Initiative will increase access across North Texas to first-ever evidence-based therapy created by and for LGBTQ+ people
FRISCO, TX, February 15, 2024— Pride Frisco is proud to announce our ground-breaking participation in the Yale School of Public Health LGBTQ Mental Health Initiative. The program will provide training and continuing education to our healthcare providers to address the mental health crisis in the LGBTQ+ community.
The initiative is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and represents the first evidence-based training program in LGBTQ-affirming cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Nearly 40 local healthcare providers have already signed up to participate, and we have made available the training to our providers, including therapists from Joon and Room for Change.
“Participating therapists will be empowered to deliver therapy utilizing best practices recommended by the American Psychological Association that focus on intersectionality and recognize the structural, social, and cultural conditions of sexual and gender minorities. We are grateful to Dr. Pachankis and the Yale School of Public Health for the opportunity to provide this training to our partner providers,”—Jon Culpepper, Pride Frisco Co-Founder, Board Vice President
Joon, an LGBTQ-affirming teletherapy provider, will offer the therapy through their mobile app-based platform that is confidential and convenient for teens and young adults ages 13-24. For those seeking in-person services, Room for Change will offer the therapy through individualized and group-based sessions at their locations in Garland and Dallas-Oaklawn.
“Joon is excited to partner with Pride Frisco and help achieve their vision of connecting community needs with trusted, local and national resources. Our diverse team of therapists will help provide affirming mental health care to the youth within their community and is proud to support their organization,"—Emily Pesce, Joon CEO
“This partnership allows us to ensure that all who need care have access to someone who is both compassionate and competent. No one should ever feel alone,”—Amanda Esquivel, Room for Change Owner & Lead Therapist
“This ground-breaking partnership with Yale, Joon, and Room for Change underscores our organization’s unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of our community in Frisco and North Texas as we grapple with the unprecedented mental health crisis that is taking a devastating toll. In 2021, data from the CDC indicate that 51% of LGBTQ+ high school students seriously contemplated suicide. We must take action now to save lives.”—Justin Culpepper, Pride Frisco Co-Founder, Board President
For those without insurance, grants and financial assistance may be available. For more information on these LGBTQ-affirming mental health services, visit Pride Frisco’s mental health resource page.
ABOUT PRIDE FRISCO
Established in 2021, Pride Frisco is the first and only nonprofit LGBTQ-resource center in Frisco, Texas. We provide year-round support through social and educational programming, professional resources, scholarships, and strategic collaborations. Guided by a committed to sustainability and an intersectional approach, our strategic vision is to establish a Pride Center: a brick-and-mortar hub addressing the unmet need for a safe space offering year-round, life-affirming resources for the LGBTQIA+ community of Frisco and North Texas.
Media Contact: Justin Culpepper | contact@pridefrisco.org | (972) 665-6452