Celebrate Pride Month -- June

Photo Credit:  Toni Reed

New York State Education Guidance Supporting LGBTQ Students
June 12, 2023

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Photo Credit:  Cecilie-Johnsen, Unsplash & D. Kontak

Creating a Safe, Supportive, and Affirming School Environment for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students: 2023 Legal Update and Best Practices 

On June 12, 2023, the New York State Education Department released a 42 page document providing new guidance supporting LGBTQ students.  "The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is committed to providing all public school students, including transgender and gender expansive (TGE) students, with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, fostering civility and ensuring that every student has equal access to educational programs and activities."  It covers state and federal laws as well as provide implementation resources.  Source:  6/12/2023.  The State Education Department/ the University of the State of New York  (42 pages)

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Photo Credit: The University of  of the State of New York 

Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action
to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth

"This report provides behavioral health professionals, researchers, policymakers and other audiences with a comprehensive research overview and accurate information about effective and ineffective therapeutic practices related to youth of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity."  Source: 3/2023.  SAMHSA.  

What can middle and high schools do to support LGBTQ students?

Here are some recommendations:

• Talk to students about what they need instead of assuming what they need, by conducting focus groups or surveys to hear what would make them feel physically and psychologically safe and able to learn;
• Expand mental health counseling and extracurricular activities like Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs);
• Implement suicide prevention policies and intersectional mental health services that specifically consider the unique stressors and challenges faced by students who hold multiple marginalized identities;
• Implement transgender-inclusive policies, such as access to sports and gender-inclusive bathrooms, inclusion in health curricula, and the ability to change one’s name and gender marker in school systems and documents;
• Educate teachers and parents about LGBTQ identities and mental health and suicide prevention;
• Implement zero-tolerance policies for anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment.

Source:  Langreo, L. 1/3/2023. Most LGBTQ Youth Can’t Access Mental Health Care. How Schools Can Help,  Education Week

Photo Credit:  Elyssa-Fahndrich-Unsplash

Other Articles:

2021 National School Climate Survey:  The Experiences of the LGBTQ+ Youth in Our Nation's Schools. "The National School Climate Survey remains one of the few studies to examine the school experiences of LGBTQ+ students nationally, and its results have been vital to GLSEN’s understanding of the issues that LGBTQ+ students face, thereby informing our ongoing work to ensure safe and affirming schools for all." (xiv)  The survey provides evidence "that schools are often unsafe learning environments for LGBTQ+ students." "Almost 8 in 10 students in our survey reported feeling unsafe at school.  (p. 129)   The report also provides strategies to support LGBTQ+ students in schools.   Source:  Kosciw, J. G., Clark, C. M., & Menard, L. (2022).   New York: GLSEN (168 Pages)

Adapting Evidence-Based Practices for Under-Resourced Populations  This guide focuses on research supporting adaptations of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for under-resourced populations. Adaptations involve tailoring care, programs, and services to the cultural, social, gender, and demographic contexts of the people served to yield positive outcomes.  Source:  2022.  SAMHSA (50 pages)

As Book Bans Escalate, Here's What You Need to Know    "Forty-one percent of all books banned from July 2021 to June 2022 were about LGBTQ characters, PEN America found."  "“The students are telling us that when a book that reflects their life and experience is removed from the shelf, it’s an act of erasure,” Caldwell-Stone said. Read more. Source:  Pendharkar, Eesha. 9/30/2022.  EdWeek.

Book Challenges May Have Chilling Effects on New LGBTQ Books in School Libraries, study finds   Source:  Shen-Berro, Julian. 1-11-2023. Chalkbeat

HRC's "Back to School as You Are"  Campaign Supports LGBTQ+ Students, Their Families & Educators     Source:  HRC Staff. 8-1-2022. Human Rights Coalition

Most LGBTQ Youth Can’t Access Mental Health Care. How Schools Can Help  Source:  Langreo, Lauraina. 1/3/2023,  Education Week

Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth  This report provides behavioral health professionals, researchers, policymakers and other audiences with a comprehensive research overview and accurate information about effective and ineffective therapeutic practices related to youth of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.    Source: 2023. SAMHSA (112 pages)

Pronouns: How to Properly Share, Gather, and Use Them  Source:  Gainsburg, Jeannie. 10/18/2022. SSWAA

Resources:  Tools for Equality and Inclusion  Resources available by topic.   "Our goal at the Human Rights Campaign is to ensure that every LGBTQ+ person is free to live their life openly, with their equal rights ensured. "  Source:  Human Rights Coalition

