President Biden Signs Executive Order to Support LGBTQI+ Youth

On June 15, 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals. This order highlights the importance in taking action to address significant disparities that LGBTQI+ youth face in the foster care system, the misuse of State and local child welfare agencies to target LGBTQI+ youth and families, and the health needs of LGBTQI+ youth. 

The Executive Order mandates the federal government take the following steps:

• Creating funding opportunities for; programs and services that support LGBTQI+ youth in child welfare and that prevent them from entering care because of family rejection.
• Developing and advancing data-driven policies for supporting LGBTQI+ youth, parents, and caregivers and for mitigating the hostility and discrimination they face in the system, including disproportionate removals from LGBTQI+ families of origin.
• Providing technical assistance and training on promising practices to support LGBTQI+ youth, parents, and caregivers for state child welfare agencies and personnel.
• Assessing and improving responsible collection and use of data on sexual orientation and gender identity to measure and address inequities faced by children, parents, and caregivers, while safeguarding their privacy, safety, and civil rights.
• Expand access to suicide prevention, health equity, and mental health resources. 
• Supporting LGBTQI+ students in our Nation’s schools and educational institutions.

For additional information on the Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/06/15/executive-order-on-advancing-equality-for-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer-and-intersex-individuals/