David Bond, Blue Shield of California’s director of behavioral health and lifestyle medicine says “LGTBQ + teens were at great risk of depression and suicide during the pandemic.”
Bond was part of a panel discussion June 21 on the Michelle Meow show that included nationally recognized LGBTQ+ youth mental health advocate Juan Acosta and T. Drake-Smith, youth coordinator at the Oakland LGBTQ Center.
All three discussed topics ranging from the ongoing struggles for LGBTQ+ youth, how they fared during distance learning, and how isolation during the pandemic caused stress to skyrocket, especially for teenagers who yet to come out to family members.