Systems of Care Implications in Hawai'i: Sexual and Gender Minorities

Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) are diverse groups of people who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender. SGM communities include Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals as well as people of other sexual orientations and gender identities. SGM communities are disproportionately affected by substance use disorders, with differential use of specific substances among persons based on sexual or gender identity. As understood through the minority stress model, substance use and misuse among SGM people are tied to risk and resiliency factors at all levels of the social ecological paradigm. Despite the disproportionate burden of substance use disorders on SGM people in Hawai'i, very few resources or programs exist to ameliorate the impact of substance use on this community. Although some models of care could be useful for SGM people, community-specific interventions are scarce, especially in Hawai'i. To successfully meet the needs of SGM people in Hawai'i, multi-level transformation of the substance use prevention and treatment landscape must address: culturally appropriate service delivery; workforce recruitment and development; nimble and adequate financing; consistent data collection and reporting; and systems-level policy updates.