The mental health system is failing queer kids of color—and we’re letting it happen
Jayden is a 16-year-old Black queer teenager living in a low-income neighborhood on Atlanta’s west side. When he was unable to attend school because of his worsening panic attacks, he finally asked for help, but his cries went unanswered. The mental health system in this country wasn’t made for queer kids of color, which is why even when they go out to search for mental health care, too many are met with doors closed or closed minds. Jayden isn’t real, but his story is. It is built from interviews, national survey data, and the experiences of BIPOC LGBTQ+ youth in low-income communities […]