Leading social justice organizations have joined together to form a national center to address the needs of LGBTQ+ young people and their families involved in public systems through cutting-edge resources and assistance.
Led by the Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland School of Social Work (The Institute), the National SOGIE Center consolidates the latest evidence-based tools, trainings, and other resources, as well as consultation, for those working in public youth-serving systems.
“This national center is a centralized location for the latest and best resources to serve LGBTQ+ youth and their families. If it isn’t on our site, contact us and we will make sure you get the best available help,” said Angela Weeks, DBA, MA, director of the National SOGIE Center.
The majority of LGBTQ+ youth involved in public systems are Black, Indigenous, and Latinx. The National SOGIE Center is dedicated to ameliorating the intertwined harm of systemic racism and homophobia and to furthering an understanding of how this oppression impacts the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth.
Partner organizations comprising the National SOGIE Center include youth advocates, racial justice organizations, higher education, and direct service organizations. Many of them are leading work across the country on advocacy, policy, financing, system design, intervention design, implementation, evaluation, and direct care services for youth and their families within the public child, youth, and family-serving systems. They all share a sense of urgency in addressing the needs LGBTQ+ youth in systems and their families.