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JoAnne Keatley, MSW1, Tooru Nemoto, PhD2, Jeanne Sevelius, MA2, Don Operario, PhD3, and Angel Ventura1. (1) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 1145 Bush Street, Second Floor, San Francisco, CA 94109, (415) 476-2364, jkeatley@psg.ucsf.edu, (2) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of Califonia, San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery St., Suite #250, San Francisco, CA 94105, (3) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery Street, Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94105
Expanding Mental Health Services for Transgender People
Issues: Male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM) transgender people face multiple difficulties, such as barriers to health care access, insufficient social support, and gender discrimination, and are highly vulnerable to a wide array of mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality as well as HIV/AIDS and substance abuse. The Transgender Life Care (TLC) project, in collaboration with members of transgender communities, has sought to expand mental health services to transgender people.
Description: The TLC project has implemented professionally led counseling and support group programs. MTF transgender support groups were offered in both Spanish and English. A Marriage and Family Therapist provides the individual counseling services. As of February 9, 2004, 81 transgender people have enrolled in the TLC program, and follow-up data was collected on 30 of these participants.
Lessons learned: Preliminary findings suggest that expanded mental health services can have multiple positive effects, including improved self-esteem and psychological well-being, greater perceived access to health care, reduced drug use, and reduced HIV risk behaviors. Support groups are particularly effective in creating a stronger sense of community, social support, and empowerment.
Recommendations: Future efforts to expand mental health services to transgender people should include a peer-led component to address the social support needs of this community. Many clients with multiple problems often face survival needs, so support programs in securing basic amenities (i.e. food, shelter, health care) must be included within the scope of services.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Mental Health, Minorities
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.