HHS Backs Down On Gay Funding Threats

HHS Backs Down On Gay Funding Threats
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: February 18, 2005 11:03 am. ET

(Washington) The Bush administration has backed down on a call for an LGBT suicide conference to remove the words "gay," "lesbian," "bisexual" and "transgender" from its material.

Charles Curie, Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, now says that it is permissible for groups that receive money from the agency to use the terms "Gay", "Lesbian", "Bisexual" and "Transgender" in the titles of SAMHSA-sponsored public events.

On Wednesday 365Gay.com reported that SAMHSA, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, had issued a veiled threat to organizers of the conference to be held in Portland, Oregon on February 28, that the use of LGBT terms could result in its funding being pulled. (story)

The conference was originally titled "Suicide Prevention Among Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Individuals."

The request to change the name came from SAMHSA project manager Brenda Bruun who suggested the organizers use "sexual orientation".

Organizers of the conference said that the term "sexual orientation" is inadequate to describe the scope of the session.

Currie "clarified" the agency's position after Cong. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) intervened and the agency was deluged with complaints.

Frank says that it was only after several calls directly to Curie that he received a clear statement that the LGBT terms could be used.

In an email to the Congressmember late Thursday Curie said that "there is no policy on the use of the words lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender."

Curie went on to say "I am still planning to participate in the...Conference and I will highlight in my remarks our commitment at SAMHSA to ensure that we reach out to all populations in our efforts to provide substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services."

Frank, in a statement Friday said that he is pleased Curie has repudiated that position taken by others on his staff.

"Given the fact that the frequency of youth suicide in particular is so much higher in the GLBT community, it would have sent terribly mixed signals to convene a panel discussion on suicide within that community and then refuse to even acknowledge the target audience." Frank said.

Studies show that LGBT suicide rates are three times higher than the national norm, with suicides among teens the highest.

©365Gay.com 2005