by Andi Daniel, Technology Coordinator
June 3, 2025
Millions of people are affected by mental health issues and LGBTQIA+ youth and adults are especially affected. For example, the CDC reports that nearly 48% of LGBTQIA+ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year as compared to their non LGBTQIA+ counterparts. 39% of LGBTQIA+ adults rate their mental health as "fair" or "poor" while 16% of non LGBTQIA+ adult report the same. These disparities are often due to lack of support, discrimination, social rejection, and difficulty accessing care. Being LGBTQIA+ is not the risk factor in itself, the discrimination these people experience is.
Mental health care is often difficult to find and afford. About 20% of non LGBTQIA+ people were unable to access the mental health care they needed compared to 46% of LGBTQIA+ people. Lack of access to mental health care can lead to higher suicide rates and increases in disability rates. In Montana, it can be even more difficult to get timely, affordable, and easily accessible mental health care. As with all health care in rural and frontier areas, travel to a provider can be impossible and not all providers offer telehealth services. It may also be harder to find mental health providers who are well versed in LGBTQIA+ issues.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/234863/estimate-lgbt-population-rises.aspx
https://link.springer.com/ article/10.1007%2Fs11606-014-2905-y
https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-survey-drug-use-and-health/national-releases/2015#sexual-orientation-and-estimates-of-adult-substance-use-and-mental-health
Discrimination plays a role in poor mental health as well as avoidance of physical and mental health providers. LGBTQIA+ often face judgment, misgendering, and invalidation in health care settings. People who feel their health or mental health care providers are not supportive may avoid care. Fear of discrimination can make it difficult to find a provider. Scarcity of resources and mental health support can increase the chances of someone developing a substance use disorder as a way to cope with an unsupportive environment. LGBTQIA+ adults are twice as likely to have substance use disorders than their heterosexual, cisgender peers.
What can be done about these difficulties? Studies show that having support is vital. Clear nondiscrimination policies that are consistently followed promote empowering environments. This may include staff training, availability of gender neutral bathrooms, and representative signage. Mental and physical health providers should seek out training on LGBTQIA+ issues. It is also important to provide services on sliding scales or low cost specifically for LGBTQIA+ youth. Youth may not have access to insurance if they no longer have relationships with their families.
Youth spend the bulk of their waking time at school and schools need to be places they can feel safe. Training educators to identify mental distress, family rejection, and bullying may provide them with the tools they need to intervene and limit the negative effects. Maintaining good working relationships with school counselors and mental health professionals in the community makes it easier to refer struggling youth to the right resources.
As peers in the behavioral health world, we can be a model for developing peer support for LGBTQIA+ people with behavioral health issues. Non LGBTQIA+ can support LGBTQIA+ in their behavior health journeys but helping people find the supports that most align with their identities adds another layer of support.
This may be a very difficult time for people in the LGBTQIA+ community. Changes in government policy affects the types of funding available to support people, specifically in marginalized groups. These policy changes can also embolden some to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people. It is vital for compassionate people and organizations to be visible and available to those in need of support.