FCCS Pilot Effort Connects LGBTQ+ Teens with Affirming Supports and Services

Recognizing that each young person who enters the child welfare system is unique, caseworkers at Franklin County Children Services also know it’s important to connect teenagers in agency care with the services and supports that will benefit them most. This is particularly important for supporting teens who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or other sexual orientations and gender identities. 

Meet Jazi, a 19-year-old, who entered foster care through FCCS at the age of two and craved support that affirmed her identity throughout her childhood. 

To better support youth like Jazi, FCCS launched a pilot initiative to have caseworkers to ask teenagers on their caseloads questions about the sexual orientation (who they are attracted to), gender identity (how they feel inside), and expression (how they show the world who they are) during the assessment process. Teens are welcome to not answer if they don't feel comfortable or want to talk about these topics.


By gathering this SOGIE information for youth in agency care over the age of 13, the hope is that caseworkers and care providers can link the teens with affirming supports and services that recognize and respect their identities. 

Being in foster care wasn’t easy, Jazi shares. Now a proud outspoken member of the LGBTQ+ community, she recalls the difficulty of finding support and being forced to leave a home after coming out to her foster parents.  

“I was hurt and didn’t feel it was right for me to need to move when I did nothing wrong,” she said. 

Back then, Jazi said that no one involved in child welfare ever asked her about her sexual orientation. She only opened up about it when she felt really comfortable with someone. As a result, it was hard for her to feel safe and supported.  

Aligned with the FCCS Call to Action of Protecting While Child - body, mind, and heart - FCCS began the SOGIE Equity Collaborative in 2023 with the hope of better understanding of the experiences of LGTBQ+ youth and fostering improved experiences and more equitable outcomes for them. 

Jazi found validation and support from a school counselor and her mentors at FCCS partner Gracehaven.  “They showed me it’s OK to be Jazi. It’s OK to be me,” she said. 

Jazi looks forward to a day, when LGTBQ+ youth in care can be less guarded. She says encouraging caseworkers to ask questions is a good start: “Knowing that (teens) are LGBTQ+ and having a complete understanding of the youth and how they want to live their life would be very helpful.”

FCCS Organizational Health Program Manager Joy Xaybandith, who leads the SOGIE Equity Collective, agrees: “Understanding the SOGIE of our clients helps us provide more personalized and empathetic support. We are not making assumptions and our services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each youth with whom we work.” 

According to a 2024 study published by Yale Law School, while LGBTQ+ youth make up about 10-18% of the general population, they account for 16-34% of the youth involved in the child welfare system. A study published by the National Library of Medicine found that LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented in foster care and unstable housing. It’s proof of the need for specialized services such as mentors, support groups, and affirming placements for LGBTQ+ youth, pointed out Ms. Xaybandith.

The process is also respectful, she adds. During the pilot, a select number of caseworkers asked SOGIE-related questions when making assessments: what your SOGIE is, who knows about it, why and why not. The teens can always decline to answer the questions. 

FCCS plans to implement these added assessment questions agency-wide by the end of 2026. 

This is welcome news for Jazi, who currently serves on the FCCS Youth Advisory Board. She is passionate about advocating for and supporting other youth who are experiencing foster care and wants them to feel seen and understood. 

“This fight can get scary, crazy and messy. Others know what you’re going through and can relate. You aren’t in this fight alone. You got this.” 

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