Safe & Healthy Schools Initiative
The Safe & Healthy Schools Initiative is a statewide effort by
Fairness West Virginia to ensure that every student, especially LGBTQ+ students, can learn in a school environment that is safe, supportive, and affirming.
This initiative was launched in August 2022 after extensive conversations with LGBTQ+ youth, families, educators, and allies across West Virginia. What we heard was clear: many students want to thrive in school, but too often they lack consistent, affirming support from the adults around them. Ongoing surveys and community feedback continue to shape this work, helping us respond directly to the real needs of students and the adults who support them.
Research consistently shows that LGBTQ+ youth who have at least one accepting adult in their lives are significantly less likely to attempt suicide. Our goal is to make sure that every student has multiple caring adults they can rely on, no matter where they live in West Virginia. To do that, we are building a broad coalition of educators, families, students, and community members committed to student well-being.
Through the Safe & Healthy Schools Initiative, Fairness West Virginia offers:
A practical Toolkit outlining the key ingredients schools need to create safe and healthy learning environments for all students
Clear legal guidance to help students, families, and educators understand their rights and responsibilities
Resources and training designed to build confidence, knowledge, and capacity to better support LGBTQ+ youth
Ongoing support and collaboration with GSAs, schools, and community partners across the state
The Toolkit and resource pages linked below are living resources that will continue to grow and evolve as laws, best practices, and community needs change. We are grateful to the students, families, educators, and advocates who have helped shape this initiative — and we welcome your continued partnership as we work toward safer, healthier schools for every West Virginia student.
About the Initiative
Contact Us
Need helping finding a resource you don’t see listed? Interested in receiving our free training? Need to report an issue at your child’s school? Contact Paula Kerner, program manager for the initiative, with any questions!
Safe & Healthy Schools Toolkit
In response to multiple conversations and requests from parents and youth, we created a Safe and Healthy Schools Toolkit which is designed to walk readers through the key ingredients a school needs to create a place where all students, including LGBTQ+ students, can learn in a safe and healthy environment.
The Toolkit covers current laws and policies at the county, state, and federal level; data and research supporting our recommendations; and resources, best practices, and lesson plans that can easily be used by individuals and implemented in districts and schools.
Creating a supportive school climate for LGBTQ+ students is a job too big for one person, so we collaborated with school officials to create this extensive Toolkit. We created the Toolkit for everyone interested in supporting healthy student development including parents, educators, administrators, and youth themselves.
UPDATED IN JUNE of 2025
Guidance on Legislation
West Virginia legislators have adopted various new laws recently that impact LGBTQ+ students. One of these new laws says that school staff have to report to parents or guardians when a student use a new name or pronouns to affirm their gender identity.
Unfortunately, not all transgender students have supportive, affirming families. It’s important that students and educators understand what this law does to keep our students safe from harm.
Check our our guidance on this new legislation, and other new laws adopted by WV lawmakers, at the links below.
This is a growing, in-depth directory of resources specifically for LGBTQ+ youth, educators, and families.
Need some other kind of help? Check out our full resource directory here.
YOUTH RESOURCES
You deserve a welcoming, loving world connected to others who can support your journey. Making connections to others and finding allies is what we are all about. Know that you are loved and your voice matters.
Need some other form of help? Use the contact form at the top of this page to send us a message, and we’ll do our best to help.
Trevor Project - Focuses on all things needed to connect and support young LGBTQ+ lives through programs to build coalitions and end suicide. Follow this link to find “Coming Out - A Handbook”
Trevor Project Specific Resources
PDF version of Coming Out - A Handbook
PDF Version of Crisis and Immediate help
Meet “imi”: A Mental Health Tool for LGBtQ+ Youth - “imi” was created by It Gets Better in collaboration with hundreds of young people and is a tool for LGBTQ+ teens and their allies to explore identity and improve mental health.
Youth Voices - The official youth ambassador program of It Gets Better. Tell your story as you link to LGBTQ+ youth around the country.
College Resources - Choosing a college that is LGBTQ+ safe and supportive is a challenging but important step after high school. If you’re planning to go on campus, use this as a starting point for guidance.
College Experience Guide for LGBTQ+ Students
Helpful Videos
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
One supportive, affirming adult can make a huge difference in a young person’s life. At Fairness, our goal is that every student will encounter multiple adults a day who can provide stable, positive relationships to ensure they can reach their potential. Please reach out for training opportunities ranging from mental health support, lesson planning, to building relationships with families and community groups. Use the contact form above to let us know how we can help.
Lesson Plans and Activities - Teachers are the first line of support as students complete their academic studies. A plethora of educators have contributed their lessons to this invaluable resource. This folder contains all lessons included in the Toolkit.
WV Antibullying Code Posters - Use these images to post the antibullying code prominently in your classroom and schoolwide to establish consistent standards for addressing bullying of all kinds. We will provide 11x17 color cardstock posters for all schools. Just drop us an email and we will deliver them.
A Guide for Understanding - This resource in collaboration with SAMSHA provides general information for service providers, educators, allies and community members who seek to support the health and well-being of youth.
Rainbow Library - GLSEN program that sends LGBTQ+ affirming test sets to schools for free. Any full-time staff member at a K-12school can request a Rainbow Library.
Collaborating for Student Success: Understanding Roles of Professional Personnel Comprehensive guide explaining the roles and responsibilities of school personnel including social workers, Communities in Schools, counselors, nurses, etc. Build your team and know how to utilize their expertise.
Roles of Professional Personnel Guidance Document
Trevor Project Suicide Prevention - Competent suicide prevention starts with how we educate ourselves and each other. Designed for youth-serving professionals, these trainings and resources offer tools to help prevent suicide amongst LGBTQ+ young people.
Trevor Project Suicide Hotline Flyer
GLSEN’s Education Team Resources - Having just one visibly supportive educator in a school can ensure that LGBTQ students are encouraged to learn. Educator guides for days of action, and resources for increasing LGBTQ visibility and affirmation are found here.
Helpful Videos
FAMILY / ALLY RESOURCES
Families and allies, WE NEED YOU. Being open and accepting can make the difference for LGBTQ+ youth. Families and allies can provide positive childhood experiences to counter traumatic situations like bullying. Improving your knowledge then listening to your child or friend can provide them with the power they need to be successful socially, emotionally and educationally.
HRC Guide for Caring Adults: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth - Practical Tips for supporting others.
Family Acceptance Project - Research from the Family Acceptance Project® shows that families play a critical role in mitigating health risks & promoting well-being for LGBTQ young people.
FAP: LGBTQ Youth and Family Resources
FAP: Faith Communities & Well-Being of LGBTQ Youth
Making Connections After Trauma - 6 Steps to building strong relationships especially after trauma or difficulty.
6 Steps to Building Connections
A Guide for Foster Parents of LGBTQ children - More that 30% of youth in foster care in the US identify as LGBTQ. This number is higher in WV. Foster parents can be the change for these youth.
Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) - Supporting Trans and Gender Nonconforming (GNC) Students. Link to a page on the GLSEN website with dozens of articles on multiple topics written by youth, families and their allies.
Supporting Trans and GNC Students
Human Rights Campaign - Parents for Transgender Equality. Resources for school, home and community
HRC Parents for Transgender Equality
PFLAG (Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays) - PFLAG is an extended family made up of LGBTQ individuals, family members and allies. Because together, we’re stronger.
Supporting Your LGBTQ+ Grandchild
Helpful Videos
Stories of Pride and the Difference Support Makes
Parents of Transgender Youth Have Important Advice
How Parents Can React Positively when Kids Come Out