Around 30% of LGBTQ+ youth report family violence and around 4% are forced from their homes due to conflicts over their sexual orientation or gender identity. Furthermore, an estimated 43% of LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness were forced from their homes due to these conflicts. As a result, around 30% of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ+ (compared to 11.2 percent of the general foster care population.) LGBTQ youth also are more likely to experience abuse in foster care than peers.
When serving young people in foster care that are part of the LGBTQ+ community, it’s important that we always meet them where they’re at in their path to self-discovery to create a welcoming and affirming environment. In doing so, our CASA Volunteers create a relationship based on trust, allowing us to better advocate for their best interest throughout the entirety of their case.
This page is made possible through a grant from the Gay Community Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation.
CASA is a safe and welcoming space for all LGBTQ+ volunteers and the youth we serve!
General and Educational Resources
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Inc., GLSEN Northeast Ohio
Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO)
Star House Columbus- Youth Homelessness Support
Light House Youth & Family Services Cincinnati – Youth Homelessness Support
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health: National Resources
TransAkron (Provided by Gay Endowment FundPFlag Akron)
Kinnect: Chosen Affirming Family Program
Coming Out: A Handbook for LGBTQ Young People
Bayard Rustin LGBTQ+ Resource Center: Home of the Akron AIDS Collaborative
Support Group Resources
Physical and Sexual Health Resources
New Center for Gender Affirming Medicine at Akron Children’s Hospital
Community AIDS Network/Akron Pride Initiative
The Importance of Gender Affirming Care for Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth
Straight for Equality (Trans Ally)
Mental Health & Substance Abuse Resources
The Crisis Intervention and Recovery Center
Phoenix Rising Behavioral Healthcare and Recovery, Inc.
The Trevor Project Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention
SAMHSA – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)
Caring for Transgender People with Severe Mental Illness
