NASD is the only organization in Nevada providing a comprehensive wrap-around program for families supporting gender diverse children through the journey to become their authentic selves. We provide the following services:

 

• Online Forums and Support Groups

Parent and family - We provide a thriving online community for hundreds of local families. These online groups are an incredible resource for sharing information and giving and getting support 24/7.

Educators and Allies - We provide a private online community for local educators and allies of diverse youth and families to share information, discuss best practices, and to mobilize community members to fight against legislative or policy changes that would negatively impact students.

 

• In-Person Therapeutic Groups

We facilitate three free support groups, one for gender diverse youth, one for their parents and family members, and a third group for parents and caregivers of students with ADHD. These groups can be life-changing for young persons and families.

 

Our gender diverse therapeutic youth group is facilitated by a licensed therapist who provides a safe space for young people finding themselves anywhere in the process of living into their truth and authenticity in a sex/gender context. Our parent and family groups provide peer support to families as they navigate through challenges that arise while parenting gender diverse children.

 

• Gender-diverse Student Advocacy

Working directly with the local school district and charters, we ensure that gender-diverse students transitioning in school are treated with respect, and safeguard school compliance with local and state laws that protect gender-diverse students. We ensure the student’s chosen name and gender marker are updated in the school’s system, and that students have access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms, as well as access to sex-segregated classes such as PE and choir in line with their gender identity.

 

• School Support Services

We provide professional development and policy development, as well as gender diversity training to schools for administrators, teachers, and support staff to educate them on terminology, the law, and best practices for supporting gender diverse youth.

 

• Gender-diverse Patient Advocacy

We provide Information on medical options, referrals to trusted local providers, and patient advocacy. Our team works to increase options for care by building relationships with local adolescent healthcare providers and connecting them with specialists who provide training on protocols and best practices for treating gender-diverse youth.

 

• Social and Racial Equity Advocacy

We support families of children with diverse ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds through parent education, mentoring, and advocacy. Despite the growing cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity in America, limited resources are available to provide support to parents. We provide online communities, workshops, and presentations by experts and community leaders to support and empower diverse families and allies.

 

• Family and Youth Social Events

Many families struggle to find safe and supportive spaces to make connections with other families. We provide regular social events for families to come together in a non-therapeutic environment. These events are provided at no-cost in consideration to low-income families.

 

Since 2015 the leadership of Nevada Alliance for Student Diversity has been at the forefront of the fight for the inclusion and rights of gender diverse students in Nevada, working with legislators in 2017 to help draft and advocate for Senate Bill 225, a law requiring all schools in Nevada to implement a policy to address the rights and needs of gender diverse students. Our team then consulted with the Nevada Department of Education to develop the regulations based on SB225, and with the Clark County School district to write and implement their gender diversity policy. NASD is frequently called upon to help institutions think more expansively about the gender diversity of all children and teens, and ways to create safer and more inclusive environments.