Supporting All Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
-Dalai Lama
The well-being and safety of all military children are of utmost importance. Students exploring or questioning their sexual orientation may face unique challenges, particularly in military families where frequent moves can disrupt support networks and force navigation of different community attitudes.
Mental Health Research Findings:
The Trevor Project’s 2022 national survey revealed concerning trends about youth mental health:
60% of students who wanted mental health care in the past year were unable to access it.
Students who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual report higher rates of bullying than their peers.
Many face social challenges including discrimination, stereotyping, and status loss.
Military-connected students may experience additional challenges. Research by Pedro et al. (2020) indicates these students face increased odds of nonphysical victimization and social isolation, highlighting the need for targeted support.
Creating Supportive Environments:
Students facing challenges related to sexual orientation encounter barriers at both interpersonal and institutional levels. Parents and caregivers can partner with educators, school leaders, and other professionals to foster positive environments and ensure their children’s rights are protected. Professional development for school staff should focus on established best practices for student support:
- Preventing bullying and harassment through clear policies
- Building staff capacity to support student mental health needs
- Developing inclusive practices for all school activities
- Creating safe spaces for peer support and connection
Our toolkit provides concrete resources and strategies to help guide meaningful conversations between parents, providers, and schools about creating environments where every student can thrive.
2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People
The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey amplifies the experiences of more than 28,000 LGBTQ young people ages 13 to…A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth
The first step to becoming an ally to transgender and nonbinary people is to learn more.Coming Out to Your Parents
This journey can be challenging to navigate. Strong Family Alliance can help.Connection Starts with Knowledge
Browse the Trevor Project’s Resource Center or check out what’s trending.What is a GSA Club?
Genders & Sexualities Alliances, or GSAs for short, are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community…Knowledge that Has Power to Heal
The Trevor Project offers mental health and suicide prevention training programs and LGBTQ education workshops that give everyone the ability…We Are Different and That’s Okay
Help kids learn to identify and appreciate the differences and similarities among themselves and their friends with Daniel Tiger.What Makes You Unique?
In this video from Let’s Learn, Lunisol Tavarez and a young helper talk about how we are both alike and…I Like Myself
In this video from Let’s Learn, teacher Yael Leopold reads the picture book I Like Myself, by Karen Beaumont.Cultivating Self-Acceptance
In order to explore and experience self-acceptance, students use the performing arts to express who they are and to develop…Alike and Different
These resources from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood show how you can help children value and appreciate ways in which we are…Creating Safer Spaces in Schools for LGBTQ Young People
For LGBTQ young people, school can be a tricky place to explore who they are and how they identify, especially…Student Gender Identity Guide for Schools
A collection of tools and resources to support conversations surrounding gender identity in the classroom.Integrating Equitable Principles
Today we have a tremendous opportunity to reimagine our education system by using what we know from the science of…Building Trusting Relationships with LGBTQ Students
In this podcast, SFC Kristina Manookin shares how families and educators can build trusting relationships with LGBTQ+ students as they…Develop Supportive Educators
Supportive educators save students’ lives. Just one visibly supportive educator in a school can help LGBTQ students feel safer and…It Get’s Better EDU
It Gets Better EDU exists to ensure our uplifting and informative stories reach LGBTQ+ youth and their peers wherever learning…References:
American Psychological Association (2022). Div. 44: Society for the psychology of sexual orientation and gender diversity. https://www.apadivisions.org/division44/index?_ga=2.128723596.1649867963.1654107905-1126760067.1651455867&_gac=1.50030354.1654107906.EAIaIQobChMI6frRv_WAAIVlbrICh0qqQxLEAAYAiAAEgKXzfD_BwE
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, October 26). Creating safe schools for LGBTQ+ youth. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/safesupportive-environments/PD-LGBTQ.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, April 9). Safe and supportive environments. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/safesupportiveenvironments/index.htm
Chan A. (2021). Book review: The educator’s guide to LGBT+ inclusion: A practical resource for K-12 teachers, administrators, and school support staff. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 692343. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.692343
Earnshaw, V. A., Reisner, S. L., Juvonen, J., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Perrotti, J., & Schuster, M. A. (2017). LGBTQ bullying: translating research to action in pediatrics. Pediatrics, 140(4), e20170432. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-0432
Exec. Order No. 13988, 86 Fed. Reg. 7023 (Jan 20, 2021). https://www.federalregister.gov/executive-order/13988
Higa D., Hoppe, M.J., Lindhorst, T., Mincer, S., Beadnell, B., Morrison, D.M., Wells, E.A., Todd, A., Mountz, S. (2014). Negative and positive factors associated with the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Youth & Society, 46(5), 663- 687. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X12449630
Human Rights Foundation (2018). 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report – Human Rights Campaign – HRC. https://www.hrc.org/resources/2018-lgbtq-youth- LGBTQIA+ report Human Rights Campaign. (n.d.) Glossary of terms. https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms
Pedro, K. T., & Esqueda, M. C. (2020). Exploring school victimization and weapon carrying among military-connected lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in California schools. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(23-24), 5414–5424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517719537
PFLAG (2021, January 21). National Glossary of terms. https://pflag.org/glossary
The Trevor Project (2021). The Trevor Project national survey on LGBTQ youth mental health. Retrieved by https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey2021/?section=Introduction
The Trevor Project (2023). Trevor Project National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People. Retrieved by https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2023/
The Trevor Project (2022). 2022 National survey on LGBTQ youth mental health. Retrieved by https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/#suicide-by-sexual orientation
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. (2021, June). Confronting anti-LGBTQI+ harassment in schools a resource for students and families. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/ocr-factsheet-tix-202106.pdf
Disclosure Statement: These tools are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Have a Question? Ask an MSC!
If you have a question about academic transition, education options, or how to best meet the needs of your military-connected child, connect with a Military Student Consultant.
Our MSCs truly understand the challenges related to military life and they stand ready to serve.