In Massachusetts, 1 in 4 lesbian or gay teens and 15% of bisexual teens are homeless. Because of high rates of discrimination against the transgender population, rates of homelessness among transgender youth are even higher. These rates, coupled with the fact that the Massachusetts shelter system is not organized adequately to serve these young people, spurred MassEquality into action. The organization made youth homelessness a top priority, knowing it warranted immediate and aggressive attention.

We were able to learn more about the work MassEquality is doing for homeless youth from their Executive Director, Kara Suffredini.

Equality Federation: Please tell us what the Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is. When was it created? Why?
Kara Suffredini of MassEquality: Following months of proactive advocacy by MassEquality and our lead partner, the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a measure creating the Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth in 2012. The Commission is the first of its kind in the country – statewide; comprised of legislators, state administrators, homeless service providers, homelessness prevention advocates, youth providers, LGBT providers and young people; and charged with investigating the needs of the broad, unaccompanied homeless youth population and the barriers these young people face when accessing services.

The Commission is comprised of four working groups: Identification and Connection, Barriers to serving youth under age 18, Services to LGBTQ Youth, and General Services and Housing. MassEquality is an appointee to the Commission and chairs the Services to LGBTQ Youth working group. The Commission is charged with making recommendations to the legislature for appropriate interventions to assist this vulnerable population. Thus, in addition to being a powerful cross-discipline coalition table, the Commission is politically poised to be a very effective voice and vehicle for change.

EF: Please tell us about the report that was recently released by the Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth. What information does the report give? How can others use this report as a model?
KS: The Commission’s report, released in the Spring of 2013, contains a definition of unaccompanied homeless youth, which is significant since there are multiple definitions for this group of young people and not one consistent one used within the state.

In addition to the definition of unaccompanied homeless youth, the report contains some data about what is known about the numbers of unaccompanied homeless youth in Massachusetts. The majority of this data is from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey disseminated in schools as well as some of the data from various point-in-time counts in Boston and Worcester.

The bulk of the Commission’s report was dedicated to recommendations put forth by each of the working groups.

1. Identification and connection focused on the importance of counting and collecting information from this population in order to better understand the scope of the challenges. This working group is focused on creating a process and a survey tool for a statewide count of unaccompanied homeless youth, which will be LGBTQ-inclusive. 
2. The working group on barriers to serving youth under age 18 recommended researching low-threshold housing options as well as better partnerships with schools and community based organizations working with young people. This working group also focused on reviewing current state law that may be a deterrent to young people accessing help.
3. The Working Group on Services of LGBTQ youth recommended comprehensive data collection and training as well as increasing the number of specific LGBTQ services.  It is important to note that this working group also included Queer and/or Questioning youth in its discussions. This terminology is not utilized elsewhere in most if not all state agencies, so it is notable that it was included as a way of expanding awareness about the LGBTQ community. 
4. The final working group focused on general services and housing. Their recommendations were to analyze existing resources and respond to service and housing gaps. 

Many of the working groups’ recommendations were predicated on the allocation of funding within the state budget. Thus far, we have been granted enough funding to tackle the identification and connection recommendations, which will help pave the way in the future for the accomplishment of more of the recommendations.

EF: What is HB 135 An Act Providing Housing and Support Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth, and HB 2027 An Act Relative to Health Care of Minors? How does each bill connect to the work that the Commission has accomplished?
KS: HB 135 would allow the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to enter into contracts with providers to offer services and support for the unaccompanied homeless youth population. Basically, it provides a legislative underpinning to the work that the Commission is already doing to support this population.

HB 2027 specifically addresses health access for young people, especially unaccompanied homeless youth. In order for a minor to consent to healthcare, that person needs to show that he/she is managing his/her finances. However, for a homeless young person, this can be very difficult, especially if the young person is itinerant. This bill would reduce the burden of proof for these young people and allow them to have easier access to care.  Ultimately, this bill helps to shed light on one of the challenges facing this population. 

EF: What have been the outcomes for LGBT youth in Massachusetts because of the work your organization has done?
KS: There has been a significant increase in awareness about the problem of LGBTQ unaccompanied homeless youth. There is a shared understanding among leadership within the legislature, among service providers, advocates and many state agency personnel that this population specifically needs to be addressed and served. Awareness has also been raised in partner LGBTQ organizations as well which have begun prioritizing this population and, in some instances, joining MassEquality in dedicating resources to support it. The fact that there has been an effort to raise awareness, there have been numerous opportunities for homeless LGBTQ youth and those that may have been formerly homeless, to tell their stories to legislators, advocates and within the media.

There is still a significant amount of work to be done and more resources to be acquired, from both public and private stakeholders. But the creation and work of the Commission has been a key, historic step forward. 

Thank you MassEquality for your hard work for LGBT homeless youth!