Take Action
You Can Put Patients Before Politics!
For over two years, Nebraska’s Board of Mental Health Practice has been working on a non-discrimination policy for patients and will have a public hearing on May 6.
Will you urge them to move forward a policy without needless language that doesn’t protect patients?
Here’s what you need to know now:
- The policy includes both sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as a requirement to refer when a provider is unable, for any reason, to care for a patient.
- The language surrounding the referral is needlessly complex in order to appease the Nebraska Catholic Conference, not to protect patients and not to match what the professional associations use.
- The only thing that stopped a bad policy from moving forward last year was your speaking out. Once again, it will be you and other members and friends of Nebraska’s LGBT community that can make a difference.
Want more info? Check out:
Timeline & Background | F.A.Q. | Statement from NE Mental Health Orgs
Share Your Story
If you are an LGBT person who has needed mental health care, or a close friend/family member, your story is needed. It can be as simple as this:
I’m a lesbian, and before I came out, I needed mental health care. After a few sessions with my therapist, I started accepting who I am and told my therapist I had a crush on another woman. If I wasn’t able to trust my provider, I might not be at the much healthier place that I am today.
Speak out in support of public health policy that puts patients above religious ideology.
Say who you are and why this issue is important to you and some points from below:
- The only language that, without question, affirms that the basic standard of care as “treat or refer” is the July 2009 language.
- The July 2009 language is grounded in professional ethics and consistent with that of national licensing agencies.
- Mental health policy should be based upon what’s in the best interest of patients/clients.
- No one who needs mental health care should be turned away for any reason, including their gender identity or sexual orientation.
- Remember that your personal story is the most powerful thing you can share.
Write Your Local Paper
Check out a tip-sheet on making your letter as effective as possible!
Attend the Hearing
Thurs, May 6 1:30 pm
State Office Building
301 Centennial Mall
South Lower Level
Conference Rm A
Lincoln NE 68509
to deny mental health care to individuals, on grounds of gender identity and sexual orientation, is simply sexist– heterosexist, in fact. it is time to move beyond the idea that heterosexuality is synonymous with normalcy, as there is no manual of humankind dictating what the norms of living and loving are.
Thanks so much for your comment, Jonna!
The currently proposed policy, while including a non-discrimination clause and a referral requirement, is bother some because it gives providers the OK to pick and choose what parts of a person they refer based on the provider’s personal ideology – not what the needs of the patient are.
If you haven’t yet submitted your comment to the Board of Mental Health Practice, please do so today and encourage others to as well.