4 th Annual Forum Wednesday 2 nd September 2009 Royal Hospital Kilmainham “Suicide Prevention – Working Together”

1. 4th Annual Forum Wednesday 2nd September 2009 Royal Hospital Kilmainham “Suicide Prevention – Working Together”

2. Responding to Suicide The Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender Community in Ireland How We Got Here.

3. Irish LGBT Organisations • First Irish LGBT organisations formed in 1970’s. • Awareness of incidence and risks of suicide and self-harm amongst members of the community. • From 1970’s onwards, Lesbian and Gay Helplines regularly dealing with suicide related calls from LGBT people. • LGBT community all aware of LGBT people who had died by suicide

4. Little recognition at this time within mainstream Irish mental health bodies of high risk of suicide amongst LGBT people • Reliance on information and evidence coming from USA on LGBT issues

5. In 1989, the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ "Report on the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide,” found that gay young people were at a very heightened risk of suicide • The report recommended that: • Mental health and youth services should “train their personnel on gay issues, and provide appropriate gay adult role models” • Schools should “protect gay youth from abuse from their peers and provide accurate information about homosexuality in health curricula. • Families should “accept their child and work toward educating themselves about the development and nature of homosexuality"

6. "This issue is not about a 'different' way of life; it is about life itself. I know that every teacher and every parent fundamentally agrees that no young person -- gay or straight -- should be driven to take her or his life because of isolation and abuse. This is a tragedy we must all work together to prevent. We can take the first step toward ending gay youth suicide by creating an atmosphere of dignity and respect for these young people in our schools.” Massachusettes Republican Governor William F. Weld, June 30, 1993.

7. Switchboards from 1970s Out for Ourselves 1986 Switchboard training early 90s Gay Community News mid 90s Irish Times Article - 1995 LGBT Community Action in Ireland

9. GLEN Education report 1999 – mental health highlighted Strategies to Promote the Mental Health of Lesbian and Gay Men – GLEN research funded by HSE Gay Men’s Health Service (HSE) Early understanding of link between sexual-health and mental-health Personal Development Courses LGBT Community Action

10. Present Work with NOSP Origins • BeLonG To established in 2003. • From that year – young people presenting with suicidal ideation and behaviours. • Major problems accessing support

11. Present Work with NOSP Origins • Campaigned to HSE and National Suicide Review • Group • LGBT people listed as designated ‘at risk group’ in Reachout

12. Reachout • Action 15.2 – Develop Services: • BeLonG To’s National Development Programme • Action 15.1 – Research the issue: • Supporting LGBT Lives

13. Summary • LGBT Community Grassroots Action • Service Development on a shoestring • National Advocacy • Support from the NOSP • Research • Development of significant supports

14. 4th Annual Forum Wednesday 2nd September 2009 Royal Hospital Kilmainham “Suicide Prevention – Working Together”

15. Supporting LGBT Lives:A Brief OverviewOdhrán AllenDirector of Mental Health Strategy 15

16. The study • Funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention • Commissioned by BeLonG To Youth Service and GLEN • Conducted by the Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin and the School of Education, University College Dublin • Most comprehensive study of LGBT people in Ireland, with a special emphasis on young people • The online survey gathered data from 1,110 LGBT people and in-depth interviews were carried out with 40 LGBT people • Report launched by Mary Harney, Minister for Health in February 2009

17. Coming Out • 12 years of age = the most common age that an LGBT person discovers their identity (average 14) • 17 years of age = the most common age to start coming out to others (average 21) • 5 to 7 years = number of years young LGBT people conceal their identity from others • This period of time coincides with puberty, school and a critical period of social, emotional and vocational development

18. School Experiences • 58% reported homophobic bullying in their schools • Over 50% had been called abusive names related to their LGBT identity by fellow students • 40% verbally threatened and 25% physically threatened by school peers • 34% reported homophobic comments by teachers • 20% missed or skipped school because they felt threatened or were afraid of getting hurt at school because they were LGBT • 8% were called homophobic names by teachers • 5% left school early because of homophobic bullying

19. Day-to-Day Victimisation • 80% had been verbally abused because of their LGBT identity • 40% had been threatened with physical violence • 25% had been punched, kicked or beaten because of their LGBT identity • 25% of those who had ever worked had been called abusive names at work because they were LGBT • 15% had been verbally threatened and 17% physically threatened by work colleagues • 10% missed work because they were afraid of being hurt or felt threatened because of their LGBT identity

20. Mental Health Risks • 27% had self-harmed and 85% did so more than once • 40% of females and 20% of male respondents had self-harmed • 18% had attempted suicide - 85% of whom saw this as in some way related to their LGBT identity • 25% of females and 15% of males had attempted suicide • Over a third of those aged 25 years and under had thought seriously about ending their lives within the past year. • This indicates that a significant sub-group of young of LGBT young people in particular are at risk for suicidality

21. Mental Health Resilience • 81% of participants are now comfortable with their LGBT identity, and the majority have good self-esteem and are satisfied with their lives • Over 2/3 have come out to all their immediate family and their friends. • Mental health resilience was related to: • Acceptance and support from family and friends • A positive turnabout or life event such as the transition out of secondary school • Support from LGBT community organisations and services • Developing positive coping strategies and good self-esteem • Positive school or work experiences

