MOCO Pride opens family resource center to center LGBTQ mental-health support in Montgomery County

The Montgomery County Pride Family Resource Center celebrated a grand opening this season as MOCO Pride expanded services to provide affirming mental-health support and referrals for LGBTQIA+ residents. Host Mirshai Sahalu introduced the center on County Cable’s Community Connections, saying the hub is aimed at helping people “live authentically” and access care.

Philip Alexander Downey, described in the program as a central figure in the effort, and other center representatives said the center’s mission is to create safe, affirming environments that reduce shame and make it easier for people to seek help. A speaker on the program said affirming settings “are, in my opinion, at the crux of a lot of mental-health issues.”

MOCO Pride framed the center as a consortium of eight community organizations that provide a range of services, from linkage to care and referrals to direct mental-health supports and crisis intervention. The group stressed that LGBTQ youth face higher rates of depression, thoughts of suicide and eating disorders, and that those risks increase for young people who are Black, Brown, religious minorities or from small cultural backgrounds.

Representatives said the center’s goals include normalizing conversations about mental health at home and in community spaces and reducing the stigma that keeps people from seeking care. The program urged listeners to visit MOCO Pride’s website for details on supports, groups and referrals.

The center’s organizers did not offer a public fiscal or staffing breakdown on the broadcast; details on funding and long-term capacity were not specified. The episode closed the MOCO Pride segment by encouraging residents to contact the center for services and support.