This special issue of the Journal for the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling brings together the ideas and issues focused on over the past 2 years within ALGBTIC. Specifically, the importance of approaching work within the community from an interdisciplinary or holistic approach. The 2016 ALGBTIC conference was focused on the importance of collectively in the fields of counseling, public health, social work, counseling psychology, and other health disciplines, addressing the needs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBTQ) + community. This issues continues that focus by incorporating a variety of manuscripts focused on meeting the current needs of various members of the community.
Specifically, this issue contains manuscripts focused on subjects, including but not limited to, integrating behavioral health and counseling when working with gender and sexual minority populations; interdisciplinary collaboration for LGBTQ students in foster care that recognizes the role of school counselors in helping these students navigating the system to succeed and an examination of the importance of coordinating services for people living with HIV in rural areas with a special understanding of the barriers that exist meeting needs in rural areas of the country. All of the articles in this special issue provide specific examples of the difficulties and benefits of approaching meeting the needs of the LGBTQ + community through an integrated or interdisciplinary lens. It is our hope that the articles in this issue will provide resources and spark discussion around the importance of not isolating ourselves as we work to advance the growth and mental health of the community.