels, Bi/Pan+ workshops), one-on-one advocacy, social and recreational activities, and professional development for behavioral health providers in Kern County. The RISE program aims to increase social connectedness, engagement, and sense of community; promote access to aging and LGBTQ-affirming mental health services; reduce harm from discrimination, shame, rejection, inequality, and other prejudices experienced by LGBTQ+ community members; and foster the development of positive coping skills and resiliency.
Visit http://www.thecenterbak.org/ to learn more.
Gender Health Center
Gender Health Center’s CDEP aims to prevent and reduce risk of mental illness consequences resulting from systemic violence — such as suicide, depression, isolation, anxiety, unemployment, homelessness — for LGBTQ+ populations. At the same time, GHC fortifies an empowered sense of self, resilience, self-determination, and feelings and experiences of joy for community members. The Mental Health Workforce Development Program focuses on mental health intern and clinical supervisor continual professional development as queer and trans-informed clinicians who are also responsive advocates.
We aim to improve the capability of intern mental health practitioners to deliver culturally humble and responsive care. GHC’s CDEP has the following primary goals:
- Enhance Community Members’ mental health
- Improve the capability of intern mental health practitioners to deliver culturally competent, responsive care both at GHC and in their future careers
These goals are addressed through the Mental Health Provider training and development internships and clinical supervisor training.
Visit www.genderhealthcenter.org to learn more
LGBTQ Connection
LGBTQ Connection’s OASIS model is a PEI program that aims to prevent and/or reduce the severity of depression and anxiety by decreasing isolation, rejection, and distress and increasing community connectedness, peer connectedness, positive self-regard, and help-seeking behaviors for LGBTQ+ young people aged 14 – 24. The program is comprised of three interconnected core components, with LGBTQ youth experiences, ideas, and leadership at the core of the interventions. The components include peer support groups and resource navigation meant to promote wellness; youth-led advocacy projects designed by youth leadership teams that identify and prioritize needs and facilitate a community-led response; and youth-informed workplace and provider trainings meant to increase the capacity of community organizations, schools, health services, faith communities, government, and businesses to welcome and serve LGBTQ youth competently. The Oasis Model is a youth-led approach to community organizing in which young people find support and acceptance with other peers and discover their personal agency to make their community safer and more inclusive while strengthening their own well-being.
Visit www.lgbtqconnection.org to learn more.
Openhouse
The Openhouse CDEP is a holistic and comprehensive PEI program aimed to prevent and reduce social isolation and loneliness, as well as the symptoms related to depression, anxiety, and long-standing trauma for LGBTQ+ older adults. The program offers tailored programming that increases social connectedness and engagement, sense of community, and access to aging and LGBTQ-affirming mental health services; reduces harm from discrimination, shame, rejection, inequality, and other prejudices experienced by LGBTQ+ older adults; and responds to the social and environmental determinants of health—such as housing and food insecurity. The original CDEP was comprised of three Program Components: The Friendly Visitor Program, the Emotional Support Program offered through individual intervention (ESP-Individual) and in a group setting (ESP-Group), and Social Engagement and Recreational Programming. In the Phase II extension period, the CDEP will be comprised of the following Program Components: The Mental Health Pilot Program, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Programming, and The Community Training Program.
Visit www.openhouse-sf.org to learn more.
San Francisco Community Health Center
San Francisco Community Health Center’s “TransThrive” intervention is a PEI program that aims to prevent and reduce mental health disparities facing transgender adults. The core program is a daily drop-in space offering community led groups, social support and basic needs resources including clothing, food, medical care, and housing navigation. This intervention is held in a dedicated site in the Tenderloin area of San Francisco, where many low income and unhoused transgender people congregate. The drop-in space will also offer mental health services by a trans-identified clinician. TransThrive is complemented by an array of center-based, drop-in services, including culturally and linguistically appropriate community outreach and engagement; early identification and accurate assessment of mental health needs; and wraparound services addressing the social and environmental determinants of health, such as education, employment, and income. The intervention aims to build community resilience by promoting social support and empowerment, and by reducing stigma, isolation, and barriers to accessing care.
Visit sfccc.org to learn more.
San Joaquin Pride Center
San Joaquin Pride Center’s Cultivating Acceptance Program (CAP) is a PEI program that aims to prevent or reduce gender dysphoria, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorders for LGBT+ youth in San Joaquin County. The program focuses on LGBT+ high school students, family members, and education and health care providers who work with them. The CAP comprises of four program components: school-based programming; supportive interventions for youth, including counseling services, peer support group, field trips, and a Youth Empowerment Summit; sensitivity and awareness training; and an internship program specific to Master’s level interns and clinicians. The program focuses on reducing LGBT+ youth isolation; reducing school bullying; and strengthening the resilience of LGBT+ youth, acceptance, school engagement, and family functioning/support, including increasing youth access to LGBT+ supports and services within schools and the community.
Visit https://sjpride.center/ to learn more.