Evaluating Staff Attitudes, Perceptions, and Behaviors Related to LGBTQ+ Allyship After Educational Intervention in Crisis Mental Healthcare Workers

Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) populations experience elevated barriers to healthcare access and disproportionate mental health challenges, particularly in crisis care settings. Traditional cultural competency training for healthcare staff often lacks the specificity and practical guidance needed to address these disparities effectively. Allyship, defined as active support of marginalized groups by individuals outside of those groups, is essential to fostering trust, empathy, and equitable care for LGBQ+ individuals.

This Doctor of Nursing Practice Project (DNP) implements a targeted educational intervention designed to enhance LGBTQ+ allyship among crisis service employees. This intervention integrates allyship concepts tailored specifically to LGBTQ+ populations and encourages self-reflection, intentionality, courage, and action in advocacy and care practices.

The project is conducted within a large healthcare organization's crisis line and utilizes a quantitative pre-post design. Staff attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors related to LGBTQ+ allyship are measured using the validated Ally Identity Measure before and after the intervention.
The project follows the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle to support continuous quality improvement and has received approval from Pennsylvania University’s Institutional Review Board.

The project evaluates changes in staff allyship attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors following educational intervention. Increased awareness and commitment to LGBTQ+ allyship are anticipated to positively influence staff interactions and care delivery within crisis healthcare settings.

This initiative seeks to strengthen cultural competence, improve allyship, and improve health equity for LGBTQ+ individuals in crisis care environments. By fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace, the project has the potential to improve outcomes for both LGBTQ+ consumers and staff. This project can serve as a model for allyship-focused education in healthcare settings.