GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A local nonprofit has received a $1.2 million grant to support LGBTQ youth in Kent and Ottawa counties.
Arbor Circle announced Monday, April 1, it has received the three-year federal grant and that the dollars will be used on LGBTQ youth and their families and caregivers through counseling and support programs that aim to reduce behavioral health risks.
Arbor Circle officials say the work is a continuation of an initiative started in 2017 with True Colors United and community organizations aimed at creating strategies to advance the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ youth and young adults.
“We are humbled by the opportunity to continue seeking the answer to the question first posed by our work with True Colors United,” said Susan Sheppard, Arbor Circle’s vice president and COO. “How might we ensure all LGBTQ+ youth in West Michigan live in a safe, secure community?”
Arbor Circle is located at 1115 Ball Ave. NE in Grand Rapids. People can .
Work focusing on the health and wellness of LGBTQ youth is important, Arbor Circle officials said, as data show they are at higher risk than their non-LGBTQ peers.
According to the Trevor Project, a leading national suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth, LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. A survey by the Trevor Project found that 45% of LGBTQ youth in Michigan considered suicide in 2022.
LGBTQ youth aren’t inherently more prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the Trevor Project. Rather, it’s because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.
Arbor Circle officials say that data from the Kent County Continuum of Care in 2022 also shows that nearly 27% of all runaway and homeless youth in the county identify within the LGBTQ community.
The federal grant dollars will also be used to bring together organizations that engage with youth and families to support increased acceptance and understanding, conduct training on successful interventions and raise awareness of available services, Arbor Circle officials said.
Arbor Circle will collaborate with a number of local organizations on the project, including Grand Rapids LGBTQ+ Healthcare Consortium, Grand Rapids Pride Center, Out on the Lakeshore, Kent Intermediate School District, Ottawa Intermediate School District, and the West Michigan Partnership for Children.
“We are pleased to partner with Arbor Circle on this work to support the mental health and wellness of LGBTQ+ youth in our community,” said Jennie Knight, executive director of Grand Rapids LGBTQ+ Healthcare Consortium.
“Mental health is a crucial, but often overlooked, component of healthcare, and this grant will help us to address this need.”
