Increasing Family Support for LGBTQ+ Students to Reduce Risk and Promote Well-being

Rainbow Connections Master Class Series for learning communities

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

March 11, 2026

This 1-hour session will provide an overview of the Family Acceptance Project® (FAP) family support approach to help diverse families to support their LGBTQ children. FAP conducted the first research and developed the first family support model to help families to decrease rejection and health risks and to increase family acceptance and well-being for LGBTQ young people. FAP’s family support model was designed to be used in multiple settings, including schools. This session will focus on increasing family support for LGBTQ students in schools, including ways that school personnel can provide guidance and resources for parents and caregivers with LGBTQ students.

This session includes a brief discussion of services provided by Partners for Peace, a community agency in Monterey County that provides family services to strengthen families, including education and peer support for families with LGBTQ youth.

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® resources to help diverse parents and caregivers to decrease risk and increase well-being 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.

George Cano

George Cano is a family support partner with Partners for Peace who provides family education and support for families with LGBTQ children as part of the Rainbow Connections program in Monterey County.