Story links: PRIDE | JUNETEENTH | CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH | HEALTH DISPARITIES | LOUISE LYNCH
Honoring Pride Month
A Message From Our CEO
Last month, Integral Care, alongside Austin Public Health, the City of Austin, and Travis County, launched Ask, Listen, Talk, Repeat, a community-wide mental health awareness campaign designed to encourage conversations about mental health with our children and teens.
Each June, we celebrate Pride Month, a time to recognize the impact and contributions of LGBTQIA+ communities, and honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a significant historical moment for the queer rights movement. This year, we also want to shine a light on LGBTQIA+ youth mental health.
In The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 73% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety and 58% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing symptoms of depression. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24, and LGBTQ youth are at significantly increased risk. The Trevor Project’s survey found that rates of suicidal thoughts have trended upward among LGBTQ young people over the last three years. Additionally, LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers.
It’s critical to note that LGBTQ youth are not predisposed to mental health challenges or suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ youth are placed at higher risk due to societal mistreatment, discrimination, and stigmatization.
20 states across the country, including Texas, have passed law or policy restricting trans youth rights. Now more than ever, we must ensure that our LGBTQIA+ youth and their families have access to the mental health resources and support they need to thrive. There are local support groups such as Out Youth and national hotlines like The Trevor Project that specifically serve LQBTQIA+ young people and caregivers. Integral Care also has a free 24/7 Helpline that provides immediate emotional support.
LGBTQIA+ Support Groups
Out Youth
Free support groups for LGBTQIA+ youth, teens, young adults and caregivers.
PFLAG
Free support group meetings for LGBTQ people, family members and friends in the Austin, Texas area.
TransParent Austin
Monthly support group for Parents/guardians of Trans Youth.
TrevorSpace
Affirming international community for LGBTQ young people ages 13-24.
LGBTQIA+ Hotlines
LGBT National Youth Talkline | 800-246-7743
Monday-Friday, 3pm-11pm CST, Saturday 11am-4pm CST
Free, confidential peer support for the LGBTQIA+ and questioning community ages 25 and under.
Trevor Lifeline | (866) 488-7386, Text START to 678-678
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Free, confidential crisis counseling for LGBTQIA+ youth.
TransLifeLine | (877) 565-8860
Toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | English and Spanish
Run by trans people for trans, those questioning if they are trans, and their family and friends.
Caregiver Resources
Out Youth Caregiver Support Groups
For caregivers of trans, non-binary, and questioning youth.
The Neighborhood: A Virtual Hub for LGBTQ+ Families
Opportunities for LGBTQIA+ families to connect, learn, grow, and have fun. Join the Facebook group or browse virtual events.
If you or someone you know needs help, our team is here to help. We’ll listen to you and support you without judgment. Call us day or night for free emotional support at 512-472-HELP (4357).
David Evans
Chief Executive Officer
Transparencies Archive
Past Transparencies sorted by year
2023
January 2023: Celebrating the 23rd Annual Central Texas African American Family Support Conference
February 2023: Honoring Black History Month
March 2023: Supporting the Needs of People Living with IDD
April 2023: Caring for the Caregivers: National Counseling Awareness Month
May 2023: Mental Health Month: Championing Our Children’s Mental Health
2022
December 2022: Looking Ahead to the 88th Legislative Session
November 2022: Supporting Children’s Mental Health
October 2022: Working Toward Racial Equity
September 2022: Coming Together on the Road to Recovery & Suicide Prevention
August 2022: Expanding Access to Critical Mental Health Support
July 2022: Supporting BIPOC Mental Health through Data
June 2022: Celebrating Pride Month
April-May 2022: Looking Ahead to Mental Health Month
March 2022: Honoring Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
February 2022: Strengthening Our Network of Mental Health Support
January 2022: Looking Ahead in 2022
2021
December 2021: Celebrating Progress & Innovation in 2021
November 2021: Action Steps Toward Preventing and Ending Homelessness
October 2021: Language Access & Racial Equity
September 2021: Treatment & Addiction Psychiatry at Integral Care
August 2021: Returning to School plus the Legislative Wrap-up
July 2021: Creating Lasting Change for BIPOC Mental Health
June 2021: Facts & Resources This Pride Month
May 2021: Mental Health Month
April 2021: How do we help Austinites experiencing homelessness?
