Increasing Family Support for LGBTQ Students to Reduce Risk & Promote Well-Being

Monterey County Rainbow Connections
A Family Acceptance Project® Training

Increasing Family Support for LGBTQ Students to Reduce Risk & Promote Well-Being

October 14, 2025
9 am – 1:30 pm PST

4 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.

Critical research from the Family Acceptance Project® (FAP) has shown that family rejection contributes to health risks for LGBTQ youth, including suicidal behavior, depression, illegal drug use and sexual health risks, while family acceptance helps protect against risk and promote well-being. The current mental health emergency for children and adolescents has increased the urgent need for support for students, especially LGBTQ students who are at high risk for victimization, rejection and bullying. This training will discuss FAP’s evidence-based approach to help diverse families to support LGBTQ students in the context of their families, cultures and faith communities, including multilingual resources and strategies to increase family connectedness and support.

This free training is hosted by Rainbow Connections with administrative support provided by Gender Health Training Institute.

Educational Goal

Participants will learn how to apply FAP’s Family Support Model in clinical settings, including use of FAP’s multilingual educational resources and intervention strategies.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Discuss the role of family acceptance and rejection of LGBTQ students on their health and well-being
Identify 3 family behaviors that contribute to health risks for LGBTQ students, including suicidality, depression, illegal drug use and HIV and 3 family behaviors that protect against risk and promote well-being
Identify 2 Family Acceptance Project® multilingual resources to help diverse parents and caregivers to decrease risk and increase well-being for LGBTQ students
Describe 2 strategies that schools can use to increase family engagement for LGBTQ students

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.

4 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.