22. 4th Annual Forum Wednesday 2nd September 2009 Royal Hospital Kilmainham “Suicide Prevention – Working Together”

23. National Office For Suicide Prevention – Kilmainham, Sept 2nd 2009 Networking LGBT Youth in Ireland

35. 4th Annual Forum Wednesday 2nd September 2009 Royal Hospital Kilmainham “Suicide Prevention – Working Together”

36. Furthering the Recommendations of Supporting LGBT Lives LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE

38. Summary: LGBT Young People • Most young people know they are LGBT at age 12 and start coming out at age 17 • Adolescent years are a time of particular vulnerability for depression, self-harm and • suicidal behaviour • The period between knowing you are LGBT and telling others can be particularly stressful for young people • Acceptance and support from friends and family, but parents in particular, when coming out is critical to good mental health and well-being • With appropriate support and protection from minority stress, the majority of LGBT people learn to cope with this stress and report that they are happy, comfortable with their identity and satisfied with their lives

39. SCHOOL • 58% reported the existence of homophobic bullying in their schools • Over half had been called abusive names related to their sexual orientation or gender identity by fellow students • 40% had been verbally threatened by fellow students • 25% of the overall sample had been physically threatened by their school peers • 20% missed or skipped school because they felt threatened or were afraid of getting hurt at schools • 34% reported homophobic comments by teachers or other staff members

40. Some Recommendations and Actions to date • SCHOOL • Teacher Training • Developed training programme targeting teacher training courses and in-service, including work with National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals. • Teachers Unions and GLEN produced a resource to aid teachers in supporting LGBT students and addressing homophobic bullying • Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) • Developing dedicated LGBT resource with SPHE Support Services

41. Some Recommendations and Actions to date Training packs should be made available to schools Advocacy Campaign including materials for use in classroom Early school leaving initiatives include LGBT young people Working with Oireachtas Joint Committee on Early School Leaving Department of Education & Science The Department along with GLEN will shortly publish Guidance for School Principals in relation to LGB students in second level schools.

42. Some Recommendations and Actions to date • THE YOUTH SECTOR • The youth sector needs to devise clear mechanisms to promote greater awareness of the needs and rights of LGBT young people. • National Youth Work Advisory Committee – Equality Subgroup • Homophobic Bullying Guidelines with OMCYA for the Youth Sector • Diversity Toolkit • The Quality Standards Framework currently being developed for the youth sector should be fully inclusive of LGBT young people. • Equality (including LGBT) now included as core principal • All youth work training should offer comprehensive courses • LGBT-specific youth services require further development nationally. • National Training programme to being rolled out • Designated LGBT youth groups should be supported • National Network of LGBT Youth groups

43. Other developments • Parents Supports – Loving Our Out Kids • Co-branding ads with NOSP in LGBT media and websites • Online Support Service • 3 Year LGBT Youth Awareness Campaign (including an LGBT awareness week) – BeLonG To in partnership with OMCYA.

44. Summary • Supporting LGBT Lives – much action is needed to support LGBT young people. • We are clear on what needs to be done. • We are making progress.

45. Supporting LGBT Lives:Implementing RecommendationsMental Health & Adults 45

46. Recommendations • Basedon the findings of the study • Findings highlight impact negative societal reactions to LGBT people can have on mental health • Minority stress – emphasises that social and structural factors account for higher risk of self-harm and suicide among LGBT people • Experiences such as verbal and physical attacks; fear of coming out; alienation from family and friends; and homophobic bullying in school are all linked to increased mental health risk and suicidality

47. Recommendations Target… • Different sectors: • Health and mental health • Education and youth • Statutory and voluntary • Different determinants of mental health risk: • Social Determinantse.g. challenging homophobic attitudes and behaviour; increasing support for LGBT people, reducing isolation; developing interventions targeted at vulnerable LGBT people • Structural Determinantse.g. developing policies for LGBT equality and inclusion; making mainstream services more responsive to the needs of LGBT people; training professionals on LGBT issues

48. Health & Mental Health Recommendation: • Statutory and voluntary mental health sector, in collaboration with LGBT organisations, should ensure service provision is inclusive of LGBT people Current and Future Actions: • Establishment of HSE National LGBT Advisory Group • LGBT training to be provided by GLEN to organisations funded by NOSP • Development of care standards for LGBT people within statutory mental health sector

49. Training Professionals Recommendation: • Psychiatrists and other professionals should be targeted to increase their understanding of LGBT mental health issues to ensure that training on LGBT issues becomes a standard component of the professional training curriculum Current and Future Actions: • Good practice resource guide being developed for Irish psychiatrists • New curriculum for training of Irish psychiatrists will include LGBT issues • Good practice guide for GPs developed

50. LGBT Programme Development Recommendation: • The HSE and NOSP should continue to resource LGBT organisations to engage in mental health promotion and suicide prevention work Current and Future Actions funded by NOSP/HSE: • BeLonG To National Coordinator and National Network of LGBT Youth Groups • GLEN Director of Mental Health Strategy and Mental Health Programme • LGBT version of ‘Mind Your Mental Health’