New LGBT Homeless Youth Report

Since our LGBT youth experience homelessness at a much higher rate than their heterosexual peers they also face significant challenges accessing food, shelter, health care, education & employment. In addition homeless youth often struggle to obtain state-issued photo identification, which further limits their access to programs & services that may aid them in securing safe & stable housing. The Center for American Progress has released a new report examining the challenges that LGBT homeless youth face in obtaining state-issued identification & systematically reviews the patchwork of state & municipal laws that either erect or remove barriers to ID access. Laura E. Durso, Director of CAP’s LGBT Research & Communications Project stated, “States have put up serious barriers to homeless youth obtaining ID cards & LGBT homeless youth face even greater challenges. Only 22 percent of states offer free or reduced-cost IDs to the homeless & nearly half require parental consent before issuing IDs to those underage. For the many LGBT homeless youth who leave home because they are not accepted by their families this makes obtaining ID particularly difficult. Transgender individuals often have to provide proof of surgery or an amended birth certificate to receive an ID. All this only raises the bar even higher for LGBT homeless youth to obtain the required ID to secure the employment, care, or shelter they so desperately need.” The report was authored by former CAP Research Associate Hannah Hussey & makes concrete recommendations for states to improve the ability of LGBT homeless youth to receive the identification documents they need.
For More Info: americanprogress.org
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