Finding Peace Through the Noise, How Hennepin County Helps LGBTQ+ Community With Mental Health

The LGBTQ+ community struggles to attain the mental health care and treatment they need and deserve. With a startling number of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation introduced into the United States this year, uneasiness stirs in our community, but there are methods we can utilize to mitigate fear and stand up for one another and our collective mental health.  Lavender Magazine spoke with Jocelyn McQuirter, project manager of Behavioral Health in Hennepin County, and EJ Dean, the project manager at Behavioral Health. 

Why Do We Need Heightened Mental Health Care?

According to data collection compiled by the Trevor Project suggested, 45% of LGBTQ+ youth thought about attempting suicide. Out of that percentage, one in five transgender or non-binary youth attempted suicide, with a larger number of affected individuals being people of color.

In addition to that startling fact, 60% of LGBTQ+ youth that wanted to seek out mental health care and help were not able to find the resources to help them.

“Historically, LGBTQIA2S+ communities have not been considered priority populations at all levels of government. We’re committed to turning that around through improved data collection, strengthening partnerships, and continuing to broaden our network of culturally specific providers. We’re partnering with providers that are culturally responsive and prepared to support the LGBTQIA2s+ community. Data is limited, and we still have a large gap in fully establishing the comprehensive needs for the LGBTQIA2s+ community in Hennepin County,” Dean said.

Another asset affecting the lack of mental health care for the LGBTQ+ community is the uptick of anti-trans legislation set into motion this year. Halfway through the year, 549 anti-trans bills have passed in the United States. Eleven of the 549 are in our own Minnesota. However, in our community, hope is never lost.

“Amid anti-trans bills across the nation, Minnesota recently was declared a Safe Haven state. Anecdotally, we’re hearing about people fleeing other states and choosing Minnesota and the Twin Cities, particularly as a more welcoming place to live. Hennepin County has done great work to become an inclusive employer, and we have every intention of being a leader in accessible and inclusive LGBTQIA2s+ behavioral health,” Dean shared.

How Has the Pandemic Affected the Mental Health Crisis?

“Mental health has an impact on nearly every facet of well-being and is impacted by our individual experiences and access to basic needs, much less healing. A 2021 KFF report shared that: pre-pandemic experiences with stigma and discrimination that LGBTQI2S+ experience may have increased the vulnerability to stress during the pandemic,” Dean reported.

“Historically, the LGBT+ community has faced mental health and substance use problems at higher rates than their non-LGBT+ peers.”

Dean explained that one part of this disparity concerns unequal pay ranges between the LGBTQ+ and the non-LGBTQ+ population. Unbalanced economic disbursement can harm mental health, especially when disruptions arise, including financial blocks and a shortage of culturally responsive providers.

“There’s been a quadrupling of anxiety and depression since COVID-19, among other stressors,” McQuirter added.

How Can The Behavioral Services Department Help the LGBTQ+ Community?

Dean says the Hennepin County Adult Mental Health Initiative strives to “ increase culturally specific services and provide supports to improve cultural responsiveness across contracted services” to avoid feelings of neglect and lack of care. To ensure this method reaches the community, providers understand and reflect mental health struggles as they pertain to the LGBTQ+ community. The training in motion is called “De-Escalation Training from a Holistic, Multicultural, Self-Aware Perspective,” which features a psychotherapist who knows the ins and outs of “complex identity work.” The seminar holds three-day trainings for over 100 providers and 11 agencies, furthering the main message of Hennepin County’s Adult Mental Health Initiative: to broaden services and reach.

‘See Mental Health’ Awareness Campaign

Hennepin County’s campaign yearns to end stigma when discussing mental health struggles and navigate discourse with empathy and honesty. To do this, Hennepin County established the year-long campaign, ‘See Mental Health.’

“This campaign is about community and driving the value of connection as ways to tell residents: You’re not alone. The effort intends to reach youth, veterans, seniors, and communities of color through a variety of multimedia channels,” McQuirter beamed.

This campaign dives deeper into mental health care than traditional ideas of therapy and discussion about mental health.

“We see this campaign as an opportunity to build meaningful connections and illuminate ways people can find forward with their mental health,” McQuirter continued.

How Can the LGBTQ+ Community Find the Care They Need?

Seeking care for mental health is not a one-size fits all how-to guide. Rather, individuals must assess their specific needs and set forth their intentions during their research. However, the quest to attain the correct care should not be a discouraging thought but a hopeful notion. 

“We recognize that the LGBTQIA2s+ community is intersectional in demographics and needs, so no one person has the same needs as another. We also recognize our community faces significant worker shortages and barriers to licensure that get in the way of accessing culturally responsive providers,” Dean continued. “We’re gathering input at the county level, where we see providers who are specialized to meet needs. We’re seeing more and more agencies that implemented training and processes to both collect data and support strong referrals to culturally responsive partners.”

According to Dean, The National Association of Counties (NACo) chose Hennepin County Human Services as the 2023 recipient of a prestigious award. Since the county invested almost $1 million dollars with a mental health focus, Hennepin County now serves as a model and example for a progressive method to steer around the difficulties and transgressions associated with mental health treatment in the LGBTQ+ community.

Coping Skills

Finding your community first.

“If you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, two-spirit or any other expansive sexual or gender identity: Find your people, connect and reach out,” Dean said.

Dedicate a few minutes each day to check in with yourself and your mental health. Select a few self-care activities to clear your head and increase your serotonin.

This next tip applies to the LGBTQ+ community and allies alike. Save social media for those who you want to be social with. If a certain page causes you anxiety or fear, don’t follow that page. Clean up your followers and those you follow to those who respect your identity and personhood. Only focus on those who attribute positivity to your life. Life is too short to invite negative bombardments to your handheld device.

“Know that many people across the nation are working to prevent these harmful bills from passing and to build an inclusive infrastructure,” Dean vocalized.

For allies, stand up for the communities surrounding you. Even if you don’t identify with the LGBTQ+ community, you can stand in solidarity with them. Support your friends and family, increase your awareness through reading and research, and stay educated on current events affecting the community.

Employers have a responsibility to uphold as well. Show support to the community by opening up the discussion, indicating your place of employment doubles as a safe space, “show[ing] some love with a trans-inclusive pride flag, or by adding gender identity and chosen name fields to your forms. Start anywhere. It makes an impact,” Dean said.

Resources:

The Trevor Project https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
The Trans Lifeline Hotline – Trans Lifeline
Face to Face https://face2face.org/
Neither Both https://www.neitherboth.com/
OutfrontMN Leading MN towards LGBTQ+ Equality | OutFront Minnesota
Gender justice Gender Justice
RECLAIM Home : Reclaim
Family Tree Clinic Family Tree Clinic
Rainbow Health Rainbow Health