What's Happening - Seven Hills Foundation

Grant Supports Gender Wellness Initiative

Written by Seven Hills Foundation | Sep 3, 2021 3:51:16 PM

For Massachusetts high school youth who identify as sexual minorities the rates of suicide and suicidal ideation, parental rejection and bias, and bullying are more than double compared to those of their heterosexual peers. The Gender Wellness Initiative, a program of Children’s Friend, addresses this serious disparity. Thanks to the generous $10,000 grant from the Mabel A. Horne Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, the Gender Wellness Initiative can continue to be the primary source for mental health services, staff training and outreach for transgender and gender nonconforming youth, and a community-based resource center for LGBTQIA+ education and referrals in central Massachusetts. We provide supportive, empowering behavioral health treatment for children, teens and families. Our various therapeutic approaches are evidenced based, and trauma informed when appropriate, to support the myriad of needs of the high-risk youth who identify as transgender, gender nonconforming, or other sexual minorities. Our Gender Resource Specialist runs monthly support groups for youth and caregivers, and provides consultations and trainings for clinical staff, educators, and other professionals across central Massachusetts, to help them better support the LGBTQIA+ youth in our community.