Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. (TTC) stands unequivocally in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQQI@-S) Community.

TTC recognizes that LGBTQQI2S individuals, particularly those who are younger, lack resources, and are members of other marginalized and/or oppressed communities such as Black and Indigenous People of Color and other People of Color face particular and detrimental challenges when attempting to seek help that cisgender (a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex) heterosexual individuals take for granted.

TTC believes that everyone should have the right to love whoever they love without having to worry that this will result in harm to themselves, their families, or those they love. We also want to assure staff and patients that we will do whatever we can to ensure that their sexual orientation is never used against them or highlighted/ pointed out in a way that is negative, mocking, or otherwise disparaging and that there are existing systems in place to ensure that this type of discrimination is not tolerated.

TTC also stands with movements that recognizes the importance of proclaiming that Trans Rights are Human Rights and the calls for justice in the wake of the 2019 murders of at least 27 transgender/ gender non-conforming Individuals in the United States due to fatal violence. TTC recognizes that 2020 has also been a particularly deadly year for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals with at least 25 transgender individuals shot or killed in other violent ways.

Additionally, many deaths of transgender and/or gender non-conforming may go misreported or unreported and many transgender individuals are intentionally and unintentionally misgendered when their deaths are reported with no accountability. TTC recognizes that while these cases differ in their details most of these people are Black transgender women and TTC stands with Black transgender women as they struggle to combat the violence being enacted disproportionately against them.

As a community TTC includes LGBTQI2-S individuals among its staff, patients, and family/ caregivers of both. Because this is the case, we know that these people are, like us, living full lives connected to their communities and loved ones, families, and families of choice within our communities and their deaths represent a great and irreplaceable loss.

TTC opposes homophobia and transphobia in all its forms and we are committed to treat all staff and patients equally regardless of sexuality and/or gender-identity. We know that members of the LGBTQI2-S community must deal with discrimination within and outside of the healthcare system that negatively impacts their health outcomes and we keep this in mind when we design programs and assign trainings to our staff. We will always do our best to protect the right of individuals and prohibit discrimination of our staff, patient, or community members.

As an example, we would like to share a link to an important resource provided by TTC for and by LGBTQI2-S individuals:

We Exist at TTC is a program dedicated to expanding access and improving services for LGBTQI2S+ young folks and the people who care for them. We provide Support groups for LGBTQI2-S Transition Age Youth and their families/ caregivers, Referrals to LGBTQ+ affirming services (therapy, STI testing, legal services like name change, etc.), and Community presentations and trainings on a number of topics that impact LGBTQI2-S Youth. For more information please contact us at: WeExist@TarzanaTC.org.

The resources below provide some vital information related to this population that we recommend you explore:

US Trans Survey (2015, 18+):

http://www.ustranssurvey.org/reports

Trevor Project (2020, 13-24):

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2020/

Addressing Opioid Use Disorder among LGBTQ Populations (2018):

https://opioidresponsenetwork.org/ResourceMaterials/OUD_LGBT.pdf

GLSEN School Climate Survey (2017, middle and high school students):

https://www.glsen.org/research/school-climate-survey

Violence Against Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Community 2020 (HRC)

https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2020