Wisconsin-Based Resources

PRISM Program - Virtual mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth in Wisconsin 

Call or text the Prism Warmline at 414-336-7974

The PRISM Program is a new pilot program to connect LGBTQ+ youth in Wisconsin with trained peer-specialists who can provide mental and emotional support and mentorship. Prism offers 1:1 individualized support as well as a weekly support group meeting. PRISM is free, available by phone and online, and offering in-person support in Lacrosse, Madison, and Milwaukee. Call 414-336-7974 and leave a brief message with your name, phone number, county of residence, and whatever you want to share about what you're seeking support on. Email prism@Mhawisconsin.org or check out the website for more info. 

The Center for Community Healing - Madison, WI 

"The Center for Community Healing is a counseling center in Madison, Wisconsin dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and families. Queer folx in distress need skilled clinicians who understand their lived experiences and identities.  We are queer and trans clinicians who have significant clinical expertise in supporting recovery from trauma, managing anxious and depressive symptoms, and making relationships work for you. "

Services include: Mental Health Counseling, Telehealth and phone counseling, gender affirming support."

Free Short Term Counseling for Black LGBTQ+ Folks in Wisconsin 

"In honor of Tony McDade and Nina Pop, Shannon will be offering a limited number of free, short-term counseling sessions for Black LGBTQ+ folx in Wisconsin. Those who are eligible can access up to 5, 50 minute counseling sessions. To access this care, you must:

• Have access to an internet connection and the ability to use our HIPAA compliant telehealth app via smartphone or computer for sessions. Computer and internet access is needed for sessions as long as the Center for Community Healing is providing telehealth remotely. We are in the process of evaluating safety considerations and a return to in person sessions, and will be working remotely at least through the end of June

• Live in the State of Wisconsin and be in the State of Wisconsin at the time of services per license requirements

• Be age 18 or older

Please call Shannon at (608) 520-0461 or email shannon.neimeko@gmail.com to schedule a phone consult.

Diverse & Resilient - Milwaukee Area 

Diverse & Resilient is a Wisconsin-based organization to provide capacity-building and direct-service work to address health disparities for LGBTQ people in Wisconsin. Areas of focus include anti-violence, leadership building, sexual health and substance use. 

LGBT Resource Centers in Wisconsin 

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center - Milwaukee  

Nationwide Resources for LGBTQ+ Suicide Prevention

The Trevor Project, suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the TrevorLifeline now at 1-866-488-7386 OR text START to 678-678. 

Trevor Space online community for LGBTQ people ages 13-24 

Trevor Support Center - resources about sexual orientation, gender identity, and more!

LGBTQ Suicide Prevention Resources 

Trans Lifeline Trans Lifeline is a grassroots, nonprofit organization lead by trans people offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis through the Hotline (877-565-8860) (Hours: 9am-3am CT).

Trans Assistance Microgrants program provides trans and nonbinary people with funds to cover the costs of updating and correcting names and gender markers on identifying legal documents. 

Report: Still Ringing the Alarm: An Enduring Call to Action for Black Youth Suicide Prevention, released by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Gun Violence Solutions. This report describes how Black youth, especially Black LGBTQ+ youth, are at disproportionate risk for suicide, which is heightened by the prevalence of firearms.

Resource Guide from Suicide Prevention Resource Center: 

Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth: Resource Guide for Professionals, Families, and Communities: Developed by SPRC in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, the guide centers the input of LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and those who have experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Webinar- now available to give an overview of this and other resources provided by SPRC

Data Sources

Wisconsin 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Summary Report

The 2019 Wisconsin YRBS was conducted as part of a national effort by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor health risk behaviors of the nation’s high school students. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has administered the YRBS to a representative sample of Wisconsin high school students every two years beginning with 1993.

Wisconsin 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Comparison Tables

The primary purpose of this document is to allow Wisconsin high schools, counties, and CESA’s with results from their participation in the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to compare their local results to the 2019 Wisconsin state-level results.

Trevor Project 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 

The Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health is the most up to date national data and the largest survey of its kind (over 40,000 LGBTQ+ youth), and it focuses on the unique challenges that LGBTQ+ youth face every day.

Here are just some of the insights from this year’s survey:

• 40% of LGBTQ young people seriously considered suicide in the past year.

