Black Queer Youth Suicide Risk | Trevor Project Interview
For-Profit Healthcare Shortchanges Us All, but It's Failing Black Queer Youth En Masse
![PS: Does a study like this have the potential to shape interface with Black LGBTQ youth who are coming to The Trevor Project in a moment of need?
MPF: We're devoted to the mental health of Black LGBTQ youth. That ranges from having put out papers discussing how to support Black LGBTQ youth's mental health [to having] conversations of race and the intersection of LGBTQ identity. Our crisis services team wants to make sure that everything we're doing is culturally grounded in terms of having a diverse team of counselors that are aligning with the demographics of youth. And so, I think while we [do] these things internally, continuing to put things out there lets youth — particularly Black youth — know that at Trevor, we're here for them. We're here to help them. And if they need us, we're equipped to assist them in any of their crisis services needs, or support them in anything that may come up for them.
"Society doesn't have a good track record when it comes to the treatment of Black individuals."
I think there is a bit of hesitancy — not necessarily directed at Trevor, but overall — based on a history of mistrust. Based on a history of having been mistreated in mental healthcare environments, or in medical places, or [by] researchers. Society doesn't have a good track record when it comes to the treatment of Black individuals.
PS: No, it doesn't.
MPF: And so, I think Trevor is doing all that we can to build that trust, and I hope that the support can continue to let Black youth know that we're here for them.
Related:
Organizer José Sanchez on Housing Inequity: "Our Leaders Aren't Doing Nearly Enough to Rescue Us"](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/5Y6XGxmdTKusIuB5_3XGsR6FMIU/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2020/10/30/981/n/1922729/8e32c01c089364e9_GettyImages-1227777045/i/PS-Does-study-like-this-have-potential-to-shape-interface-with.jpg "PS: Does a study like this have the potential to shape interface with Black LGBTQ youth who are coming to The Trevor Project in a moment of need?
MPF: We're devoted to the mental health of Black LGBTQ youth. That ranges from having put out papers discussing how to support Black LGBTQ youth's mental health [to having] conversations of race and the intersection of LGBTQ identity. Our crisis services team wants to make sure that everything we're doing is culturally grounded in terms of having a diverse team of counselors that are aligning with the demographics of youth. And so, I think while we [do] these things internally, continuing to put things out there lets youth — particularly Black youth — know that at Trevor, we're here for them. We're here to help them. And if they need us, we're equipped to assist them in any of their crisis services needs, or support them in anything that may come up for them.
\"Society doesn't have a good track record when it comes to the treatment of Black individuals.\"
I think there is a bit of hesitancy — not necessarily directed at Trevor, but overall — based on a history of mistrust. Based on a history of having been mistreated in mental healthcare environments, or in medical places, or [by] researchers. Society doesn't have a good track record when it comes to the treatment of Black individuals.
PS: No, it doesn't.
MPF: And so, I think Trevor is doing all that we can to build that trust, and I hope that the support can continue to let Black youth know that we're here for them.
Related:
Organizer José Sanchez on Housing Inequity: \"Our Leaders Aren't Doing Nearly Enough to Rescue Us\"")
PS: Does a study like this have the potential to shape interface with Black LGBTQ youth who are coming to The Trevor Project in a moment of need?
MPF: We're devoted to the mental health of Black LGBTQ youth. That ranges from having put out papers discussing how to support Black LGBTQ youth's mental health [to having] conversations of race and the intersection of LGBTQ identity. Our crisis services team wants to make sure that everything we're doing is culturally grounded in terms of having a diverse team of counselors that are aligning with the demographics of youth. And so, I think while we [do] these things internally, continuing to put things out there lets youth — particularly Black youth — know that at Trevor, we're here for them. We're here to help them. And if they need us, we're equipped to assist them in any of their crisis services needs, or support them in anything that may come up for them.
"Society doesn't have a good track record when it comes to the treatment of Black individuals."
I think there is a bit of hesitancy — not necessarily directed at Trevor, but overall — based on a history of mistrust. Based on a history of having been mistreated in mental healthcare environments, or in medical places, or [by] researchers. Society doesn't have a good track record when it comes to the treatment of Black individuals.
PS: No, it doesn't.
MPF: And so, I think Trevor is doing all that we can to build that trust, and I hope that the support can continue to let Black youth know that we're here for them.
