Introspection: Free Mental Health Support Program for Queer Young People Experiencing Housing Insecurity

Support for Foster and Systems-Impacted Youth

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

This program will address the intergenerational trauma and reflect on the communities that are disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. Doing so, this peer-led awareness support group is designed to teach harm reduction strategies to LGBTQIA+ youths who are currently experiencing housing injustice and racial inequity. Using a positive youth led peer mentorship approach that we have done before, we will build capacity amongst queer youths to lead youth activism and civic engagement that are related to substance use issues. They will use their knowledge to challenge the drivers of substance misuse by sharing their stories of trauma, systemic oppression, and marginalization. This will inspire more youths to engage in youth activism and reduce harmful substance use behaviors. Using an intersectional approach, our workshop series addresses anti-Black racism and is oriented towards housing justice and providing dignity to queer youths experiencing houselessness.

This grant will support two interconnected portions of the program. First, we will host a series of peer led workshops that increases queer youths' understanding of substance use disorder and its impact. This series of workshops will be led by their community peer members and will incorporate an intersectional lens that is culturally sensitive. By empowering youths with knowledge of substance use, they can carry that knowledge and share it with their community members and reduce substance use harm. The workshops are held in a way that is trauma informed and never reinforce stereotypes of those youths who are already using substances. Instead, in these workshops, we offer alternatives for those youths by offering them activities that are not substance related and are self-empowerment based. Second, we will be providing free gender affirmative drop-in counseling services for participants of the workshop. By providing a safe space and person to speak to about their challenges, we encourage youths to reflect on and cope with their feelings rather than to engage in substance misuse. This is yet another space to develop the knowledge of substance use's impact and to learn harm reduction coping mechanisms. Together, this program will cultivate a safe and gender affirmative space for queer young people experiencing houselessness to learn more about harm reduction behaviors and to cultivate knowledge that are lifesaving to share with their community.

We envision the project will have a significant impact on the lives of queer youth in Los Angeles County in four ways. First, the peer-led workshops will offer participants with an increased understanding of substance use disorder. This increased underastanding will enable them to make informed decisions about their own substance use and engage in harm reduction behaviors. Second, by empowering queer youth with knowledge about substance use, we hope to participants will become advocates and take an active role in sharing this knowledge with their community members. Third, the provision of free therapy will offer a safe space for participants to discuss their challenges, emotions, and experiences. By addressing underlying issues and promoting mental health, this will contribute to a reduction in substance use among queer youth. Finally, the success of this program can serve as a model for similar initiatives in other communities.

We envision the project will have a significant impact on the lives of queer youth in Los Angeles County in four ways. First, the peer-led workshops will offer participants with an increased understanding of substance use disorder. This increased understanding will enable them to make informed decisions about their own substance use and engage in harm reduction behaviors. Second, by empowering queer youth with knowledge about substance use, we hope to participants will become advocates and take an active role in sharing this knowledge with their community members. Third, the provision of free therapy will offer a safe space for participants to discuss their challenges, emotions, and experiences. By addressing underlying issues and promoting mental health, this will contribute to a reduction in substance use among queer youth. Finally, the success of this program can serve as a model for similar initiatives in other communities.