Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities

Section committee

Section mission

This Section's mission is to:

raise awareness that LGBTI+ are still at elevated risk for mental health problems, although different sexual orientations or gender identities are neither a developmental disorder nor a disease. The increased risk is related to interpersonal and structural discrimination in society, and even in mental health care systems. Therefore this section will provide treatment standards and promote scientific research.

Section objectives

1. To raise the issue of the mental health needs for people with different sexual orientations or gender identities in psychiatry and psychotherapy
2. To reduce barriers to health care for LGBTI+ people and improve mental health
3. To develop EPA recommendations on the psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care of LGBTIQ* people
4. To promote research on mental health
5. To transfer validated knowledge in education and training
6. To establish a scientific network on a European level