MFT assistant professor, Deborah Coolhart, Ph.D., LMFT, was one of the first mental health professionals to work with transgender clients in Central New York. She was recently interviewed for the article, “Teens in Transition,” that appeared in The Syracuse New Times in June. Under her leadership, a Transgender Treatment Team was created and continues to provide services in the Central New York community. Her areas of expertise include exploring the relationship between gender transition and life satisfaction, family relationships, social support, and mental health, homeless LGBTQ youth and the emotional processes of family members of transgender people. The article highlights the local transgender community.
Professor Coolhart, along with Maria Brown, Ph.D., LMSW, Hartford Doctoral Fellow in Geriatric Social Work, Assistant Research Professor, Aging Studies Institute, recently released results of a research project they led as principal investigators to understand the experiences of CNY runaway and homeless LGBTQ youth. They assessed the understanding of homeless LGBTQ youth among local service providers, and identified existing services, gaps and barriers affecting runaway and homeless LGBTQ youth.