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

• Cultural Humility When Working with LGBTQ Youth (2019) | Presented at the National Health Care for the Homeless Conference
• Serving Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Persons: Establishing and Improving Models of Care for Those without Homes (2016)
• ‘Seeing People as They See Themselves’: Health Care and Access for Transgender Individuals Experiencing Homelessness (2015)
• Gender Minority & Homelessness: Transgender Population (2014)
• 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
• 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.
• Healthcare Equality Index | Human Rights Campaign

Key Organizations

• True Colors United
• A Way Home America
• National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center