LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in Healthcare – Clinical Practice and Ethical Issues

Description

Every day, LGBTQIA+ individuals walk into behavioral health settings carrying invisible burdens—barriers to care, fear of being misunderstood, and trauma from past clinical encounters. Many leave without ever disclosing who they are. For clinicians, this isn’t just a missed opportunity—it’s a failure of care.

The cost of inaction is high: unaddressed trauma, deferred treatment, and lives lost to preventable despair. This course empowers behavioral health professionals to confront that reality and rise to meet it with inclusive, ethical, and clinically competent care.

Christopher McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW, is a nationally recognized expert in LGBTQIA+ advocacy and social work leadership. As Executive Director of NASW Maine and a clinician with over two decades of experience serving youth and families, Chris brings both personal lived experience and professional authority to this timely training. His practical knowledge and commitment to affirming care uniquely position him to guide providers toward inclusive, ethical, and client-centered services.

Chris’s approach is both passionate and practical. He offers research-based insights grounded in clinical reality, helping participants identify blind spots and build inclusive strategies they can implement immediately. With warmth and clarity, he transforms complex concepts into concrete skills that elevate the quality of care clinicians provide.

Topics explored in this course include the impact of representation in clinical settings, social determinants of health for LGBTQIA+ clients, best practices for trauma-informed care, documentation strategies, family dynamics, and ethical issues commonly encountered in practice. Clinicians will also receive guidance on the WPATH standards of care and gain a deeper understanding of the unique needs of trans and nonbinary clients seeking medical transition services.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarify the impact of representation: Understand how visibility and affirmation influence client safety, honesty, and health outcomes.

• Navigate gender-affirming care confidently: Gain a working knowledge of WPATH standards and how to apply them in clinical documentation and treatment planning.

• Strengthen ethical decision-making: Learn to identify and address common ethical concerns when working with LGBTQIA+ individuals and families.

Why this course?

• Clinically grounded and ethically driven: This course bridges clinical best practices with the ethical imperatives of affirming care.

• Led by an experienced and respected instructor: Chris McLaughlin’s leadership in social work and LGBTQIA+ inclusion makes this course uniquely credible and relatable.

• Offered by a mission-driven CE provider: Telehealth Certification Institute delivers high-quality, accessible, and practical training to empower clinicians in delivering exceptional care.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain how the concept of Representation can impact clients seeking services

• Explain the WPATH standards for clients seeking medical transition services

• Describe ethical issues that might arise when working with LGBTQIA+ clients

This course offers more than just information—it’s a powerful invitation to grow as a practitioner and a human being. For clinicians ready to meet the needs of LGBTQIA+ clients with skill, sensitivity, and professionalism, this training is an essential next step.

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Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 2 hours of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Christopher McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW

Chris McLaughlin (he/him/his), is the Executive Director of the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and owner of Inspired Consulting Group, LLC. He obtained his BA in Psychology and his MSW from the University of Maine. Chris has spent more than 20+ years as a provider and a leader in behavioral health services for youth and families across a variety of clinical settings. Chris is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine and Husson University in Bangor.

Additionally, Chris served for four years on the Maine Board of Social Work Licensing and is a member of both the NASW and the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care (SSWLHC), where he is the current Maine Chapter President, and he is a member of the National Board. Chris holds additional certifications from Cornell University. Nationally, he was SSWLHC’s 2019 recipient of the Eleanor Clark Award and was named Health Care Social Worker of the Year in 2019 by the Maine Hospital Association and the Maine Chapter of the SSWLHC. In 2020, Chris was awarded the Alumni of the Year distinction from the University of Maine School of Social Work.

For organizations seeking further guidance on LGBTQ+ issues, Chris offers a consultation service to walk organizations through essential competencies that move them closer toward being LGBTQ+ affirming providers. You can learn more about Chris’ professional background and interests here.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 2 continuing education hours of credit.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 120 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement