COURSE DESCRIPTION

Though suicide touches every community, the stunningly disproportionate rate of self-induced deaths among LGBTQ individuals is an ongoing emergency. Family rejection, social stigma and discrimination, economic insecurity, and prejudice-related mental health concerns have enormous impact on suicidal ideation. This webinar will highlight some of the pressures that lead sexual and gender minority people to suicide, what factors elevate or lower self-harm risk, and interventions to help LGBTQ people build resilience in a hostile world.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Examine the suicide epidemic among LGBTQ people, including prevalence, disparities, trends, psychosocial challenges, and help-seeking behaviors. 
2. Explore unique risk and protective factors for suicide among LGBTQ people.
3. Increase awareness of culturally-specific prevention and support interventions.
4. Highlight methods to boost LGBTQ resilience to suicide and suicidal ideation.

PRESENTER

Kate Bishop, MSSA, the Education Coordinator at the LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton, is a seasoned professional development trainer with expertise in working with LGBTQ populations, sexual and reproductive health care, adolescent development, intimate partner violence, and sexual trauma. She is certified as a trainer through GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) as well as SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders). Before joining the Chase Brexton team, she developed the capacity building program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s STAR TRACK Adolescent HIV program, providing cultural responsiveness trainings for agencies that serve sexual minority youth of color. Ms. Bishop holds a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from Hiram College and a Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University.