LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness · Homelessness Angela Weeks, MPA Project Director, National Quality...

LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness

Angela Weeks, MPA

Project Director, National Quality Improvement Center for LGBTQ+ Youth in Foster Care

Jorge Membreño, LCSW

Director of Youth Housing, SMYAL

Agenda

●Disparities in the System of Care

●Pathways to Homelessness

●Lessons Learned from the Los Angeles LGBT Center

●Lessons Learned from SMYAL in DC

●Strategies that Help

● Individual Action Plans

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Clarifying Language

●LGBTQ+ = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer, and other identities related to sexual orientation and gender

●Diverse SOGIE = Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression

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Disparities in Systems of Care

Wilson, et al. (2014).

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120% higher risk of reporting homelessness

40% who report homelessness

Luke’s Story

Pathways to Homelessness

How do you think these systems and disparities are connected?

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Discussion

Have you seen young people experience similar situations in your communities?

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https://vimeo.com/288968116

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Strategies that Help

• Having non-discrimination policies • Trainings for all staff • Inclusive spaces/symbolism/resources• Clothing/hygiene for all • Intake forms/questions that are inclusive• Room/bathroom arrangements for all • Providing/connecting to competent services• Using inclusive language

Making an Impact with Language

▪ Terms like lifestyle, choice, popular, phase, preference, homosexual, “he/she” or “it” convey bias.

▪ Self-definition is key, reflect client’s terminology

▪ Use inclusive/gender neutral language

▪ Use appropriate gender pronouns▪ She/her/hers

▪ He/him/his

▪ They/them/theirs

▪ All

▪ No pronoun

▪ Mis-gendering hurts and damages rapport

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Programs that help

• AFFIRM CBT Group Clinical Interventions

• Family Acceptance Project• Adapted Family Finding

Angela Weeks angela.weeks@ssw.umaryland.edu

Jorge Membreñojorge.membreno@smyal.org