Proud and Thriving–Supporting the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Students

Dear JED Community,

To mark LGBTQ+ Pride month, we’re announcing our work to develop and strengthen mental health support for LGBTQ+ students across the country.

It has been well documented that LGBTQ+ high school and college students experience an elevated risk for negative outcomes due to health and academic factors such as substance misuse, depression, suicidal ideation, academic and co-curricular disengagement, and attrition as compared to non-LGBTQ+ peers.

Research confirms that Black LGBTQ+ youth face an especially high risk for decreased mental health, with 47% seriously considering suicide in the past 12 months compared to 42% of all LGBTQ+ youth.* The global pandemic resulted in many students staying or returning home, and has been particularly stressful for LGBTQ+ youth, nearly half of whom report that their families don’t support or know about their gender or sexual identity.*

JED’s work is dedicated to ensuring all teens and young adults have the mental health support they need. With support from the Upswing Fund, we are partnering with the Consortium for Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals on a project—Proud and Thriving: Supporting the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ High School, College, and University Students.

Proud and Thriving is a collaboration focused on helping schools integrate comprehensive frameworks and recommendations to protect and support the mental health of LGBTQ+ students. Through this partnership, we are creating essential communities of care so all students feel a sense of belonging at their schools.

Together, we are bringing critical guidance to schools and working to make sure racially and ethnically diverse LGBTQ+ students feel welcome and supported, and have access to the resources they need to protect their mental well-being.

Thank you for being part of this work,

Sofia B. Pertuz, Ph.D.
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Senior Advisor