Treatment provider adoption of best practices for serving LGBTQ clients

While many large cities currently offer specialized behavioral health treatment for LGBTQ clients, the majority of LGBTQ individuals continue to receive care from mainstream agencies. For substance abuse and mental health treatment providers hoping to expand culturally competent practices within their agency, a number of resources are now available. Implementation of recommended practices could improve treatment utilization, engagement, satisfaction, and effectiveness for LGBTQ clients. Little is known about the extent to which providers are aware of or have integrated best practice guidelines to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ individuals. This presentation will discuss results of a survey of substance abuse and mental health treatment providers in the tri-county area that encompasses Portland, Oregon, and its major suburbs. The survey, conducted by the local LGBTQ community center, asked program administrators to respond to detailed questions about program practices, policies and procedures, staff training, community outreach, and implementation barriers. Of 74 licensed agencies in the area, 41 responded to the survey (55%). Results indicate that the majority of responding agencies had written client and personnel policies related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Few agencies, however, had engaged in community outreach or regularly displayed brochures or materials aimed at the LGBTQ community. Staff training related to transgender clients was less common than training related to lesbian/gay/bisexual clients. Differences based on agency size and treatment type were also examined. The survey's results suggest direction for training and policy interventions as well as the importance of addressing implementation barriers identified by providers.