Counseling for Gay, Lesbian Students

I want to thank you for publishing Mary Laine Yarber’s article “Here’s How to Reach Groups That Help Gay and Lesbian Students Cope” (Jan. 14). It is an excellent article, reflecting the sensitivity one would hope to find among adults, professional and non-professional, who profess to care about children and adolescents.

As the director for Children, Youth & Families of Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Long Beach, I am aware of the need for recognition of the existence of lesbian and gay teen-agers in our community and of their acute need for appropriate counseling resources. Much press has, of late, been given to conservative elements who would sooner deny the existence of homosexuality or treat it like a contagious disease than address the realities inherent in responsible development of educational, social and psychological services.

We are interdependent as a society and will only have strong, healthy members if we acknowledge and provide for the developmental needs of all of our children, whatever those may be.

J. CAROLE ATKIN

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Jewish Family & Children’s Service

Long Beach