ABSTRACT
This chapter offers definitions of healthcare access and health disparities. It examines interventions, from the controversial and harmful conversion and reparative therapies to the helpful methods of motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychodynamic modalities. The healthcare system includes multiple professionals including physicians, nurses, hospitalists, physical therapists, health social workers, and others. Gaining access involves helping people obtain appropriate healthcare resources in order to preserve or improve their health. Access to healthcare is important for the LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning) population. A motivational interviewing approach might work very well with LGBTQIA people because they are often ambivalent about coming out and the change this decision may have on their life. Access to health services connotes the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best health outcomes. People seek mental health services for multiple reasons, and ought to have a breadth of knowledge about human sexuality and communicating about human sexual development.
