Graduate Certificate in LGBTQ+ Health - About The Industry

How the industry is expanding care for LGBTQ+ patients

In today’s health care industry, the ideal is no longer one size fits all. Instead, providers nationwide are now embracing a much larger umbrella, with treatments tailored to the individual and based on compassion and respect. This transformative change is important to wide demographics, but none more so than the LGBTQ+ population.

This expansive group – also known as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and other non-heteronormative identities (LGBTQ+) – exists at a unique cross-section of an ever-changing health care landscape.

With the publication of the Institute of Medicine’s “Report on the Health of LGBT People,” and the National Academies’ comprehensive follow-up report, “Understanding the Well Being of LGBTQI Populations,” plus the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people as a population of focus in Healthy People 2030, the health concerns of this population have come to the forefront of medical, social and political thinking.

For many in the LGBTQ+ community, requesting care can be an uncomfortable experience – especially when lack of access, historical prejudices or gaps in knowledge can make pursuing care difficult. That’s true of everything from routine checkups to HIV+ treatment to corrective surgery.

Even today, as most larger organizations, like HMOs, strive for more inclusive care, many LGBTQ+ patients still struggle to feel accepted, included or heard.

In fact, more than half (56%) of LGBTQ+ individuals, including 70% of transgender or gender non-conforming people, report experiencing some form of discrimination and/or harsh language from health care professionals (Caceres et al., 2020).

And because of this, specialized care – focused on humane and compassionate treatment –is necessary. That’s where CSUN’s Graduate Certificate in LGBTQ+ Health comes in.

This program trains current and future health practitioners and community leaders to develop and apply best practices to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for LGBTQ+ populations.

This subset of medicine is in high demand, and with this certificate, you can greatly expand your skillset and help transform the industry into a safer, more inclusive domain. When you finish, you’ll possess skills desired by some of the largest employers in health care – from Kaiser Permanente to Facey Medical Group. Plus, you’ll be ready to introduce LGBTQ+ patients to kind, affirming care, which is still much needed, even in today’s more inclusive culture.

Job Outlook

A growing area of medicine, LGBTQ+ health now represents billions of dollars in annual revenue. Unsurprisingly, companies intend to capitalize on this emerging market, which is why they’re aggressively recruiting graduates of programs such as CSUN’s Graduate Certificate in LGBTQ+ Health.

Top Companies who hire health care professionals with LGBTQ-related expertise:

• University of California
• Mayo Clinic
• Department of Veteran Affairs
• Dignity Health
• Evolent Health
• Kaiser Permanente
• UW Health
• Novant Health
• Blue Shield
• Stars Behavioral Health Group
• Westcoast Children's Clinic
• Los Angeles LGBT Center
• Quest Diagnostics