A new study is sounding the alarm on mental health care for LGBTQ folks in rural America. Researchers from the Geisinger Health System analyzed five years of patient data and found LGBTQ people, especially transgender and non-binary youth, face staggering rates of depression and suicidality.
And even though they access outpatient care more often than straight, cisgender peers, many still land in the emergency room for mental health crises. Let’s talk numbers. Among transgender minors, 59% were diagnosed with major depression, compared to just 12.4% of non-LGBTQ peers. 8.5% ended up in the ER for suicidal thoughts, six times the control group’s rate.
The study concludes, “These findings suggest that outpatient care may fall short in addressing the underlying mental health needs of LGBTQ individuals.”
It’s not for lack of trying. LGBTQ adults and minors visited outpatient clinics more frequently and sought mental health help at higher rates. Still, the gaps persist, especially in rural areas with few or no LGBTQ-affirming providers. The ‘Health care access and utilization by transgender populations: a United States Transgender Survey study’ found that just 2.8% of transgender people felt their doctor understood their gender-related care. And nearly one in five said their doctor knew “almost nothing.”
The solution? Experts say it starts with training providers to deliver affirming care, building inclusive systems, and making gender-affirming services accessible—especially for youth. Because until that happens, too many queer and trans people will continue to face mental health care that feels like crisis control instead of true healing.
