Good news in the LGBTQ+ community

MHA Admin

Mon, 06/03/2024 – 13:04

by B. Burke, Public Education Content Manager for Mental Health America

From anti-LGBTQ+ legislation to identity-based violence, the LGBTQ+ community has experienced significant trauma over the past few years. This Pride Month, it is important to acknowledge the challenges that the LGBTQ+ community has faced, while also celebrating moments of joy and positive news. Here are 10 pieces of good news for the LGBTQ+ community to start your Pride Month off with a smile:

Legislation

1. In countries around the world, legislation was passed in 2023 to make places safer for LGBTQ+ individuals. This includes marriage equality, adoption rights, legal gender recognition for transgender individuals, and more.

2. President Biden’s Pro-LGBTQ+ timeline demonstrates the actions the White House has already taken and will take to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people. These include addressing transphobic violence and creating a safer future for LGBTQ+ young people.

3. Many states have recently passed laws to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people, including Maine, Michigan, and Arizona. More recent anti-LGBTQ+ bills are failing. For example, in Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, and West Virginia, almost every anti-LGBTQ+ measure was defeated this year.

Arts and Media

4. Almost 200 young adult books with queer characters were published in 2023. LGBTQ+ book sales have risen significantly over the course of the past few years.

5. Eight LGBTQ+ activists and artists made it on Time’s “most influential” list in 2024, including transgender actor Elliot Page.

6. Jeopardy! champion Amy Schnieder made history as the first openly transgender contestant to qualify for the Tournament of Champions.

Youth Advocacy

7. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a new rule that would ensure LGBTQ+ youth in foster care would be placed in an affirming home.

8. The Trevor Project’s new poll illustrates high support among parents for transgender and non-binary youth. For example, the poll found that 69% of adults would honor their child’s chosen name and pronouns if they were to come out as transgender or non-binary.

Sports

9. In 2023, coach Kevin Maxen of the Jacksonville Jaguars was the first NFL coach to come out as openly gay. This representation paves the way for other LGBTQ+ coaches and athletes.

10. The NHL reversed its ban on pride tape, stating that players could show their support for social causes on the ice.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Capital City Emergency “Level II” Trauma & Wellness Center will house a “state of the art” Outreach Community Resource Center, that will provide case management, mental health community advocacy, and oversight from the M.I. Mother’s Keeper mental health advocates. 
 
The Capital City Emergency “Level II” Trauma & Wellness Center will offer patrons access to immediate coverage by general surgeons as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care.
 
Our goal is to help people in the best way possible in an effort to preserve and to save more lives in the Nation’s Capital and beyond.

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Emergency

Code Red
Gunshot Victim
Life Threatening Wounds
Physical Assault Victim
Severely Injured Auto Accident Victim
Burn Victim
Epilepsy/Seizures
Cardiovascular
Choking & Breathing Obstructions
and more…

trauma

Child Sex Assault Victim
Domestic Violence Victim
Drug Overdose
Rape/Sex Crime Victim
Suicide Watch
Trafficking Victim
Nervous Breakdown
and more…

Mental Health

At Capital City Emergency Trauma & Wellness Center patrons with mental health emergencies that include life threatening situations in which an individual is imminently threatening harm to self or others, severely disoriented or out of touch with reality, has a severe inability to function or is otherwise distraught and out of control, will have access to quality and psychiatric emergency services and referrals.

Physical Health

Whether your life threatening medical emergency involves excessive or uncontrollable bleeding, head injury. difficulty with breathing, severe pain, heart attack, vision impairments, stroke, physically collapsing, or seizure related, rest assured that our professionals will properly assess and evaluate the level of response that will be most needed to help provide stabilized care solutions and minimize complications as well as reduce early mortality.

Holistic Healthcare

We offer healthcare solutions that will support the whole person which includes their physical, psychological, emotional, social, & spiritual wellbeing. Research supports that because your mental state can affect your overall health we support and offer the inclusion of complimentary and alternative medicine(CAM) practitioners and naturopathic doctor recommendations and referrals as a part of our Outreach Community Resource Center’s care regimen and support.

Rehabilitative

Emergency care can typically result in traumatic injuries for which rehabilitation becomes an essential component of care in trying to achieve the best long-term outcomes for the patient. In addition to speeding up recovery times and helping to prevent further complications, rehabilitative care also helps to support a patient’s self-managed recovery once discharged from our facility. Our Outreach Community Resource Center works closely with our trauma center’s discharge department to assure that patrons requiring these services are linked with qualified professionals who will be accountable to the standard of care required to help the patron be successful in their recovery.

Social Services

Our “state of the art” Outreach Community Resource Center intends to promote “expansive” beneficial community enriching services, programs, case management, & linkage to “approved” partner resources and supports in all of the following intended areas and more:

Social Services

  • Clothing
  • Food Pantry
  • Housing/Shelter
  • I.D. Credentials
  • Senior Wellness Check
  • Toiletries
  • Transportation
  • Etc.

Extended Family Services

  • Child Care
  • Credit Counseling
  • Family Court Services
  • Legal Aide

Career Training

  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Computer/Graphics Training
  • Culinary Program  
  • GED Courses
  • Hospitality Training
  • Job Etiquette & Grooming
  • Resume’ Prep
  • Sales Training
  • Software/Technology workshops
  • Small Business Training

Return Citizen
Program Partner
(Bridging the Gap)

  • Case Management
  • Temporary Boarding/Housing
  • Transitional Program Registration

Prevention/Intervention Outreach,
Workshops, & Programs

  • After-school Behavioral Health Program
  • Civic Engagement / Volunteer Sign-up
  • Fatherhood Rites of Passage
  • Gun Violence Town Hall Forum
  • Life Coaching & Coping Strategies
  • Marriage Counseling Workshops
  • Medicare Informational Workshops
  • Mentorship Training
  • Parental Classes
  • Support Groups
  • Town Hall Discussions
  • Violence De-Escalation Training
  • Voter Registration

Nutritional Outreach

  • Cooking Demonstrations
  • Dietary Programs
  • Exercise Classes
  • Recipe Sharing Workshops
  • Meal Prep

Community Outreach

The Healthy DC & Me Leadership Coalition is partnering with the M.I. Mother’s Keeper Mental Health advocacy organization to provide outreach services on the community level as an aid in reducing the existent health inequities that many District citizens are facing as a direct result of the presence of debilitating social determinants and the lack of culturally appropriate care choices and realities for community members residing in marginalized and lower-income communities.

It is the vision and intentions of the M.I. Mother’s Keeper Mental Health Advocates organization to help improve the quality of living for citizens living in our Nation’s Capital and beyond by overseeing the delicate linkage to services and by maintaining higher standards of care accountability for deserving citizens of the Nation’s Capital.

For more information or to enroll as one of our service providers, please email us at:
info@healthydcandme.org