Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Health
Gender and sexual minorities are at greater risk for experiencing homelessness, and LGBTQ+ people without homes face greater barriers to services and ultimately escaping homelessness. Indeed, oppression of young people’s diverse gender identities and sexual orientations is a principal driver of homelessness among youth. Learn more from our resources and our partners’ on this often-overlooked population.
NHCHC Resources
Gender-Affirming Care and Homelessness: An Annotated Bibliography | June 2023
This annotated bibliography provides a summary of the literature at each intersection of the following domains: Trans Identity, Homelessness, and Gender-Affirming Care.
Engaging the Families of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children 2021 | 2021
Collaboration of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center.
Housing, Health, and LGBTQIA+ Older Adults | 2021
Collaboration of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, National Center for Equitable Care for Elders, National Center for Health in Public Housing, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center.
Cultural Humility When Working with LGBTQ Youth | 2019
Presented at the National Health Care for the Homeless Conference.
Crossing to Safety: Transgender Health and Homelessness | 2002 | HCH Clinicians’ Network
Additional Resources
Supportive Housing and Health Services for LGBTQIA+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Promising Practices | 2020
National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center – This publication addresses health disparities that LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing homelessness face and focuses on ways to increase engagement of LGBTQIA+ youth into health and housing programs.
Standards of care for the health of transsexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming people | Version 7 | 2012
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)Serving Our Youth 2015: The Needs and Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth Experiencing Homelessness (2015) | New study by the True Colors Fund sheds light on problems facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender homeless youth as reported by providers.
Identifying and Serving LGBTQ Youth: Case Studies of Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs | 2014
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.
IOM (Institute of Medicine) | (2013) Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data in electronic health records: Workshop summary
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Spicer SS. Healthcare needs of the transgender homeless population. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health. 2010; 14:320-339
Spicer SS | Healthcare needs of the transgender homeless population
Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health. 2010; 14:320-339
Grant JM, Mottet LA, Tanis J, Harrison J, Herman JL, Keisling M. | Injustice at every turn: A report of the National Transgender Discrimination survey
National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. 2011.
Van Leeuwen JM, Boyle S, Salomonsen-Sautel S, Baker DN, Garcia JT, Hoffman A, Hopfer CJ. | Lesbian, gay, and bisexual homeless youth: an eight-city public health perspective
Child Welfare. 2006 Mar-Apr;85(2):151-70.
Cochran BN, Stewart AJ, Ginzler JA, Cauce AM. | Challenges Faced by Homeless Sexual Minorities: Comparison of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Homeless Adolescents With Their Heterosexual Counterparts
American Journal of Public Health. 2002; 92(5):773-777
Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center
The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center provides a broad array of services for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, welcoming nearly a quarter-million client visits from ethnically diverse youth and adults each year. Through its Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic and on-site pharmacy, the Center offers free and low-cost health, mental health, HIV/AIDS medical care and HIV/STD testing and prevention. The Center also offers legal, social, cultural, and educational services, with unique programs for seniors, families and youth, including a 24-bed transitional living program for homeless youth.