Resources for LGBTQIA+
families and youth

These resources are a collection of links to support kids, parents, and educators alike in topics surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation.

Resources for Parents, guardians & family members

• The Trevor Project: Education and Resources for Adults The Trevor Project’s “Trainings for Professionals” include in-person Ally and CARE trainings designed for adults who work with youth. These trainings help counselors, educators, administrators, school nurses, and social workers discuss LGBTQ-competent suicide prevention.

• Advocates for Youth (AFY): Are you an Askable Parent?  AFY provides lesson plans, tips and strategies, background information, and additional resources to help youth-serving professionals create safe space for young people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

• American Psychological Association: Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
  Accurate information for those who want to better understand sexual orientation.

• The Family Acceptance Project   The Family Acceptance Project is a research, intervention, education, and policy initiative that works to prevent health and mental health risks for LGBT children and youth.

• HealthyChildren.org: Coming Out: Information for Parents of LGBT Teens  “Coming out” is a lifelong journey of understanding, acknowledging and sharing one’s gender identity and/or sexual orientation with others.

• Kidshealth.org: Sexual Attraction and Orientation Information for parents on how youth experience sexual attraction and orientation, as well as how you as a parent or guardian may feel about and deal with youth on this topic.

• PFLAG Information about PFLAG’s confidential peer support and education in communities.

• Parents’ Influence on the Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Teens: What Parents and Families Should Know Cdc-pdf [PDF – 254 KB]  Information on how parents can promote positive health outcomes for their LGB teen.

• SAMHSA: Helping Families to Support Their LGBT Children  This resource guide was developed to help practitioners who work in a wide range of settings to understand the critical role of family acceptance and rejection in contributing to the health and well-being of adolescents who identify as LGBT.

• StopBullying.gov: Information for Parents  Parents play a key role in preventing and responding to bullying. If you know or suspect that your child is involved in bullying, here are several resources that may help.

• Youth.gov: Electronic Aggression  Increased access to technology has benefits, but it also can increase the risk of abuse.
  

SF Community-Based LGBTQI Health Services

• Lyon-Martin Health Services for Women and Transgender People

• Gender Health SF

• UCSF Alliance Health Project - Services for the LGBT and HIV Communities

• STRUT

• Women's Community Clinic

• LYRIC - For LGBT Youth Under Age 23

Trans Resources

• National Center for Transgender Equality

• Trans Lifeline

• Sylvia Rivera Law Project

LGBTQAI+ Bay Area Resources

• LGBT Resource Center at UCSF

• LGBT/Queer News for the Bay Area

• The SF LGBT Center

• Rainbow Community Center - Contra Costa County

• The Pacific Center for Human Growth - Berkeley

• Billy DeFrank Center - Silicon Valley

LBGTQAI+ Communities of Color

• AGUILAS - Assembly of United Gays Impacting Latinos towards Self-Empowerment

• API LGBTQ Groups in the Bay Area

• Gay Asian Pacific Alliance

• Network on Religion and Justice for Asian Pacific Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender People

• Trikone - South Asian LGBTQ Organization

• Zuna Institute - National Advocacy Organization for Black Lesbians

• BAAITS - Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits

• We R Native - Native American LGBT/Two Spirit

Resources for Educators

Because some LGBTQAI Youth are more likely than their heterosexual peers to experience bullying or other aggression in school, it is important that educators, counselors, and school administrators have access to resources and support to create a safe, healthy learning environment for all students.

• Advocates for Youth (AFY): LGBTQ Resources for Professionals Lesson plans, tips and strategies, background information, and additional resources to help youth-serving professionals create safe space for young people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

• American Psychological Association (APA) Resources

• Healthy Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students Project  The Safe and Supportive Schools Project promotes safe and supportive environments to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among adolescents.

• Just the Facts: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel Just the Facts provides information and resources for principals, educators and school personnel who confront sensitive issues involving gay, lesbian and bisexual students.

• Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Accurate information for those who want to better understand sexual orientation.

• Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case That Made History: Teaching materials for educators  “Bullied” is a documentary film designed to help administrators, teachers and counselors create a safer school environment for all students, not just those who are gay and lesbian.

• CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health: Protective Factors for LGBTQ+ Youth: Information for Health and Education Professionals
  Information summarizing key findings that can strengthen programs and research that support LGBT Youth.

• Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN): Educator Resources GLSEN educator guides and lessons to support your curriculum and practices.

• Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA) Network GSA clubs are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities.

• National Alliance to End Homelessness: Serving LGBT Homeless Youth To end LGBTQ+ Youth homelessness, youth and young adults need stable housing, supportive connections to caring adults, and access to mainstream services that will place them on a path to long-term success.

• National Education Association: 6 Tips for Educators Dealing with Harassment of LGBT Students From Stepping Out of the Closet, Into the Light: A Report on the Status of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender People in Education

• StopBullying.gov: Information for LGBTQ+ Youth Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) Youth and those perceived as LGBT are at an increased risk of being bullied. There are important and unique considerations for strategies to prevent and address bullying of LGBTQ+ Youth.

Crisis Lines

NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL AND LGBTQ CRISIS LINES (as of 7/22/2022)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/ If you or someone else are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are having a mental health crisis and need support, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. English: 988. Text 988 with the message “Help” for support from a trained crisis counselor, available 24/7.

• Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis Spanish: 988, press 2

• 24/7 Crisis Text Line Text 741741 with the message “Home” for support from a trained crisis counselor, available  24/7. English & Spanish.

• Childhelp – National Child Abuse Hotline Crisis intervention, information, and referral hotline to prevent child abuse, available 24/7, from professional crisis counselors, with assistance in 170 languages. 1-800-422-4453

• National Runaway Safeline Support from a trained crisis services team, available 24/7, to call, chat, email or text. 1-800-786-2929

• SAMHSA National Helpline – Substance Abuse, Mental Health & Services Administration Confidential 24/7 treatment referral and information for services, support groups and community organizations for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. English and Spanish: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

LGBTQ CRISIS LINES & ONLINE CHAT

Trevor Lifeline (for LGBTQ youth): 1-866-488-7386. Crisis intervention and suicide prevention phone line, available 24/7, 365 days.

TrevorChat Confidential, online instant messaging, available 24/7. Text the word “START” to 678-678.

CHAT SPACE FOR LGBTQ YOUTH Q Chat Space is an online community chat for LGBTQ youth and teens who are questioning their identity, ages 13-19, facilitated by staff and volunteers from LGBTQ community centers around the country. Provides a place to connect and get access to information and resources. Q Chat Space is a program of CenterLink the national organization for LGBTQ community centers.

INTERNATIONAL HELPLINES & CRISIS LINES

Find a Helpline: Search for Other Kinds of Emotional Support

Find a Helpline is an international resource to find helplines and crisis lines around the world that provide immediate support for multiple needs. This resource is included with the understanding that these sites are not LGBTQ specific and some may not be LGBTQ affirming. However, parents and others who are using our website may also want to find helplines for a range of needs, including substance use, family violence or veteran support. Find a Helpline keeps an updated list of emotional support resources in the U.S. and internationally.