Improving Access to Behavioral Health Services

By Debbie Starnes, Director, Development and Programming

IHCRC is home to perhaps the largest culturally-sensitive behavioral health department for Native Americans in Northeastern Oklahoma. Consisting of psychiatrists, psychologists, LPCs, LCSWs, and CADCs, IHCRC’s Behavioral Health Department is able to provide a wide variety of services for all ages. In addition to testing, counseling, therapy, and outpatient substance abuse treatment, IHCRC also offers: youth substance abuse and suicide prevention; bullying and interpersonal violence prevention; domestic violence prevention and counseling, and wraparound services for youth at-risk. All services are integrated with the health services offered at the clinic.

Even with one of the most robust behavioral health departments in Indian Country, IHCRC still had 60 adolescents on a waiting list for therapy. New referrals for therapy averaged 24 per month. Referrals from IHCRC’s in-house pediatric department doubled from an average of 41 annually to 87 during the first 10 months of 2020. It is no surprise that the pandemic has intensified behavioral health needs, especially for adolescents who are LGBTQ2S+.

Oklahoma is second to California in the number of Native American residents. A study by Kids Data found that 7.6% of California’s Native American youth identified as LGBTQ2S+. Using that percentage to extrapolate Oklahoma numbers, more than 1,800 Native American adolescents ages 10-18 are LGBTQ2S+. (2,610 when adolescents who are dual race or ethnicity are included.) Tulsa LGBTQ2S+ youth attempt suicide at three times the national average. Two of three youths have had a negative experience at school and reports of bullying are 15% higher than in the survey from 2009. Forty percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ2S+. (Tulsa Reaches Out Survey of LGBTQ2S+, Dec 2019)

In November of 2020, IHCRC applied for a grant from The Upswing Fund. The grants goals: (1) reduce the wait list for youth to receive behavioral health services, and (2) increase in the number of LGBTQ+ adolescents served throughout the clinic. Recognizing the critical need to serve additional LGBTQ2S+ Native American (alone or dual race) adolescents, IHCRC utilized The Upswing Fund grant to hire a fulltime counselor. This individual specializes in working with adolescents, especially adolescents who are LGBTQ2S+. Today Tulsa’s LGBTQ2S+ Native American youth are assisted with issues related to coming out, gender identity, family dynamics, self-esteem, body dysphoria, and trauma related issues (sexual assault, abandonment, bullying) which are often both historical and current in character. IHCRC FALL 2021 17