M5 · Clinical Practice
M5
Slide 19
CONTENT
8. Minority Stress and Access to Care
For individuals with LGBTIQ+ identities, discrimination or prior rejection may compound instability.
Minority stress can:

Increase anxiety and depression

Reduce service engagement

Increase substance use risk

Heighten distrust in institutional settings

If shelters or clinics are perceived as unsafe, low-barrier access becomes theoretical rather than practical.
Integrated care must include safe environments — not only services.