• 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth reported that they had been physically threatened or harmed in their lifetime due to their LGBTQ identity
• 46% of youth reported wanting psychological or emotional counseling from a mental health professional but were unable to receive it in the past twelve months
• Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having their pronouns respected by all or most of the people in their lives attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected

Trevor Project Report: All Black Lives Matter: Mental Health of Black LGBTQ+ Youth 

Black LGBTQ youth’s identification with multiple marginalized identities might make them more susceptible to negative experiences and decreased mental health. Both LGBTQ youth and Black youth report higher rates of poor mental health due to chronic stress stemming from the marginalized social status they have in U.S. society. However, very little research has quantitatively explored outcomes specific to Black LGBTQ youth. This report utilizes an intersectional lens to contribute to our understanding of the Black LGBTQ youth experience among a national sample of over 2,500 Black LGBTQ youth by highlighting and building upon many of the findings released from The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2020 as they relate to Black LGBTQ youth.

A few highlights include: 

• 44% of Black LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months, including 59% of Black transgender and nonbinary youth
• 55% of Black LGBTQ youth reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in the past two weeks, including 70% of Black transgender and nonbinary youth
• 63% of Black LGBTQ youth report symptoms of major depressive disorder including 71% of Black transgender and nonbinary youth
• Self-harm was reported in 44% of Black LGBTQ youth, including 61% of Black transgender and nonbinary youth
• 49% of Black LGBTQ youth reported wanting psychological or emotional counseling from a mental health professional in the past 12 months, but not being able to get it 

Trevor Project Report - Mental Health and Wellbeing of LGBTQ+ Youth who are Intersex 

AAS: Suicidal Behavior Among LGBT Youth Fact Sheet 

LGBTQ+ Mental Health: Insights from MHA Screening Report

LGBTQ+ Mental Health: Insights from MHA Screening explores the data from the nearly 300,000 LGBTQ individuals who took a mental health screen from 2017-2019. Through this analysis, we highlight the specific challenges faced by LGBTQ individuals, particularly youth, and provide specific policy and programmatic recommendations to ensure them necessary, appropriate and timely support.

 U.S. Transgender Survey: 2015

The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey is the largest survey ever conducted about the lives and experiences of transgender people. The USTS fills some of the gaps in research on transgender people and the disparities they face, and should be used as a tool to guide researcher, policy makers, and advocates in their efforts to address the needs of transgender people.  

 Public Health-Madison & Dane County LGBTQ+ Profile

This health profile of the LGBTQ+ community living in the Dane County/Madison metro area summarizes the challenges, opportunities, and recommendations for improving conditions and promoting health for LGBTQ+ individuals. 

The Family Acceptance Project

The Family Acceptance Project™ is a research, intervention, education and policy initiative that works to prevent health and mental health risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) children and youth, including suicide, homelessness and HIV – in the context of their families, cultures and faith communities. We use a research-based, culturally grounded approach to help ethnically, socially and religiously diverse families to support their LGBT children.

Two particular resources of interest can be found at: https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/publications

2015 National School Climate Survey

LGBTQ Students Experience Pervasive Harassment and Discrimination, But School-Based Supports Can Make a Difference

NIMH Research Highlight - Differences in Suicide Risk Among Subgroups of Sexual and Gender Minority College Students 

In an NIMH-supported study, researchers found that college students identifying as a sexual or gender minority had higher rates of suicidal risk factors than cisgender and heterosexual peers, and that there were significant differences in risk among sexual minority subgroups.

MHA Archived Webinar - Under Reporting of Suicide Attempts in Gender Non-conforming Individuals 

Current systems and research largely ignore transgender, non-binary, and other gender non-conforming individuals. There is a dearth of information and data collected by the government about populations that are often under served or discriminated against, such as transgender and non-binary individuals. Once policy makers are armed with this data, they can make informed decisions about how to best address issues such as LGBTQ youth suicide. Collecting this data correctly has the potential to help save lives. This webinar discusses what data on trans and nonbinary people is collected, gaps in data collection, and how this data can inform policy decisions. 

Resources for Health Care and Schools 

National LGBT Health Education Center (Fenway Institute)

The National LGBT Health Education Center provides educational programs, consultations, and resources to healthcare organizations in hopes of optimizing quality, cost-effective health care for LGBT people.