Skills Based Intervention LGBT Homeless Youth

Social work is a demanding yet rewarding field. Through various initiatives, social workers can have a profound impact on the world in which they live. This is particularly true for homelessness as it relates to the LGBT Youth. Homelessness unfortunately continues to be a costly epidemic plaguing society. The costs of homelessness far outweigh the traditional aspects of lower tax revenue and productivity. The costs of increased crime lack of skills training, and lack of professional growth are all very real costs to society.

Fortunately, research dedicated towards the improvements of homelessness throughout America is very robust. Various activities such as counseling, job training, and other forms of intervention have had a profound impact on homelessness in America. This document will first discuss effective prevention and intervention measures of homelessness within the LGBT community. Particular emphasis will be placed on peer reviewed articles and academic research to support all of the prevention and intervention techniques discussed. As stated earlier, homelessness has very real implications for society at large.

Social work has been instrument in the mitigation of homelessness within the LGBT community. First, social workers have been instrumental in lobbying congressional lawmakers into passing legislation aimed directly at the homeless population of America. In 1987, due to social work lobbying, congress passed the Steward B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. The act was the first of its kind to directly appropriate federal funds to targeted homeless persons.

With over 15 programs designed to help provide shelter, healthcare and education, this act helped to greatly diminish the social costs homelessness imposes on society. Within the LGBT community, The Homeless Coalition of America has concluded that intervention and training has a direct impact on homelessness. According to the National Coalition of Homelessness, 3% to 10% of youth have a sexual orientation of LGBT. The main catalyst for homelessness within the LGBT community according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is family conflict.

Family conflict generally pertains to the sexual orientation of youth within the household. In many instances, the parents are in strict opposition of this sexual orientation and often resort to extreme measures to force the youth to change it. A form of this punishment has been the direct removal of the youth from the household. The city of Seattle's Commission on Children and Youth found that this is particularly profound with gay males within minority communities.

The social stigma along with a general lack of understanding contributes to the high rate of minority homelessness among the LGBT community. A San Francisco study of homeless and severely poor LGBT youth, has found that homeless youth tend to come from low social economic households rife with drug and alcohol abuse. Skills in particular are critical within a market economy such as America. Social workers within the field engage in intervention techniques that help homeless individuals train for the skills and jobs that are demand.

As many LGBT individuals are from disadvantaged homes, they often do not have the skills or abilities to matriculate into society. As such intervention first focuses on provided transitional housing. After housing has been established, skills training are implemented to help the individual earn a fair and respectable wage relative to his counterparts. Social Delivery Issues Social Delivery issues are very apparent in regards to LGBT community.

LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) individuals face a particular set of challenges, both in becoming homeless as well as when they are trying to avoid homelessness. LGBT persons face social stigma, discrimination, and often rejection by their families, which adds to the physical and mental strains/challenges, which all homelessness persons must struggle with. Frequently, homeless LGBT persons have great difficulty finding shelters that accept and respect them. LGBT individuals experiencing homelessness are often at a heightened risk of violence, abuse, and exploitation compared with their heterosexual peers.

Transgender people are particularly at physical risk due to a lack of acceptance and are often turned away from shelters and in some cases signs have been posted barring their entrance. Secondly, the coordination of services between federal agencies, local charities, and other legislative bodies can be difficult. This social issue is compounded if these entities.