During Pride Month, Representative Sharice Davids (D–Kansas) reintroduced the Pride in Mental Health Act of 2025 (H.R. 3757opens in new window), a measure APA Services has long supported. The bill would authorize $20 million a year for 5 years to finance competitive grants at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), allowing schools, community agencies, and health systems to expand trauma-informed counseling, classroom-based services, caregiver training, and family-acceptance models for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQI+) youth. Consistent with APA policy (PDF, 322KB)opens in new window, the measure expressly bars any grant dollars from supporting, advertising, or referring youth to conversion therapy.
Beyond direct services, the legislation instructs SAMHSA to review and update every LGBTQI+ related publication on its website and conduct a confidential nationwide survey that will, for the first time, measure severe psychological distress, service use, and unmet need among LGBTQI+ youth. Finally, the bill directs SAMHSA, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Administration for Children and Families to report to Congress on the mental-health status of LGBTQI+ youth in foster care or receiving other federal social-service benefits, giving lawmakers the data they need to target future resources.
“The reintroduction of the Pride in Mental Health Act is a critical step toward closing the persistent behavioral health gaps experienced by LGBTQ+ youth,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, in a press release from Representative Davids’s officeopens in new window. “Decades of psychological research show that access to affirming, evidence-based care dramatically improves outcomes for LGBTQ+ individuals. This legislation affirms a simple but powerful principle: every young person deserves the support they need to thrive—without fear, stigma, or discrimination. We commend Representative Sharice Davids for her bold leadership and steadfast commitment to the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth.”
The association’s endorsement aligns with its 2024 Policy Statement on affirming inclusive care for transgender and gender-diverse people (PDF, 91KB)opens in new window. APA Services will continue to work with congressional allies and partner organizations to build bipartisan support and advance the bill through the legislative process.
For more information, contact Raegina Likewise.