Preventing The Tragedy Of LGBT Youth Homelessness

PREVENTING THE TRAGEDY OF LGBT YOUTH HOMELESSNESS NEARLY 3 MILLION YOUNG AMERICANS ARE HOMELESS. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth make up a disproportionate segment of that population. LGBT youth often face discrimination, bullying and scorn at home and at school. This rejection drives too many youth to the dangers of life on the street. But this does not have to continue. While the problems that cause LGBT youth homelessness are many, so are the solutions. 1.7 MILLION 20%-40% 10% / adolescents experience at least one episode of homelessness a year. of those homeless are LGBT... .despite only 10% of the general population being LGBT. 1IN3 TRANSGENDER YOUTH WILL BE TURNED AWAY FROM A SHELTER DUE TO THEIR GENDER IDENTITY/EXPRESSION. REASONS FOR LEAVING HOME YOUNG PEOPLE FREQUENTLY REPORT SEVERE FAMILY CONFLICT AS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THEIR HOMELESSNESS. 63% 39% 24% 19% 22% 19 % Conflict at home Family will not Parental Criminal activity Risk of Their sexual tolerate their substance abuse emotional abuse orientation is unacceptable to their parent or presence for a variety of reasons guardian CHALLENGES OF LGBT YOUTH LGBT YOUTH REPORT DOUBLE THE RATES LGBT YOUTH WHO EXPERIENCED A NEGATIVE OF SEXUAL ABUSE BEFORE REACTION FROM THEIR PARENTS WHEN THEY CAME OUT: AGE 12. 1IN2 (86% 22% OF SURVEYED LGBT STUDENTS OF SURVEYED GAY AND REPORT BEING PHYSICALLY LESBIAN STUDENTS ATTACKED IN SCHOOL; OF THOSE, REPORT BEING VERBALLY 60% DID NOT TELL ANY AUTHORITY HARASSED AT SCHOOL FIGURE ABOUT THE INCIDENT DUE TO THEIR SEXUAL BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED NO ONE ORIENTATION. WOULD CARE. 78 OF TRANSGENDER OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE 19, YOUTH ARE HARASSED EXPERIENCE IN K-12. HOMELESSNESS. IF LGBT YOUTH BECOME HOMELESS ... .THEY ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF VICTIMIZATION AND SUFFER HIGHER RATES OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND UNSAFE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR THAN THEIR STRAIGHT COUNTERPARTS. 62, 58% 82% LGBT homeless Homeless LGBT youth who Homeless LGBT youth in a small study in Hollywood, California, who reported at least one mental health problem youth suicide rate have been sexually assaulted SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS ANOTHER DEVASTATING PROBLEM FOR THE GENERAL HOMELESS YOUTH POPULATION. PERCENTAGE OF YOUTH IN DIFFERENT HOUSING SITUATIONS AND THE SUBSTANCES THEY USE Substance Homeless youth on the street Homeless youth in shelters Non-homeless youth Tobacco 81% 71% 49% Alcohol 81% | 67% 57% Marijuana 75% 52% 23% Crack cocaine 26% 8% 1.4% Intravenous drugs 17% 4% 1% Stimulants, hallucinogens, inhalants 55% 34% 16% WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS TRAGEDY? THERE ARE THREE MAIN REASONS HOMELESS LGBT YOUTH STAY ON THE STREETS; CHANGING THESE CONDITIONS WILL BE KEY TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS: AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS SCARCE AN INCOMPLETE EDUCATION DRUG ABUSE WAS CITED AND LGBT DISCRIMINATION IN MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR AS A KEY REASON FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS MAKES YOUTH TO SECURE WORK REMAINING SEVERELY FINDING A HOME CHALLENGING. THAT PAYS A LIVABLE WAGE. POOR OR HOMELESS. $195 MILLION PORTION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S $4.2 BILLION BUDGET FOR HOMELESS-ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TARGETED TOWARD HOMELESS YOUTH 44,483 766,800 YOUTH GIVEN A BED IN A SHELTER THROUGH HOMELESS YOUTH IDENTIFIED THROUGH RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH ACT THESE PROGRAMS PROGRAMS IN 2008 SEVERAL METHODS FOR INTERVENING ON BEHALF OF HOMELESS YOUTH HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE, INCLUDING: ENCOURAGE FEDERAL, DESIGNATE FUNDS ENCOURAGE STATE AND LOCAL TO CONDUCT STUDIES LGBT CULTURAL AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT PROVIDE DATA COMPETENCY THAT LGBT YOUTH ARE ABOUT POPULATIONS TRAINING FOR PLACED IN SAFE FOSTER IMPACTED BY YOUTH HOMELESS SHELTER HOMES. HOMELESSNESS. STAFF. CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN. HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIG N SOURCES • safeschoolscoalition.org • American Academy of Pediatrics • http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/reports/reports/HomelessYouth.pdf • http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/lgbtq.html • http://www.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/HousingAndHomeless_Document.pdf USCSchool of Social Work SOCIAL WORK LICENSE MAP Social Work Licensure Made Simple