Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Program Grantees

 

Contract Number:

HHSP23320095642WC

 

Mathematica Reference Number:

40149.160

 

Submitted to:

Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation

370 L’Enfant Promenade, SW

7^th Floor West

Washington, DC 20447

Project Officers: Seth Chamberlain and

Laura Radel

 

Submitted by:

Mathematica Policy Research

P.O. Box 2393

Princeton, NJ 08543-2393

Telephone: (609) 799-3535

Facsimile: (609) 799-0005

Project Director: Andrew Burwick

 

To better understand provider experiences serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) runaway and homeless youth, this study reports on case studies of four local agencies receiving grants from the Administration for Children and Family’s Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program. The purpose of the study was to learn about programs’ strategies for identifying and serving LGBTQ RHY, the challenges programs face in understanding and addressing the needs of this population, and potential areas for future research. The report presents findings on four topics: (1) agencies’ collection and use of data on clients’ sexual orientation and gender identity, (2) providers’ assessment and perceptions of needs and capacities among LGBTQ RHY, (3) providers’ approaches to serving LGBTQ RHY, and (4) providers’ perceptions of research gaps and data needs related to services for LGBTQ RHY.