Public Health is Part of the Fastest-Growing U.S. Employment Sector

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the healthcare and social assistance sector will grow faster than any other sector and add about 45% of all new jobs through 2032.1

LGBTQ+ Health Careers Will Increase Relative to the Rest of the Field

Changes in the legal, cultural and demographic landscape of the United States have led to increasing demand for a better understanding of the unique public health needs of LGBTQ+ communities and more culturally competent healthcare services providers. 7.2% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ+ and members of younger demographic groups are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+.2

At the same time, the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan and the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision have all worked to expand access to healthcare insurance for LGBTQ+ people.3,4 These two legal and cultural trends are increasing career opportunities in sexual and gender minority health.

Prepare for LGBTQ+ Health Professional Opportunities With Kent State

If you are a public health, social services or healthcare professional with a bachelor’s degree or more advanced degree, the two-semester Kent State online Graduate Certificate in LGBTQ+ Public Health can help you with the professional and cultural skills to advance in a variety of LGBTQ+ health careers, including:

  • LGBTQ+ health advocacy jobs
  • Jobs in LGBTQ+ health policy
  • LGBTQ+ health service providers
  • LGBTQ+ mental health careers
  • LGBTQ+ health outreach careers
  • LGBTQ+ health education careers

How Kent State's Online Graduate Certificate Supports You in LGBTQ+ Health Careers

The first and only public health-focused LGBTQ+ studies certificate program in the state of Ohio prepares you with the knowledge and skills to support this historically underserved population. Earning the certificate sets you apart as a professional committed to social justice and inclusive public health policy and practice, empowered with the skills and knowledge to make meaningful contributions to LGBTQ+ health equality.

You can complete the online Graduate Certificate in LGBTQ+ Public Health in as little as two semesters and customize the integrative learning experience to suit your professional interests and target your career goals.

Learn more about the LGBTQ+ studies certificate program

Women sitting on a therapist couch

Apply Your LGBTQ+ Public Health Expertise in These Industries

Fill the demand for public health, healthcare and social services professionals with growing numbers of employers including these:

  • Federal, state and local government
  • Human rights advocacy organizations
  • Hospitals; state, local and private
  • Healthcare organizations
    • Individual and family services
    • Nursing and residential care facilities
Man consulting his Physician in a doctors office

Work with Organizations Fostering More Equitable, Inclusive Public Health

Some top organizations that hire healthcare professionals with LGBTQ+ expertise include:

  • Cleveland Clinic5
  • Kaiser Permanente6
  • California Department of Public Health7
  • U.S. Veterans Health Administration8
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services9

LGBTQ+ Health Professional Opportunities

Professionals in many different areas of public health and healthcare services can expand their career options with the skills and knowledge gained in Kent State’s online Graduate Certificate in LGBTQ+ Public Health. Here are some professional roles focused on supporting LGBTQ+ health.

Manager, LGBTQ Unit (Health Program Manager I)

Employer: California Department of Public Health

Highlights: This role has oversight of program design, implementation, reporting and outreach to various health disciplines and community agencies.7

Search term: Jobs in LGBTQ+ health policy

Supervisory Public Health Analyst

Employer: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Highlights: Duties for this role include strategic planning, raising awareness of the organization's mission and disseminating policies, practices and strategies for improving the delivery of behavioral health services.9

Search term: Career paths in LGBTQ+ health equity

Program Manager, National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center

Employer: Fenway Health

Highlights: This role is responsible for online educational initiatives, internal and external training and technical assistance in a center that provides behavioral and clinical health information for the organization’s staff and others.10

Search term: LGBTQ+ health advocacy jobs

Transgender and Gender Expansive Case Manager

Employer: Planned Parenthood of Illinois

Highlights: Duties for this role include medical and psycho-social case management in support of the patient’s medical care plan and behavioral health needs.11

Search term: Transgender health specialist jobs

Kent State LGBTQ+ Public Health Research in Action

Kent State College of Public Health outreach program director and adjunct instructor Andrew M. Snyder has conducted extensive public health research projects about LGBTQ+ communities in Ohio. Learn about the 2023 study in a post on the College of Public Health blog.

Learn about the research

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An Immersive Curriculum

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Featured Articles

June 26, 2024
Ethical decision-making in public health promotes policies that are just, fair and respectful of individual rights, while aiming for the greatest good for the most people. This article explores the role of community engagement in ethical public health decisions.
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Learn how employer tuition reimbursement can help fund your graduate education and get the guide to securing your company's support for expenses.
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This blog post focuses on the role of ethics in public health, compares the frameworks for public health and medical ethics and highlights some ethical challenges faced by many practitioners in public health and healthcare management.
May 29, 2024
This post identifies key traits for success in clinical research, discusses how Kent State’s online Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research equips you for career growth and addresses common career change concerns.
May 01, 2024
This post will explore the time-honored practice of using data in support of public health, how health data is collected and analyzed today, and examine current challenges in data collection and how they are being addressed.
April 29, 2024
This blog post explores the drivers of healthcare policy in the U.S., the interconnected nature of healthcare and public health policy, their impact on population health and health equity, and the role of data and research in shaping health policy.
April 11, 2024
Kent State graduate student credits Regional Campus start for putting him on the path to a master’s degree
March 18, 2024
Learn how the online Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences uniquely positions graduates to lead satisfying careers addressing evolving public health challenges.
March 05, 2024
Learn more in this introduction to ethics in public health practice, including the essential ethical concerns, elements of an ethical framework and the relationship between public health ethics and medical ethics.
February 18, 2024
Whether navigating the complexities of healthcare legislation or launching public health initiatives, MPH health policy and management professionals are making fundamental differences in the lives of entire communities. Find out how Kent State's online MPH can help you move into leadership in healthcare management and support meaningful progress in public health.
February 15, 2024
Public health experts have long recognized that the environments where people live have health consequences at both the individual and community levels. Explore the importance of environmental health in public health outcomes in this blog post.
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Sources
  1. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from .bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecopro.pdf
  2. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from news.gallup.com/poll/470708/lgbt-identification-steady.aspx
  3. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/lgbt-health-ib.pdf
  4. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from oyez.org/cases/2014/14-556
  5. Retrieved on November 7, 2023, from salary.com/job/cleveland-clinic-health-system/aprn-pa-i-lakewood-lgbtq-and-internal-medicine/j202305260456404179506
  6. Retrieved on November 7, 2023, from healthecareers.com/job/internal-medicine-lgbtq-hiv-primary-care-full-time/2803641
  7. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from lgbtqcenters.org/Careers
  8. Retrieved on November 7, 2023, from usajobs.gov/job/758674900
  9. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from usajobs.gov/job/750702400
  10. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from fenwayhealth.org/employment/
  11. Retrieved on September 25, 2023, from chicagotherapycollective.org/job/transgender-and-gender-expansive-case-manager/