March 2021: Growth and Positive Change
February 2021: How Do We Create a Better Future?
January 2021: Looking Ahead to the Legislative Session
2020
December 2020: Supporting Your Mental Health This Winter
November 2020: How do we rebuild health and well-being during a pandemic?
October 2020: With Collaboration Comes Innovation
September 2020: Success Stories of Recovery and Suicide Prevention
August 2020: A Back to School Season Like Never Before
July 2020: Minority Health Disparities & COVID-19
June 2020: Stronger Together
May 2020: Surviving and Thriving During Uncertain Times
April 2020: Persevering During COVID-19
March 2020: Collaborations and Initiatives to Improve Health for the IDD Population
February 2020:Solutions to Health and Health Care Disparities
January 2020: Sucicide Prevention a Local Effort
2019
December 2019: A Year of Thriving Care & Collaboration
November 2019: Teamwork and Collaboration Impact Homelessness in Travis County
October 2019:Making Strides for World Mental Health
September 2019: Taking Steps to Recovery Support
August 2019: Working Together for Child & Youth Mental Health
July 2019: Legislative Wrap-Up – Some Bipartisan Wins for Healthcare
June 2019: Strengthening Access for Veterans and the Entire Military Family
May 2019: Women and Mental Health
April 2019: Legislative Session Status Report
March 2019: Making Opportunities for Recovery More Accessible
February 2019: Recovery is Possible
January 2019: Stronger Outcomes Through Collaboration
December 2018: Looking ahead to the 86th Texas Legislature
November 2018: How Tech is Changing the Face of Mental Health
October 2018: A Few Questions Could Help Save a Life
September 2018: Anyone Can Save a Life
August 2018: A Milestone Moment
July 2018: Equity in Mental Health Care for All
June 2018: Expanding Services for Veterans
2018
May 2018: Your Mental Health Toolkit
April 2018: Time of Terror Calls for Increased Emotional Support
March 2018: Stopping the cycle of incarceration for individuals with mental illness
February 2018: Equity in mental healthcare for everyone
January 2018 : Improving Mental Health Through Partnership & Collaboration
2017
December 2017: Strength Through Community
November 2017 : Healthy Lifestyles Improve Well-Being
October 2017 : National Child Health Day
September 2017 : Strengthening Families and Communities
Highlight: Juneteenth
On June 19th, 1865, 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas and delivered the Executive Order that freed the remaining 250,000+ enslaved Black people in Texas. This announcement came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. To commemorate this historic day, we celebrate Juneteenth by honoring and acknowledging African American resilience, cultural heritage, and the ongoing struggle for racial equity.
To celebrate, Integral Care will be back at the Juneteenth Park Festival at Rosewood & Boggy Creek Park (2300 Rosewood Ave.) on June 17th from noon to 9 pm hosting a booth. Stop by, say hello, and learn more about accessing Integral Care services. There are some great Juneteenth events happening around Austin this month, so be sure to check those out as well:
Free Your Mind Juneteenth Lecture Series with Pamela Dawson
Monday, June 12, 6-8 pm
George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center
1165 Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702
Free Your Mind Juneteenth Lecture Series with Michael Twitty
Thursday, June 15, 6-8 pm
George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center
1165 Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702
Carver Museum ATX Presents: Stay Black and Live Juneteenth Community Kickback and Dance Party
Friday, June 16, from 6-9 pm
George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center
1165 Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade
Sat., Jun 17, 10 am
The parade starts at MLKing Jr Blvd/Salina St. and ends at Chestnut Ave./Pleasant Valley.
Stay Black and Live Juneteenth Celebration: Austin Family Reunion Cookout and Music Festival
Saturday, June 17, 2023, from 3–9 pm
George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center
1165 Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702
FREEDOM FEST 2023
Saturday, June 17, 6-9 pm
7201 Colony Loop Drive Austin, TX 78724
Free Your Mind Juneteenth Lecture Series with Dr. Annette Gordon- Reed
Monday, June 19, 1-3 pm
George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center
1165 Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702
Highlight: FY2022 Health Disparities Report Card
Integral Care is committed to creating a culture of inclusion for our clients and staff that supports people of all identities. In support of this work, we are continuously building upon our operational and clinical foundation to create more equitable access to services and build an organization that values diversity and equity. We launched our Health Disparities Report Card to identify, monitor, respond to, and reduce racial and health disparities.
