Project Grant H79FG000783

CENTER WELLNESS AND RECOVERY - THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY CENTER (THE CENTER), LOCATED IN MANHATTAN IN NEW YORK CITY (NYC), WILL IMPLEMENT A PROJECT, CENTER WELLNESS AND RECOVERY (CWR), TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER OR QUESTIONING (LGBTQ+) NEW YORKERS OF MODEST MEANS AND TO REDUCE THEIR DISPARATE RATES OF SUBSTANCE USE. THE HIGHER RATES OF SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AMONG LGTBQ+ PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ACCELERATED BY COVID-19. IN 2020, THE TREVOR PROJECT REPORTED THAT LGTBQ+ YOUTH WERE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY PHYSICAL DISTANCING, ECONOMIC STRAIN, AND INCREASED ANXIETY, LEADING TO GREATER CONCERN ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH STRESSORS THAT CAN LEAD TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD). DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE DEMAND FOR CENTER SERVICES, ESPECIALLY MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AND OUTPATIENT SUD TREATMENT, INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. IN 2021, 26% OF PEOPLE UNDER AGE 30 REQUESTING SERVICES IDENTIFIED SUBSTANCE USE AS A CONCERN. OF THESE, 47% OF LGBTQ+ YOUTH IDENTIFIED SUBSTANCE USE AS A CONCERN, WITH 56% OF THESE IDENTIFYING MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND/OR EXPRESSED SUICIDALITY; AND 51% OF TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING PEOPLE IDENTIFIED SUBSTANCE USE AS A CONCERN, WITH 72% IDENTIFYING MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND/OR EXPRESSED SUICIDALITY. LGTBQ+ POPULATIONS EXPERIENCE DISPARITIES IN ACCESS, SERVICE USE, AND OUTCOMES FOR SUD AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. PROVIDERS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE CENTER OFTEN LACK CULTURALLY SENSITIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINING THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE UNIQUE TRAUMAS EXPERIENCED BY LGTBQ+ PEOPLE, SUCH AS FAMILY REJECTION AND BULLYING, ASSOCIATED WITH DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THEIR GENDER IDENTITIES AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THIS DISCOURAGES MEMBERS OF THESE COMMUNITIES FROM GETTING HELP FOR SUD AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND INCREASES RISK FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE USE. THE LACK OF TRAINING CAN STRAIN THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROVIDERS AND PATIENTS, THEREBY INFLUENCING THE QUALITY AND APPROPRIATE DELIVERY OF CARE, AND DECREASING COMMITMENT TO TREATMENT, AN OUTCOME ALREADY NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATING IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SUD RECOVERY SERVICES. THE GOAL OF CWR IS TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF LGBTQ+ NEW YORKERS OF MODEST MEANS AND TO REDUCE THEIR DISPARATE RATES OF SUBSTANCE USE, MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH CULTURALLY COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT THAT ADDRESSES THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACING LGTBQ+ PEOPLE. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, CWR WILL MEET THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: 1) PROVIDE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES FOR LGTBQ+ PEOPLE WITH SUD AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OVER THE ONE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD, AND 2) INCREASE ENGAGEMENT OF LGTBQ+ PEOPLE IN THE CENTER'S MENTAL HEALTH AND SUD SERVICES BY UTILIZING HYBRID SERVICES AND EXPANDED OUTREACH STRATEGIES. CWR WILL SERVE 325 LGTBQ+ PEOPLE THROUGH TELEHEALTH AND IN-PERSON (HYBRID) MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, RECOVERY, AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS OVER THE GRANT PERIOD.