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LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Resources

Youth and young adults who are part of the LGBTQ+ community face unique challenges, making them more susceptible to mental health struggles and leading to greater rates of behavioral health needs

In Massachusetts, young people have a wide variety of options for mental health and substance use support. The Commonwealth is home to countless community-based organizations, therapeutic services, peer support groups, and resource navigators that provide empathetic, culturally-sensitive care for any young person in the LGBTQ+ community.

This resource guide contains a sampling of the services and supports available to LGBTQ+ youth in Massachusetts.

Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth (AGLY) Network

The AGLY Network is a group of community-based organizations across the state that provides social support and direct services to more than 6,000 LGBTQ+ youth annually. Each LGBTQ youth group in the AGLY Network offers a variety of social support programming and development opportunities that build on the strengths and abilities of LGBTQ young people across the state. Find your local AGLY Youth Group below.

Statewide AGLY Network  Boston (BAGLY)  Brockton (BrAGLY)  OUT MetroWest  Holyoke (House of Colors)  Merrimack Valley (McVAGLY)  North Shore (NAGLY)  Greenfield (Generation Q)  Pittsfield (Live Out Loud)  South Coast (SOCO-AGLY)  Springfield (Out Now)  Worcester (SWAGLY) 

Local Organizations

Massachusetts has a wide variety of drop-in centers, peer support services, and community-based organizations that offers a range of resources to LBGTQ+ youth. Below are some of these organizations, which offer support and can help connect youth and young adults with the resources that are right for them. While these are all community-based organizations within Massachusetts, there are a variety of national organizations that offer similar support, including The Trevor Project and Youth - Gender Spectrum.

Boston GLASS  YOUnity Drop-In Center - Gloucester  Safe Homes MA - Worcester, Fitchburg, Virtual  Cape & Islands Gay and Straight Youth Alliance (CIGSYA)  Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth (BAGLY)  Out Now - Western Massachusetts 

Therapeutic Resources

While the Commonwealth is home to countless mental and behavioral health resources, including LGBTQ+ specific services for the larger LGBTQ+ community, there are also a variety of services and programs that specifically support LGBTQ+ youth, providing individual and group therapy, mental health counseling, peer mental health supports, and more. Check out the resources below, and for further help finding mental health treatment that meets your needs, contact the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line.

Boston Children's Hospital Multispecialty Service (GeMS)  The Home for Little Wanderers - Out at Home  BAGLY Short Term Therapy Service - (25 and younger) 

Activities for LGBTQ+ Youth

These camps and activities offer communities for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults to explore their identity outside of home or school-based settings. While extracurriculars can, at times, be prohibitively expensive, a variety of scholarships exist for LGBTQ+ young people interested in joining these communities. 

Camps for LGBTQ+ Youth + Scholarship Opportunities  Harbor Camps (New Hampshire)  True Colors: Out Youth Theatre 

State Government Resources

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts facilitates several programs and resources for LGBTQ+ youth. Below is a sampling of such services, including a comprehensive mental health and gender-affirming care resource guide for LBGTQ+ youth and families, compiled by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office in January 2023.

Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth  Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ students  Mental Health Resource Guide for MA Youth 

Resources for Schools

If you are an educator, administrator, or even a student, these resources can help you craft a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community within your district or school community. 

Welcoming Schools  GLSEN  Safe Zone Project  Boston Public Schools - BCH  Teacher Resources: Gender  Know Your Rights: School  ACLU Resource Library  SPLC Classroom Resources 

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