PRIDE Institute to offer mental health services to GLBTQ Online High School students

EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. –
PRIDE Institute and GLBTQ Online High School have partnered to provide mental health services on an as-needed basis to the school's students.
GLBTQ Online High School is the world's first online high school created especially for LGBTQ students. It is a private school based near St. Paul, Minn., and opens Jan. 25 to serve students nationwide and from around the world.
The school aims to provide a safe and welcoming educational community and a high quality, comprehensive college-preparatory online high school experience for students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning their sexual orientation or gender using the best technology and techniques of distance education.
Founded in 1986, with more than 10,000 graduates, PRIDE Institute is a provider of in-patient and out-patient programs devoted exclusively to treating the mental health and chemical dependency needs of the LGBTQ community.
PRIDE's growing focus on health needs of adolescents is helping GLBTQ Online High School move forward dramatically with its efforts to provide not only high quality education for its students, but comprehensive support services as well.
"GLBTQ Online High School is an important new option for these students, and we at PRIDE and PRISM are excited to be a part of it," said Weston Edwards, PhD, LP, clinic director of PRIDE Institute's Outpatient Services.
PRISM, the Minneapolis-based PRIDE-affiliate mental health program, will be providing online and phone services, as well as using its nationwide network of GLBTQ-friendly mental health services to assist families in finding services in their own area.
Dave Glick, executive director for the GLBTQ Online High School, added, "We want the very best comprehensive services for our students. Our partnership with PRIDE and PRISM ensures that if needed, our children will receive the highest quality counseling services available, no matter where they live."
The school's teachers will also benefit from the partnership thanks to a staff training program that PRIDE and PRISM will provide.
This partnership will be fully in place in time for the school's opening on Jan. 25. For more information, visit the PRIDE Institute online at http://www.pride-institute.com.