# Increasing Effective Mental Health Care for LGBT Clients

> **NIH ALLCDC U48** · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · 2021 · $749,995

## Abstract

The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) aims to better understand and improve mental
health care for sexual and gender minority (LGBT) persons. LGBT persons suffer higher rates of mental health concerns
and related co-occurring health problems such as substance use, sexual risk-taking, eating disorders, obesity, bully
victimization, and cancers. Sometimes poor coping and/or the synergistic effects of multiple co-occurring conditions
exacerbate mental health concerns and further increase LGBT persons’ need for mental health care, which needs to be
addressed so that they can effectively utilize other forms of health care and needed social services. Unfortunately, there
are many gaps in the understanding of mental health care for LGBT persons. The literature is scant in regard to LGBT
persons experience in mental health care and their perceived needs, scientifically validated tools and methods to assess
mental health care for LGBT persons, and evaluated cultural competency training and technical assistance for mental
health care providers of LGBT clients. Meanwhile, the scientific literature is advancing about mental health and related
health disparities in LGBT populations and the importance of addressing mental health in this population at systems,
organizational, social, and individual levels. Additionally, societal attitudes and government policies regarding LGBT
persons are rapidly evolving, creating new culturally sensitive health care vocabulary, health care delivery requirements,
and more LGBT-identifying persons in younger cohorts. Given the research gaps about mental health care practice, the
increased understanding of the need for quality mental health care, and the rapidly evolving cultural landscape for LGBT
persons, the need for research on mental health care provider continuing education regarding the needs of LGBT
persons is clear. The UMD-PRC will establish and maintain a multi-disciplinary faculty of researchers; a diverse and well-
connected community advisory board of stakeholders; identify promising mental health care cultural competency
practice tools and strategies; and evaluate, translate, disseminate and communicate research findings and beneficial
tools and strategies to all stakeholders to improve mental health care for LGBT persons. Ultimately, the UMD-PRC
strives to be a national resource for tools and strategies aimed at improving the effectiveness of mental health care for
LGBT persons.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10227649
- **Project number:** 5U48DP006382-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
- **Principal Investigator:** BRADLEY O BOEKELOO
- **Activity code:** U48 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $749,995
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10227649

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10227649, Increasing Effective Mental Health Care for LGBT Clients (5U48DP006382-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10227649. Licensed CC0.

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