The TREVOR project, a non -profit non -profit organization for suicide prevention for LGBTQ + Youth, has published a new report which gives a State aspect by state to the mental health of their target demographic group.
The data is based on a 2024 Survey on more than 28,500 young LGBTQ + 13 to 24 years old. Nationally, 39% of young LGBTQ + said they had planned to commit suicide in the past year, according to the results of the survey, and this figure was 46% among young transgender and non -binary. Among the investigation participants who said they wanted mental health care, half could not get it.
Ronita Nath, vice-president of research at the Trevor project, said that the organization has created its analysis at the level of the state to help people make decisions concerning mental health support which are better suited to their communities.
Although the experiences of young LGBTQ + can vary between states and within states, Nath says that the data show a coherent link between young people feeling accepted as they are and their mental health.
“While young LGBTQ + said that their levels of access to an affirmation house or an affirmative school or a support community varied depending on the state, these factors were universally associated with lower rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts, as well as lower rates of anxiety and depression”, says Nath, “therefore having access to these affirming spaces is really key.”
The results also show that the political environment in each state is important, she explains. In general, young LGBTQ + living in states with more protective and inclusive policies have generally reported lower suicidal rates and attempts, as well as fewer obstacles to support than those who live in states with more restrictive or hostile policies, says Nath.
Access to mental health care has remained a challenge on a national level, according to data, while more than 50% of respondents in the survey in all states said they had suffered intimidation and discrimination.
The young LGBTQ + living in the South reported some of the highest obstacle rates to mental health care – 63% in South Carolina and 60% in Texas – as well as some of the highest discrimination rates based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Young people from the Midwest states have reported some of the highest rates of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. In Nebraska, for example, 45% of young LGBTQ + thought of committing suicide, and 16% tried it.
The young LGBTQ + of the Northeast had some of the highest feeling rates accepted in their communities – 90% in Massachusetts and 81% in Maine – while knowing lower thoughts and attempts compared to other regions. Participants in the survey in the West had relatively higher rates of affirmation of family environments – 54% in Montana and Oregon – but also high levels of depression, including 52% of young LGBTQ + California.
Nath says that a single problem for young LGBTQ + today is the impact of the policy on their mental health and their life. Although there is not many data on the subject of past decades, current research of the Trevor project and others shows a link between negative political rhetoric and the worst mental health for young LGBTQ +.
“Young people (LGBTQ +) are not intrinsically subject to a higher risk of suicide compared to their peers, but they are rather placed at this higher risk due to the way they are mistreated and stigmatized, largely through anti-LGBTQ +policy,” says Nath. “I think that the trends will continue, unless we really seek to put these measures in place of the creation of affirmative environments.”
For defenders of mental health and well -being who work with young LGBTQ +, the realities of support for young people on the ground are complicated – sometimes by political climate and other times by a lack of resources.
A helping hand to new-mexic
When the young people arrive in Casa Q, a non-profit organization of Albuquerque which serves LGBTQ + experimenting or at risk of homelessness, the executive director Shannon Darrell says that it is “because they are in police custody, or are queer and have no other placement options within the State”.
“Young people often try to find a safe place to land that will accept them in its entirety,” says Darrell. “Young queers are particularly difficult to find a feeling of security, acceptance and assertion of care in general systems. We aim to provide this and much more for our young people. »»
Casa Q, which has been operating in Albuquerque for 10 years, has a residential space of five rooms for children aged 14 to 17 and out -of -site apartments which can house four young adults aged 18 to 22.
According to the report of the state of the Trevor project, 43% of young LGBTQ + in the New Mexico have seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 14% tried to commit suicide during this same period.
Among the participants in the New Mexico survey who wanted mental health services, 53 years said that they had not received it. The main reason was fear of talking about their mental health problems with someone else, followed by the cost.
Darrell says that Albuquerque has “not bad” mental health agencies that serve as mental health services affirmed by the sexes and queer. The aclu of new-mexic describes the State as “one of the most protected states for LGBTQ + people in the country” thanks to a list of laws that protect LGBTQ + people against discrimination in areas such as schools and health care.
While applying a global positive tone on the climate to new-mexic, Darrell says that the state can always be a complicated place with regard to acceptance.
“We have areas in the state where individuals do not show support, but I would like to believe that new-mexic has more supporters than non-supporters,” she said. “For example, we have school districts that do not want teachers to use secure space stickers in their classes. On the other hand, we have school districts that will honor pronouns, favorite names and even display solidarity visuals within the school to protect our young people from discrimination and hatred and filled with pride. »»
Darrell says that anti-LGBTQ + political rhetoric has the young people with whom she works with mixed emotions about their future, but the organization's staff want to give an example that these young people can defend themselves.
“The negative political discourse leads to more trauma to these young people who have already been exposed to abuses, negligence, the death of a loved one, rejection, identity challenges and many other trauma,” she said. “We hope to continue the right fight and show our young people that they are seen, heard and supported.”
The Utah paradox
Among the young LGBTQ + of UTAH, 42% said they had planned to commit suicide in the past year, according to Trevor Project data, with 11% making suicide attempts.
Forty-seven percent said they wanted but have not received mental health care, with costs cited as the main obstacle.
Eighty-three percent said that recent policy had affected their well-being “sometimes” or “a lot”.
Incidental, a place for young LGBTQ + in UTAH to find a community of support among peers is surrounded, which welcomes art and music evenings, brunch and other social rallies in the state.
Alex Cutini is executive director of the non -profit organization, which offers mental health advice to young people and LGBTQ + families of UTAH. He says that the social element of their services “gives hope and a tangible reminder that they are not alone, that they will go well. The community plays a crucial role in deactivating LGBTQ +identities, reducing shame and elimination of isolation – factors that have a significant impact on mental health results. »»
Although there are still strong defenders of young LGBTQ + in UTAH, it explains: “The global environment has become more difficult in recent years.”
Utah has prohibited sex with sexes For young people transgender two years ago, and the state legislature plans a bill which Limit affirmative care for sexes for adults. Young LGBTQ + may have difficulty obtaining mental health services in UTAH, known as Cutini, especially in rural areas.
Many references to be surrounded are made by “tight networks of family members, friends and neighbors” who want to help young people and families to obtain mental health support, he adds.
