Recruitment, Retention, and Wellbeing of LGBTQ-Serving Child Psychiatrists and Mental Health Providers

Abstract

The workforce of mental health providers serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning (LGBTQ+) youth lags far behind the demand for LGBTQ-focused mental health care. Unsatisfactory training and a lack of standardized training metrics for accredited programs perpetuate the lack of preparedness among providers. The presence of LGBTQ+ faculty and mentors in medical education increases the amount of LGBTQ+ content taught to trainees and improves professional development for LGBTQ+ trainees. Inclusive workplace practices and affirming care policies may also improve retention and recruitment of LGBTQ-serving mental health providers.

Keywords: LGBTQ youth; Medical education; Mental health workforce; Youth mental health.