title: Coaching mental health peer advocates for rural LGBTQ people.
abstract: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) people are affected by mental health disparities, especially in rural communities. We trained peer advocates in rural areas in the fundamentals of mental health, outreach, education, and support for this population. The peer advocates were coached by licensed mental health professionals. We evaluated this process through iterative qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews and written logs from coaches and advocates. The six major themes comprising the results centered on (1) coaching support, (2) peer advocate skills and preparation, (3) working with help seekers, (4) negotiating diversity, (5) logistical challenges in rural contexts, and (6) systemic challenges. We concluded that peer advocacy for LGBTQ people with mental distress offers an affirmative, community-based strategy to assist the underserved. To be successful, however, peer advocates will likely require ongoing training, coaching, and infrastructural support to negotiate contextual factors that can influence provision of community resources and support to LGBTQ people within rural communities.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest a center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Cathleen E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Willging
authors.affiliation: University of California Santa Barbara.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.affiliation: New Mexico Solutions, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ley
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest a center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Elise M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Trott
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest a center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DeMaria
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest a center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joplin
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest a center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Verida
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Smiley