“I can’t say who I am unless you agree I’m real.” Amiri Baraka from the 1971 poem Numbers, Letter I use this quote, from Amiri Baraka’s 1971 poem, anytime I speak to people about the experiences of LGBTQ youth within various social service settings. I think it provides an appropriate context for thinking about our roles as people engaged in this work – whether that role is of a direct service provider or a researcher or a policy maker or a funder or a database designer – “I can’t say who I am unless you agree I’m real.” And then, the other day, I had the pleasure of hearing a keynote speech by Melissa Harris-Perry at the Beyond Housing Conference in NYC. Brilliant. And she talked about poverty and homelessness and race and racism and had really smart charts and graphs to help folks in the audience deepen their understanding about the accumulation of wealth (not monthly or annual income, but WEALTH) over time and the structural factors that make it harder for some people and she said ---- “Everyone has problems. It is the human condition. No amount of wealth. No racial privilege. No righteousness of purpose and action leads to a life without problems. Everyone has them.”

THE ISSUE

JAMA

What is the most frequently cited reason for LGBTQ youth homelessness? a. Aging out of foster care b. Lack of affordable housing options c. Identity based family rejection

46% 43% 32% Family rejection on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity was the most frequently cited factor contributing to LGBT youth homelessness. The next most frequently cited reason for LGBT youth homelessness was youth being forced out of their homes as a result of coming out as LGBT. Overall, respondents reported that 7 in 10 of their LGBT clients have experienced family rejection and more than half (54%) had experienced abuse in their families. While homelessness is traumatic for ALL youth, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, high percentages of LGBT youth must also deal with the trauma of family rejection based on WHO THEY ARE. This is a unique characteristic specific to the experiences of LGBT youth experiencing homelessness and deserves specific attention. 17% 14%

LGBT Specific 24% Mainstream 76% Also, according to our survey, most LGBT youth are accessing mainstream services. Survey respondents indicated that 76% of homeless LGBT youth are accessing non-LGBT specific services. This finding underscores the importance that ALL service providers need to provide competent care for LGBT youth. Mainstream 76%

Percent of Service Providers who Served any LGBT Clients, Over Time

TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM LGBT YOUTH: FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS DROP-IN & SHELTER TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM PERMANENCE Youth Fear Unsafe Programs Family & Community Rejection Employment Barriers Non-Affirming Policies/Procedures Lacking Safety Net Lacking Permanent Connections Lacking Adequate income Transgender youth experiencing homelessness don’t always make it through the continuum of services as efficiently or successfully as non LGBT youth They face specific barriers that result in unsuccessful transitions at CRITICAL JUNCTURES in programming Youth Fear Unsafe Programs Non-Affirming Policies/Procedures ------ Employment Barriers ----- Lacking Safety Net Lacking Permanent Connections Lacking Adequate income

INITIATIVE BACKGROUND

Initiative Background Rationale Overarching purpose Prevent homelessness for LGBTQ youth at risk of becoming homeless Intervene early to quickly end homelessness for LGBTQ youth Key objectives Facilitate local collaboration and plan development and implementation Inform national strategies to prevent LGBTQ youth homelessness Facilitate use of USICH Framework to End Youth Homelessness and community focus on USICH core outcome areas TODD/JEFF Rationale: Thinking about impact of trauma. Preventing homelessness also presents co-occurring challenges related to trauma

Initiative Background Grounded in collaboration among partners Federal agencies: U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development (lead agency), Justice U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Non-federal partner: True Colors Fund Technical assistance: American Institutes for Research, National Center on Family Homelessness (lead); Center for Social Innovation; HomeBase, The Center for Common Concerns Expectations around funding Timing Importance of sharing results TODD

6-month collaborative local strategic planning process completed Initiative Progress 12 communities considered and ranked; 2 selected based on criteria such as strength of local continuum of care: Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Ohio Harris County (Houston), Texas 6-month collaborative local strategic planning process completed Local lead agencies Steering committees and subcommittees established Assessment of strengths and needs Grounded in core outcomes including stable housing, permanent connections, education and employment, and well-being Process for completing plans: plan organization JEFF

Organization of Planning Teams Cincinnati Houston Awareness Building & Cultural Competence Child Welfare Housing & Transportation Options Organizational Policy & Data Practices Practical Living/Life Skills Social & Emotional Support Advocacy Child Welfare Criminal Justice Education & Training Employment Funders Primary & Behavioral Health Care Research & Data Schools Shelter & Housing Resource List JAMA/JEFF

Intended Outcomes and Impacts Stable Housing Permanent Connections Education and Employment Well-being Systems Change

Strategies & Activities Cincinnati Houston Awareness Building & Cultural Competence Child Welfare Housing & Transportation Options Organizational Policy & Data Practices Practical Living/Life Skills Social & Emotional Support Advocacy Child Welfare Criminal Justice Education & Training Employment Funders Primary & Behavioral Health Care Research & Data Schools Shelter & Housing Resource List JAMA: Develop and implement multimedia public awareness/marketing campaign Host quarterly forums – in city and suburban areas Engage faith community in dialogues about LGBTQ identities/youth homelessness Increase the # of LGBTQ foster youth who are placed in identity-affirming placements Develop recruitment strategies; host home model; integrate gender identity and sexuality as factors in foster care placement Increase the # of LGBTQ affirming housing options to prevent youth from being put out into homelessness Shelter diversion for LGBTQ youth; feasibility study of interfaith hospitality network model; host home model Improve data quality on sexual orientation and gender identity Customize data fields in local HMIS; identify additional systems and potential changes Increase access to employment opps. And skills development for LGBTQ youth Connect with existing programs (LA Center); work with Cincinnati gay chnmber of commerce Build awareness of risk and protective factors for screening and assessment of LGBTQ youth exp homelessness Identify ways to incorporate LGBTQ awareness into County Plan of Cooperation between Child Welfare and First Responders

Early Reflections Follow the initiatives of Cincinnati and Houston Do not reinvent the wheel (work from resources like the USICH framework) Review available research and data and assess needs/strengths (e.g., interviews, surveys) Be mindful of trauma and its effects on youth and families Engage strong local leaders, or those who have the potential to be so, and develop their capacity further JEFF JAMA (comms plan)

Early Reflections Develop a shared vision Be strategically collaborative—think about who to engage, when, why, and how Engage local philanthropy early on Assess and measure what works—and how and why (continuous quality improvement) Engage youth and families in your planning and implementation Be bold—be prepared to learn, adapt, and innovate

Early Reflections Act quickly to address this crisis—there is not time for a lengthy planning process. The challenge of a geographically large initiative (county wide). The value of branding. Communications and media engagement.

Local plan implementation Next Steps Local plan implementation Delivery of technical assistance to support local implementation Communications plan implementation Evaluation—what we expect to learn Documentation of local approaches Measurement of change and understanding of successful practices Dissemination to support awareness in the field and replication in other communities

WHY NOW? Federal plan to end youth homelessness by 2020 Runaway and Homeless Youth & Trafficking Prevention Act Youth Inclusion in PIT counts National visibility and support True Colors Fund’s Forty to None Project The National Coalition for Homeless Youth

COMMUNITY INNOVATIONS Nashville, TN LaunchPad Miami, FL Collective Impact community planning iCount Seattle/King County Count us in (Youth Count) Ruth Ellis Center Child Welfare, RHY, Family intervention (similar to FTIP)