Supporting Queer Youth in Schools Using a Multi-Tiered Approach.  Source:  Mulkern, Patrick. 3/9/2020.  SSWAA 

Supporting Transgender Youth In School--Fact Sheet.  "Every student deserves to learn in a safe and supportive setting, free from discrimination. As the Department of Education has reaffirmed, discrimination based on sex—including sexual orientation and gender identity—isn’t just wrong, it’s prohibited in America’s schools."  Read ways schools can support transgender youth.  Source:  2021. U.S. Department of Education

Photo Credit:  Elyssa-fahndrich

SSWAA Position Statements

Response to Recent Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legislation and Guidance for Supporting Students    Important guidance to School Social Workers in light of some states' recent legislation  as well as some New York school district policies.   
Source:  Mulkern, P., McCoy, C. (2022), SSWAA Response to Recent AntiLGBTQIA+ Legislation and Guidance for Supporting Students. School Social Work Association of America

Promoting the Well-being of LGBTQIA+ Students   Source:  Paceley, M.S., Goffnett, J., & Wagaman, M.A. (2018). Promoting the Well-being of LGBTQIA+ Students. London, KY: School Social Work Association of America. 

Photo Credit: Reagan-Nicole

Resources:

• The Audre Lorde Project  "The Audre Lorde Project is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non Conforming People of Color center for community organizing, focusing on the New York City area. Through mobilization, education and capacity-building, we work for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice. Committed to struggling across differences, we seek to responsibly reflect, represent and serve our various communities."
• Gender Spectrum Gender Spectrum’s mission is to create a gender-inclusive world for all children and youth. To accomplish this, we help families, organizations, and institutions increase their understanding of gender and consider the implications that evolving views have for each of us. See Resources as well. 
• GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. "Every day GLSEN works to ensure that LGBTQ students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment.  We conduct extensive and original research to inform our evidence-based solutions for K-12 education. We author developmentally appropriate resources for educators to use throughout their school community."
• GSA Network  "Genders & Sexualities Alliances, or GSAs for short, are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities."
• Human Rights Campaign--New York   "The Human Rights Campaign fights for LGBTQ+ equality alongside lawmakers at the local and state levels across the country. Find out what HRC is doing in New York and how you can help secure equal rights for all of its LGBTQ+ citizens."
  
• Lambda Legal "Lambda Legal, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights oflesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender peopleand everyone living withHIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work."
  
• LGBTQ Addiction & Mental Health Support Resources.  "Substance abuse and addiction rates in the LGBTQ+ community are higher than in any other sector of society." " LGBTQ+ resources for addiction and mental health are readily available to help members of this community conquer substance abuse."
• LGBT National Youth Talkline  Provides a safe haven for queer-identified and gender non-conforming youth who are struggling with substance abuse and mental-health-related issues.
• LGBT National Hotline:  Provides anonymous, confidential support for a number of issues related to the LgBTA+ community in a safe, affirming environment.
  
• National Center for Lesbian Rights  "NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education."
• National Center for Transgender Equality   "The National Center for Transgender Equality advocates to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people. In the nation’s capital and throughout the country, NCTE works to replace disrespect, discrimination, and violence with empathy, opportunity, and justice."
• National LGBTQ Task Force  "Advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people.  We are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives." 
• New York City Anti-Violence Project  "We empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organizing and education, and support survivors through counseling and advocacy."
• PFLAG   "The PFLAG Chapter Network--with over 400 chapters across the country--provides confidential peer support, education, and advocacy to LGBTQ+ people, their parents and families, and allies."
• Project Thrive:  A National Campaign to Support LGBTQ Youth  Project THRIVE is a multi-year national campaign to create more equitable, inclusive support systems and communities for LGBTQ+ youth. Project THRIVE will build the skills and capacities of all youth-serving professionals to better meet the needs of LGBTQ+ young people.
• SOS, Signs of Suicide.
• Stop Bullying Now.
• The Trevor Project:  "Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24."
• The Center:   "A New York-based resource hub for LGBTQ+ people that focuses on health and every other aspect of the community."
• Trans Lifeline:  "Provide outreach with the community of connecting queer-identified people with peer to peer support - by and for trans people."

Photo Credit: Alexander Gray

Have resources we should share?  

Send to member.services@nyssswa.org