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.