COURSE 5J - SUICIDE RISK AND PREVENTION FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER YOUTH

Course overview

This 5-credit hour treatment intervention and counseling methodology course focuses upon prevention of suicide among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) youth, ages 15-24, and awareness of the factors (including the internet) which contribute to LGBT suicide attempts and deaths in this age group. The study materials are authored by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center/Education Development Center, Inc. in Newton, MA, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Mental Health Services. The course is appropriate for Mental Health and AOD Counselors and Therapists, Social Workers, School Counselors and Psychologists, community workers and all individuals who serve adolescents and young adults - whether as clients or students or community members. IMPORTANT: The authors of this well researched and documented publication are clear that because any young person may be LGBT, we must assume that clients or students could be any sexual orientation or gender identity and respond accordingly. THE GOALS of this course: 1. To highlight the higher risk of suicidal behavior among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, and factors that contribute to it. This higher risk may well extend to transgender (T) youth. 2. Provide specific recommendations for ACTION to reduce the risk of suicide among LGBT youth - to take place in schools, communities, screening programs, crisis lines, practices and gatekeeping clinics. 3. Provide methods to address stigma and prejudice at the institutional and individual level - including the use of an LGBT Cultural Competence Model for working effectively with LGBT youth cultures. 4. Provide an understanding of the role of the internet as it may provoke and contribute to suicide of LGBT youth, as well as the positive ways that the internet may contribute to prevention of such suicides. 5. Heighten awareness of the issues of LGBT youth, and the recent advances in research regarding such youth. 6. Help not only to reduce the disparate rate of suicidal behavior of LGBT youth but to promote the health, safety, and inclusion of LGBT youth as visible and empowered members of our communities.