Foster Care for LGBTQ+ Adolescents and Teenagers
Serving LGBTQ+ Adolescents and Teenagers
Therapeutic foster homes for them
Alexander Youth Network has a new initiative in collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC)!
LGBTQ+ youth are over-represented in our foster care system. Through our collaboration with Blue Cross NC’s Healthy Blue Medicaid plan, we are working to grow the number of therapeutic foster homes to serve these youth.
Through funding from Blue Cross NC’s Healthy Blue Medicaid plan and Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center, we can ensure that LGBTQ+ youth who are part of the foster care system have access to care that works specifically for them.
Collaborative Care With Family and Caregivers
With funding from Blue Cross NC’s Healthy Blue Medicaid plan and Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center, Alexander’s Therapeutic Foster Care program has launched a pilot project to:
- Recruit LGBTQ-affirming foster families to serve LGBTQ +youth, who are often adolescents
- Ensure foster care staff and families are well-trained in serving the needs of LGBTQ+ foster youth in a sensitive and healing manner
- Create a community support network for families and the youth while they are in therapeutic foster care.
Rapid Response Crisis Homes
This service is currently offered in Greensboro and the Guilford Triad. Currently looking for affirming parents to expand into the Charlotte area.
If you’re interested in being an affirming foster parent, please complete our form and our Program Manager will reach out to you with the next steps.
Temporary, affirming in-home environment for LGBTQ+ children and teenagers
Primarily 12-17 years old (same from TFC?)
An average of 6-12 months
NC Health Blue Medicaid Plan
In Foster Care
Statistics About LGBTQ+ Youth
- 4 percent of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ and 5 percent as transgender, compared to 11.2 percent and 1.17 percent of youth not in foster care.
- LGBTQ youth turn to the streets to flee harmful home environments, 56 percent chose to live on the street, rather than in a foster care placement because they felt safer there.
- Homeless LGBTQ youth are at greater risk; LGBTQ homeless youth are roughly 7.4 times more likely to suffer acts of sexual violence than heterosexual homeless youth.
We appreciate our partners:
