Mental Health Care Partnerships Supporting LGBTQ Youth in Guilford County
Helping LGBTQ youth to find their place through mental health and queer-affirming services.
As lawmakers across the country continue to limit or ban access to health care services, discrimination towards LGBTQ communities seems to be increasing . These reductions of services put the health and well-being of our community at significant risk, especially for transgender and nonbinary youths. Affirming medical care for people of all identities is critical, and has lasting, positive impact. Because mental health care is a crucial piece to the overall well-being of gender-diverse adolescents, THP wants share the local resources and collaborations that are focused on supporting our youth.
Collaborating to Provide Mental Health Services
As a nonprofit organization that helps communities affected by HIV, Triad Health Project offers free HIV testing and top-quality mental health and wellness care. Seeing that THP advocates for equity and love for all people, seeking justice and radical care for transgender and nonbinary youths aligns with our mission. Through the following key partnerships we seek to connect youth with a broader range of services to bolster community health.
Monarch Behavioral Health Services
Monarch Behavioral Health Services provides specialty mental health and human services care. Founded in Stanly County by parents in 1958, Monarch provides high quality of behavioral care to youth, ages 4 and up, and adults. Monarch values integrity, compassion, respect, excellence, courage and innovation.
At Monarch, “relationships are a priority” and they strive to engage clients during the initial process of locating the best support. This small aspect often ensures more long-term success. Additionally, the center is committed to providing a safe place for the gender-diverse community.
Available services include:
- mental illness support
- substance abuse counseling
- services for those with developmental disabilities
Guilford County Behavioral Health Center
Guilford County Behavioral Health Center offers urgent mental health care services. The nonprofit welcomes those suffering from an emergency mental health crisis. The center also provides mental health services and a range of well-being information.
The Center offers these urgent services to children 4 to 17 years old, as well as adults. The center is also clear that it welcomes youth from the gay, trans, and queer communities.
For those seeking longer-term care services, experienced clinicians are present to conduct initial assessments. This means that people who seek help are able to find the best avenue for treatment. The organization also provides transitional care as patients work to connect with long-term care that matches their needs, including psychotherapy, psychiatry and other specialized behavioral health or substance use disorder services.
The Ringer Center
The Ringer Center is a nonprofit organization providing outpatient mental health care, including counseling with medication management. It offers individual and family counseling and welcomes the LGBTQ community.
Services include treatment for anxiety, depression, stress, ADHD, and substance abuse. The professional staff will do an initial evaluation and assessment, and before completing any services, they make sure to help clients prepare and plan for success, stating “our therapists will use their knowledge and their experiences to help find a path to a healthier and happier life.”
Strong Minds Strong Communities
Strong Minds Strong Communities is a five-year, National Institute of Health-funded study at UNC-Greensboro. Its primary focus is targeting disparities, particularly among underserved populations including the gender-diverse community, in access to mental health services. Along with focusing on ending the stigma around mental illness, their mission to help those struggling with mental health to live happier lives.
The program seeks to support personal growth, build coping skills, and connect clients with resources in the community. As they work to improve community perception of mental illness, the stigma will reduce and we all become healthier. The study is also working to effectively address remote care, and the effects of the pandemic to access and intervention.
Guilford Counseling PLLC
Guilford Counseling PLLC is an organization that assists those struggling with intense emotions provoked by challenging relationships, general unhappiness, and suicidal thoughts. The nonprofit offers various methods to clients, including dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR, and “brainspotting” therapy.
Guildfor Counselling is also one of the few practices in the state to offer Radically Open DBT, an evidence-based treatment that that has shown remarkable results for a broad range of conditions. It is a welcoming and diverse center for all communities and even offers skills classes specifically designed for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Daymark Mental Health and Recovery Services
Daymark Residential Treatment Center provides high-intensity residential care and treatment. The nonprofit organization offers substance abuse counseling, mental health services, and wellness treatments, for both adults and youth, ages 3 and up.
Services include a vast range of outpatient and psychiatric care and professional counselors aid those seeking treatment for addiction and other mental health issues. Potential modalities include DBT, Intensive in-home care, Psycho-social rehabilitation and Assertive Community Treatment.
RHA Mental Health
RHA Mental Health helps community members with various mental health issues. The nonprofit provides services for a broad range of clients, including:
- disability services
- behavioral health services abuse
- care management
RHA Mental Health has a stated mission to provide a safe and healthy environment while creating opportunities for personal outcomes, or more poetically, to offer services in a space “Where Humans Bloom”.
Kellin Foundation
The Kellin Foundation provides trauma-informed behavioral health services and a treatment center. The nonprofit works to strengthen community resilience, including youths, adults, and families. Their systems help clients break negative cycles from trauma, and the supportive staff is a compassionate and highly skilled team of professionals. More, they clearly share that they are working to “ensure inclusion of traditionally marginalized populations”, including including people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.
Kellin assists clients in getting to the core of issues and gaining confidence. Individuals learn new life skills so they can build a pathway towards healing. They say it best: “Our team of highly-trained professionals helps people process what has happened to them, to practice new skills that contribute to healing, and to gain confidence that they can chart a different course for themselves and their families.”
Kellis also offers services designed specifically for youth, from Case Management, to Counseling and Peer-Supported Specialists, who can share experiences for healing because they have “been there” themselves.
UNCG Psychology Clinic
The UNCG Psychology Clinic is an outpatient mental health center operated by UNCG’s Department of Psychology. They provides evidence-based treatments for various challenges and issues. The nonprofit works with clients to improve mental health and wellness. Some specialties include anxiety, interpersonal difficulties, relationship problems, grief, PTSD, and ADHD, in both children and adults.
The center clearly states their commitment to diversity, stating that they seek to treat all patients and clients as valued and respected individuals regardless of the factors that define their social identity. All people are valued and respected as individuals, across all differences.
Seeing that LGBTQ youths experience more mental health challenges than other groups of people, they also have elevated risks of self-harm, suicide and substance use and abuse disorders. Finding a dependable support system is critical to overcoming these challenges and fostering a life where adolescents can feel safe, and ultimately thrive.
These nine organizations offer one-on-one services and various groups opportunities that can help transgender, gender-diverse, and nonbinary children find a path towards hope. Please reach out to these organizations directly, but if you have any questions or concerns, THP Services are here for you.