Related to our LGBTQ+ clients, our FY2022 Health Disparities Report Card made these significant findings:
- Drug overdose deaths were 1x higher among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals as compared to heterosexual individuals.
- Rates of HIV were 8x higher among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals as compared to heterosexual individuals served by Integral Care.
- Transgender clients had higher rates of suicide and psychiatric hospitalizations than cisgender clients.
One way we’re working to reduce these disparities is through our work with the Healthcare Equality Index initiative (HEI), which we joined last year alongside Central Health, People’s Community Clinic, ASHwell, City of Austin’s LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission, CommUnityCare and Out Youth. The aim of the HEI is improving access to equitable, inclusive, quality health care for the LGBTQ2IA+ community. As a part of this work, we are:
- Implementing new data methods for tracking sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data
- Developing specialized policies, practices and tools for staff to adequately support LGBTQ+ patients and employees
- Conducting a Health Equality Index 2024 survey to evaluate and score Integral Care on LGBTQ+ practices
By undergoing this rigorous process, we are hopeful that we will see better, more equitable outcomes for our LGBTQIA+ clients, staff, and community members.
Bridging the Gap Sponsor Highlight
“NAMI Central Texas supports Integral Care because Integral Care is crucial for anyone in a mental health crisis and their loved ones. We are so grateful that the wonderful people of Integral Care answer the calls when people are in crisis. Integral Care’s commitment to providing resources for the people of Travis County who need them the most is a crucial part of our behavioral health infrastructure.” – Kate Hix, Executive Director
“Trimbuilt holds health and well-being above all else, in the professional and personal environments, so in turn we feel a distinct respect for Integral Care and their staff. With the resources and programs provided by Integral Care, we have the tools to build a brighter future for Austin and the community that lives here.”
What's New
Dell Medical School Tour
Integral Care staff led Dr. Claudia Luccinetti, Dean of Dell Medical School and Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at UT Austin, and Dr. Charles Nemeroff, Professor and Chair, Dell Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, on a tour of some of our mental health facilities, including Terrace at Oak Springs and the Hopkins Behavioral Health Building.
Pictured left to right: Dr. Ashley Trust, Dr. Kathleen Casey, Director of Clinical Innovation and Development, Dr. Ziyad Nuwayhid, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Claudia Luccinetti, Dell Medical School, Zeynep Kleiman, Program Manager – Terrace at Oak Springs, Dr. Charles Nemeroff, Dell Medical School.
Call Center Clinicians Receive 100 Club Award
Our EMCOT 911 Call Center Clinicians received the Chair Award recognizing Outstanding First Responders at the 40th Annual Awards Ceremony of the 100 Club of Central Texas. This award recognizes the hard work and dedication of first responders in Central Texas who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Pictured left to right: (Back row) Lt. Ken Murphy, APD, Sherry Blyth, Director, Crisis Services, Specialty Substance Use Treatment and Justice Initiatives, Kedra Priest, Practice Manager – Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (EMCOT), Colleen McCollough, Program Manager – 911 Call Center, Liz Collins, QMHP, Cierra Barnes, QMHP, Lt. Maria Calagna, APD, (Front row) Genevieve Thomas, APD, Mayra Todo, APD, Jessica Bergerson, QMHP, Sidney Douglas, Program Manager – EMCOT.
Staff Present at NatCon 2023
Bryan Camphire, Program Manager – IDD Crisis Services, and Melanie Babbitt, LMSW, IDD Crisis Services Supervisor, gave a poster presentation on “Outpatient Biopsychosocial Services for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Pilot Project” at NatCon 2023 in Los Angeles.
FY2022 Annual Report Now Available
Our FY2022 Annual Report is now available. Learn more about our impact.
June Together We Will Heal Forum
Join us on June 21st at 1:30pm for this month’s Together We Will Heal Forum. Rena Newman, Peer Support at Austin State Hospital, will discuss peer support services in mental health care. Register here to learn more about peers, their work, and how they facilitate care and recovery in mental health and addiction.
May Children's Mental Health Forum Recording
In case you missed it, last month’s forum, “The State of Our Children’s Mental Health,” in partnership with NAMI Central Texas, is now available to view here.