Resources for the LGBTQIA+ community, all year long

Pride month just wrapped up, but the queer community deserves support, resources, and advocacy all year long! So this blog post contains helpful information, including support groups, resources for parents, friends, and allies, and resources for queer youth.

NAMI supports public policies that reduce mental health inequities for LGBTQ+ populations, like enforcing non-discrimination protections in health care and removing barriers to accessing appropriate mental health care.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community experience mental health conditions at a higher rate than their peers, but often cannot access the mental health care they need. All people deserve access to quality mental health care, free from discrimination or interference. So we’re asking advocates to show their support for equal access to mental health care by signing this petition. Will you join us? Sign our petition to show your support for access to mental health care in the LGBTQ+ community.

Family acceptance and affirmation of someone's LGBTQIA+ identity can have a huge impact on their well-being.

So if you're a parent of an LGBTQIA+ youth, here are some amazing local and national organizations that offer support, resources, and advocacy:
PFLAG PDX is a group for families and friends of LGBTQ+ folks to lean on each other and learn how to be better allies.
The Oregon Family Support Network offers trainings for families of LGBTQ+ youth and also a parent peer support warmline.
The Family Acceptance Project has resources for families of LGBTQ+ youth, backed by research from San Francisco State University.
TransParent USA offers support and resources for parents and caregivers navigating complex issues faced by their gender-expansive children
Basic Rights Oregon’s Fierce Families Network provides resources, advocacy, education and community for families of transgender individuals.

It's important that LGBTQIA2S+ youth feel supported, affirmed, safe, and loved, whether it's Pride month, summer break, or any other time of year.

Here are some amazing organizations located around Oregon and beyond that offer support, resources, and advocacy for queer youth:
The Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center is a safe, harassment-free space for queer and trans youth ages 13-24, offering culturally specific support and fun events.
The TransActive Gender Project at Lewis & Clark Graduate School offers support groups for transgender and gender-expansive youth ages 4-18.
The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQIA2S+ young people, with crisis counselors available 24/7.
The Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living has LGBTQIA2S+ youth drop-in centers in Ontario and Pendleton, with support groups, resources, and activities.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 245/7 support for people experiencing a mental health crisis, including specialized support for LGBTQIA2S+ youth and young adults.
The YouthLine offers free teen-to-teen crisis support, supportive and accepting youth of all identities.

Pride month might be over, but queer people deserve support all year round!

If you're looking for an LGBTQIA+ support group, here are some options around Oregon:
NAMI Clackamas: LGBTQ2SIA+ Support Group, 2nd Sunday of the month on Zoom
NAMI Multnomah: Young Adult (ages 18-30) LGBTQ+ Support Group, 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month on Zoom
PFLAG PDX: PFLAG Connects Support Circle, 2x/month on Zoom
True Colors Recovery: Weekly meetings, covering a wide variety of topics related to queerness and addiction recovery
The Q Center: Weekly meetings, including Late bloomers, b-social, LGBTQIA2S+ en espanol, trans-fem, transmasc, LGBTQ seniors (55+)
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: LGBTQ Support Group, Mondays in-person in Portland
The Oregon Family Support Network: Rainbow Families Support Group, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month on Zoom
The Westside Queer Resource Center: Queer Affinity Group, 4th Friday of the month in-person in Hillsboro
Mid-Willamette Trans Support Network: Monthly groups, including gender expansive, nonbinary, transmasc, trans-fem, and QTBIPOC