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Why We Need Advocacy
Oftentimes GLBT mental health consumers are overtly discriminated against within the mental health system because of their sexual orientation, or indirectly discriminated against by professional staff and mental health service providers who simply do not address or support the consumer concerning their sexual orientation and lifestyle issues.
Many Maryland public, private, and nonprofit mental health organizations offer excellent and culturally competent services to GLBT consumers Others offer wide-based programs and activities with no mentaion of GLBT issues, no GLBT support programs,or groups for GLBT clients. GLBT clients are overlooked.
Many mental health service organizations provide excellent diversity training to their staff. Others provide the required "Diversity Training" which is very broad-based with little information on GLBT issues and resources.
Hearts & Ears, Inc. is committed to advocate for inclusion of GLBTQ diversity issues in all Maryland mental health programs and services.
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The Hearts & Ears, Inc.
Mental Health Consumer Advocacy Project
Dissatisfied?? Take Action!!
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Maryland advocacy organizations:
If you would like to be listed here and you support the rights of GLBTQ mental health consumers please email us at heartsandears@toast.net
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GLBTQ mental health consumers: You have the RIGHT to fair, equal, courteous and non- discriminatory mental health treatment and services.
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8 things can you do to advocate for yourself?
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Herats & Ears, Inc. is committed to creating a more formal GLBTQ Mental Health Consumer Advocacy Program to assist consumers who feel that they have either been directly or indirectly discriminated against within the mental health system because of their sexual orientation, or who feel that the program and services that they are receiving or have received failed to openly address psycho-social information and resources that would benefit them.
We are beginning dialogue with other Maryland orgnizations who focus on GLBT discrimination and advocacy concerns to develop a partnership that will benefit ALL GLBT Marylanders, and GLBT mental health consumers more specifically.
Our goal is to form a wide range of advocacy services to GLBTQ mental health consumers in Maryland. As this grows, we will keep you informed. Join our GLBT mental health consumer peer support listserv to keep informed and get support for your mental health concerns.
What are Maryland and National organizations doing to support your rights? Click on the links or logos on this page below to find out more about advocay and education activities. Get involved this organizations who support your rights. Create, with us, a voice for the GLBT mental health consumer
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1. If you are in, or considering entering, a mental health program, ask at the time of Intake for a copy of the organization/agency antidiscrimination/diversity written policy addressing GLBT individuals /sexual orientation. If there isn't one, ask to speak to the Program Director/Administrator and voice your concern. If there isn't a written policy , let us know.
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2. Email us at heartsandears@toast.net. While we cannot offier clinical or legal services, after discussing your situation with you, we can direct you to the appropriate reources, and/or, with your written permission, write a letter of concern to the mental health organization.
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3. Contact the Mental Health Association of Maryland to voice your concerns
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4. Most larger healthcare organizations are accredited by the Joint Commission On Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. (JCAHO). They have a complaint hotline that will take your complaint very seriously.
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5. If your complaint is with the public mental health system you can file a complaint with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene or contact the Core Service Agency.
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6.Contact the Maryland Disability Law Center for resources and assistance
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7. Contact the Maryland chapter of NAMI to voice your concerns
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8. Come back frequently to this page for updated resources.
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If you are a advocacy organization in Maryland and support the mission and vision of Hearts & Ears, Inc. and you would like to be listed here, please email us at heartsandears@toast.net with your contact information and website address. We will gladly include you. Please put ADD ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION in the subject header.
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