
Monterey County Rainbow Connections
A Family Acceptance Project® Training
Helping Families to Promote Well-Being & Reduce Health Risks for LGBTQ+ Children & Youth: A Family Acceptance Project® Foundations Training
May 8th, 2025 / 9 am – 4:30 pm PST
CE’s Available
The Gender Health Training Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Gender Health Training Institute maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Educational Goal
Increase the knowledge of providers, educators and others to help diverse families to decrease family rejection and health risks and to increase family acceptance and well-being of LGBTQ children and youth.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the role of family acceptance and rejection on risk and well-being for LGBTQ youth and how this relates to trauma
- List 3 family behaviors that contribute to increased health risks for LGBTQ youth, including suicidality, depression, substance abuse and HIV
- List 3 family behaviors that help protect against risk and promote well-being
- Identify 2 Family Acceptance Project ® strategies to help diverse parents and caregivers to decrease family rejection and risk and to increase family acceptance and well-being for LGBTQ children and youth
- Identify 2 Family Acceptance Project ® resources to help diverse families to decrease rejection and health risks and to increase family acceptance and well-being for LGBTQ children and youth
- Describe FAP’s approach to help caregivers to apply cultural and religious values to decrease rejecting behaviors and increase supportive behaviors to reduce their LGBTQ child’s risk and to increase well-being
Presenters

Caitlin Ryan, PhD, ACSW
Caitlin Ryan, PhD, ACSW (her/hers) is a clinical social worker, educator and researcher and director of the Family Acceptance Project® (FAP) at San Francisco State University who has worked on LGBTQ health and mental health for more than 40 years. With her team, Dr. Ryan conducted the first research and developed the first evidence-based family support model to help diverse families to support their LGBTQ children and youth – in the context of their families, cultures and faith traditions. Her work has established the field of family intervention and acceptance for LGBTQ children & youth and is being implemented across systems of care.

Antonia Barba, LCSW
Antonia Barba, LCSW (she/hers) is a consultant, educator and clinician who has worked in the field of community mental health for 20 years. She is a founder and co-chair of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s (NCTSN) Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Collaborative Group and has trained extensively on trauma-informed care with LGBTQ+ youth and families. Antonia collaborates with Dr. Caitlin Ryan to provide FAP trainings and to implement FAP’s Family Support Model to help diverse families to prevent health risks and increase well-being for LGBTQ+ children and youth.
6 CE Credits Available
The Gender Health Training Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Gender Health Training Institute maintains responsibility for this program and its content.