Implementation of the National LGBT Comprehensive Health Policy in the municipality of Resende, Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

The article presents results of qualitative research carried out in Resende, a city located in the countryside of the state of Rio de Janeiro, on the implementation of the National Policy for Comprehensive Health for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transvestites and Transsexuals (PNSI-LGBT). It was carried out in order to contribute to the understanding of the process of developing public policies aimed at the LGBTQIA+ population, with an emphasis on the area of mental health, document analysis, and interviews with the management team of the municipality’s mental health program. The results showed that the PNSI-LGBT was not implemented in the health care network and that the majority of managers interviewed had little knowledge of the policy. Regarding concrete actions aimed at the LGBTQIA+ population, they are currently limited to the implementation in the city of an outpatient service focused on hormone therapy and transgenitalization of transgender people. The research made it possible to spark a discussion about the PNSI-LGBT and the incipience of its implementation in the municipality, highlighting the challenges to be faced by public management.