Research has shown that the rates of Substance Use Disorders among LGBTQ individuals are 3 to 5 times those of their heterosexual, cisgender peers. These statistics hold true across the lifespan and include elevated rates for LGBTQ Elders over age 50, who are especially likely to overuse cannabis, tranquilizers, opiates, and alcohol. These rates reflect the cumulative impact of a lifetime experience of extreme prejudice, the stress of being forced to hide one’s identity for safety, and reasonable responses to living under continual threat of discrimination. This webinar will address the prevalence and underlying reasons for elevated rates of substance use within the population, and offer practical strategies to support older LGBTQ adults who wish to address their substance use.
Kate Bishop, MSSA, the Education Coordinator at the LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton, is a seasoned professional development trainer with expertise in working with LGBTQ populations, sexual and reproductive health care, adolescent development, intimate partner violence, and sexual trauma. She is certified as a trainer through GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) as well as SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders). Before joining the Chase Brexton team, she developed the capacity building program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s STAR TRACK Adolescent HIV program, providing cultural responsiveness trainings for agencies that serve sexual minority youth of color. Ms. Bishop holds a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from Hiram College and a Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University.
