Mental Health Care for LGBT Youths.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youths comprise a diverse population with unique developmental experiences and needs. Many experience some form of anti-LGBT stigma. Although most LGBT youths cope well and are free from mental illness, they are at increased risk for a number of psychiatric and other health problems compared with the general population. These problems include depression, anxiety, suicidality, tobacco and substance use, and disordered eating. These disorders are significant sources of morbidity and mortality and are risk factors for other health problems, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Preliminary evidence suggests the same is true for gender dysphoric youths. The minority stress hypothesis holds that exposure to LGBT-specific stigma causes these disparities among LGBT youth. During the past decade, increasing attention has been devoted to developing evidence-based practice guidelines to address the mental health needs of LGBT youths, with an emphasis on core clinical competencies for practitioners working with this population. This review addresses key principles for mental health promotion and care of LGBT youths. Key resources for clinicians and two clinical vignettes are included.

The Growing Regulation of Conversion Therapy.

Conversion therapies are any treatments, including individual talk therapy, behavioral (e.g. aversive stimuli), group therapy or milieu (e.g. "retreats or inpatient treatments" relying on all of the above methods) treatments, which attempt to change an individual's sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. However these practices have been repudiated by major mental health organizations because of increasing evidence that they are ineffective and may cause harm to patients and their families who fail to change. At present, California, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois, Washington, DC, and the Canadian Province of Ontario have passed legislation banning conversion therapy for minors and an increasing number of US States are considering similar bans. In April 2015, the Obama administration also called for a ban on conversion therapies for minors. The growing trend toward banning conversion therapies creates challenges for licensing boards and ethics committees, most of which are unfamiliar with the issues raised by complaints against conversion therapists. This paper reviews the history of conversion therapy practices as well as clinical, ethical and research issues they raise. With this information, state licensing boards, ethics committees and other regulatory bodies will be better able to adjudicate complaints from members of the public who have been exposed to conversion therapies.