Rainbow Connections program offers parent training, peer support and school outreach in Pacific Grove

Casey Rosenbusch, services manager for Monterey County Behavioral Health, told parents at a Pacific Grove Unified event that the Rainbow Connections program focuses on suicide prevention and supporting LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent students across school, home and community settings.

"For the past several years, I've been working on a project called Rainbow Connections that is designed to support our LGBTQ plus youth and the adults who love and support them," Rosenbusch said. "So this presentation is really intended to provide you with information that will help you as you're raising your children."

The presentation, the fourth in an anti-bias/bullying series held at Pacific Grove Middle School and on Zoom, walked parents through terminology, mental‑health risk and protective factors, and practical steps families can take to support children exploring gender identity and sexual orientation. Rosenbusch emphasized that the project’s core aim is suicide prevention: "So first and foremost, it's suicide prevention," she said.

Why it matters: presenters and researchers cited data and published programs showing family acceptance and school supports reduce risk. Rosenbusch cited research that one in four LGBTQ+ youth use pronouns outside the gender binary and said some studies show gender‑diverse youth are three to six times more likely to have an autism diagnosis. She also quoted Trevor Project and the Family Acceptance Project findings on what families can do to support youth.

Key program elements described - Family support and parent groups in English and Spanish, delivered by Partners for Peace staffer George Conno, who Rosenbusch said provides one‑on‑one and group peer support and referrals to other local resources. - Ongoing trainings and recorded sessions through Rainbow Connections and a Gender Health Training Institute partnership; Rosenbusch said the program offers about three trainings per month and many sessions are recorded for later viewing. - School‑based coaching and bullying‑prevention work at Pacific Grove Middle School provided by Denise Adezza, a Rainbow Connections bullying‑prevention coach, and collaboration with district staff. - Faith‑leader outreach and a planned interfaith breakfast to help connect congregations with Family Acceptance Project materials.

Rosenbusch presented specific, evidence‑based parental behaviors that research associates with better outcomes: showing affection, using a young person’s chosen name and pronouns, supporting gender expression, and seeking community support. She cited Family Acceptance Project research showing accepting behaviors improve mental‑health outcomes and reduce substance use and suicidal ideation.

Program scope and funding Rosenbusch said Rainbow Connections is a funded project with remaining funds through October 2028 and stated the project’s total budget is $7,800,000. She described multiple provider partners, including Partners for Peace and the Santa Cruz Diversity Center, and said that the program is supplying trainings, family support partners and bilingual services.

Local context and community resources Attendees asked about faith communities that welcome LGBTQ+ people. Rosenbusch and audience members identified at least one local congregation (Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula in Carmel) and described plans to map and engage other faith leaders. Rosenbusch said she is working to connect Dr. Caitlin Ryan’s Family Acceptance Project materials — including a Catholic‑adapted version — to the local faith and parent networks.

Numbers and access Rosenbusch reported 12 in‑person participants at that session and said Rainbow Connections has expanded peer support by adding a second family support partner. She described data points used in the presentation: one in four LGBTQ+ youth use nonbinary or nontraditional pronouns; Trevor Project survey items in Rosenbusch’s slides showed top parental supports (examples given in the slides included 62% for the top item, 48% for open discussion of identity, 47% for correct name/pronoun use, 45% for supporting gender expression and 35% for parents educating themselves).

Questions from parents centered on where to find faith communities that are inclusive, how to support grieving or resistant family members, and how to discuss dating and safety with adolescents. Rosenbusch described referral options, one‑on‑one support, and peer groups as avenues for families seeking help.

What was not decided No formal district action, policy change or vote was taken at the event. The session was informational and included Q&A; Rosenbusch described program activities and available supports rather than proposing new district policy.

What comes next Rosenbusch said Rainbow Connections will continue partnering with Pacific Grove Unified through October 2028 and will keep offering trainings, recorded resources and family support. She said the program will pursue faith‑leader outreach and continue to accept referrals for parent support groups in English and Spanish.

"Rainbow Connections will continue to partner with Pacific Grove Unified into the next few years. We're here through October 2028," Rosenbusch said.

Sources and attribution: quotations and program details in this article come from remarks by Casey Rosenbusch, services manager, Monterey County Behavioral Health; Sean Roche, principal, Pacific Grove Middle School; and named program staff and audience members during the Rainbow Connections presentation at Pacific Grove Middle School (in person and Zoom).