By Andrew Phifer, Jeff Krehely
July 12, 2012
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/07/gay_transgender_homelessness.htmlGay and Transgender Homeless Youth Face Huge ObstaclesYouth Homeless Agencies Need to Be More Responsive to This PopulationThe Palette Fund, the Forty to None Project (a project of the True Colors Fund), and the Williams Institute released today the results of the LGBT Homeless Youth Provider Survey.
Key finding #1: Of homeless or at-risk gay or transgender youth, 46 percent ran away because of family rejection due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and 43 percent were forced out by parents because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Key finding #2: Large numbers of service providers working with youth at risk of homelessness report that their clients are predominantly under age 18.
Key finding #3: A clear majority of gay and transgender homeless youth are receiving services available to all clients, with 24 percent of programs designed specifically for gay and transgender youth.
Key finding #4:
Nearly 60 percent of the responding agencies reported that transgender youth are in worse physical health than other youth, while almost a quarter reported they are "much worse."[
Emphasis added-mb] Half reported that gay youth are in worse health than other youth.
Key finding #5: The top three barriers to improving services related to reducing gay and transgender homelessness relate to lack of funding.
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Full text of final report available here: http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Durso-Gates-LGBT-Homeless-Youth-Survey-July-2012.pdf
