Trans Family Support Services: Peer Connection, Wellness, and Hope for a Better Future

For many young people, the changes that come with graduating high school, moving away from home, and starting college can be nerve-wracking. But when Kai (named changed for anonymity) was making those big life transitions, he was also navigating the process of coming out as a transgender man. Lacking strong connections from his time in high school and having not yet developed trusted friendships at college, he felt isolated and overwhelmed by the rapid life changes happening simultaneously.

Through Trans Family Support Services (TFSS), Kai was able to get critical health and legal guidance, access mental health services, and engage with supportive peers in a safe, moderated online network. Shared Kai,

“TFSS has been a constant source of support for me, from a small graduation gift to one-one-one conversations when the world is heavy and hard for trans people, to weekly group meetings when I needed community most.”

For Kai and other transgender young people growing up amid a national culture and policy landscape becoming more intolerant by the day, TFSS offers a beacon of acceptance and hope for a brighter, safer future. Transgender youth frequently face stigmatization, discrimination, and violence at disproportionately high rates: a 2024 Centers for Disease Control report found that among U.S. high schoolers who identify as transgender, one in four had experienced violence while at school. One in four had missed school because of safety concerns, while seven out of ten reported feeling sad or hopeless. The CDC data is part of a larger picture of negative health factors for trans young people, which feed into mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

Working within this landscape, TFSS is taking on big challenges to support transgender and LGBTQ+ youth throughout the San Diego border region. The organization provides family coaching, one-on-one support, peer groups, assistance with health insurance, advocacy trainings, and a variety of other opportunities for emotional wellness and social connection. Providing all services to the community at no charge, TFSS is stepping up to protect some of the border region’s most vulnerable young people and their families. 

For TFSS Executive Director Kathie,* the organization’s wide-ranging programs all boil down to one essential goal: saving lives. “Some might view our work as niche, but what TFSS is really doing is mental health crisis prevention, suicide prevention, homelessness prevention,” shared Kathie. “We never want to see young people reach the point of crisis. The work that we do covers many different areas, and we aim to create a layer of support before a crisis hits.”

This approach made TFSS a strong fit for the statewide Stop the Hate initiative, a California Department of Social Services grant program designed to counter hate crimes, foster healing, and create belonging. Bolstered by two years of Stop the Hate funding, TFSS has launched new outreach efforts, scaled up in-demand services, and boosted the organization’s presence in difficult-to-reach rural communities.

Stop the Hate funding has also enabled TFSS to boost outreach and awareness efforts. With revitalized materials and program marketing, the organization has established stronger connections in underserved rural areas of East San Diego County and Imperial County. Existing resources, including the TFSS website, were translated into Spanish, significantly expanding awareness across the region’s Latine communities. The organization’s personal outreach to rural and Latine communities is also led by a Latine staff member who grew up in the Imperial Valley region and is familiar with the landscape. 

At the cross-section of these outreach efforts, TFSS is stepping in to connect to multi-marginalized community members with the least access to support services. “We want to ensure the folks that need us, know us,” shared Kathie. “We do our best to be in rural areas that don’t have access to an LGBTQ Center, or in communities that can be hostile toward LGBTQ+ people.” 

In their time fundraising with TFSS, the nonprofit’s Director of Development Jasmin has observed slowing private philanthropic support, with some former donors explicitly stating they can no longer provide funding because the ‘trans’ prefix is in the organization’s name. “We’re not sure who is willing to fund us anymore,” Jasmin shared. “People are trying to be non-controversial.” 

As evaporating private donations and federal support impact LGBTQ+ serving nonprofits across the board, organizations like TFSS are working to keep up with growing demand for services. “We’ve seen a big uptick in need, especially as other organizations doing similar work close or face drastic cuts,” noted Jasmin. 

One of the service areas with growing demand is insurance navigation. Transgender people face unique challenges in accessing mental health support and medical services attuned to their needs. TFSS helps clients wade through the complexities of health insurance plans, sign up for MediCal, and connect with LGBTQ+ friendly counselors and health care providers covered by their insurance. And while demand for the service is rising, the organization’s capacity to expand the work is not. 

Noted Jasmin, “Ideally with more funding, more staff could be brought on and we could be more deliberate in serving current clients, people in rural areas like Imperial County, and other areas of California.”

As Stop the Hate wraps its final year of funding across the state (TFSS’s specific grant award ended October 2025), the nonprofit’s capacity to continue services at their current level will be a challenge. “Maintaining that presence in the community comes with a significant time and financial investment for the organization,” stated Jasmin. “Stop the Hate funding and the donors that have stuck with us have helped TFSS meet community needs which are increasing every year. But there’s so much more we can do to protect young people.”