Sexual Minorities and Mental Health: The Need for a Public Health Response

SUMMARY This paper outlines the public mental health response to sexual minorities in the United States. Information from the academic literature, federal and state initiatives, and the work of the organized lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities is placed in an historical context of mental health attitudes toward homosexuality. In addition to recommendations for future directions in research and treatment, the authors present an argument for establishing a coordinated federal initiative to address some of the unique mental health needs of the LGBT community.