Since 2013, Family Resources, Inc. has provided a safe haven for LGBT runaway and homeless youth through the “SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” transitional living program.
“SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” houses six beds in Pinellas Park, but teens from all counties are welcome. According to Dr. Lisa Davis, chief executive officer of Family Resources, the ultimate goal is to help LGBT youth learn the necessary skills to become self-sufficient in early adulthood.
“We give these kids so much emotional support and acceptance that they haven’t experienced before,” Davis says. “We hope this support will help build the foundation for them to seek out more permanent relationships and to trust that there are people out there who don’t have bias and will treat them just like everyone else. They’ve been put down and have gotten derogatory remarks and comments for so many years.”
“SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” is available to teens ages 16-17 for up to 18 months. The program’s goal is a six-month minimum stay. Through the duration of the program, youth are provided with life skills, financial education, education assistance, and lessons on personal responsibility and character building. Teens also receive LGBT-focused counseling through a certified sex therapist, otherwise known as a transitional specialist. Additionally, they participate in weekly groups at Metro Wellness.
Davis says the rules are similar to what teens would encounter at home. They can earn outings to visit family and friends or go to work. To earn these privileges, they must keep their rooms clean and abide by curfew and bedtime.
“We’re looking for motivated youth with a willingness to do what’s necessary to be self-sufficient and successful,” Davis says. “They mostly just need additional help to get them over the hump.”
When the teens age out, Davis says the program will continue to work with them to make sure they have access to all community resources and are able to get to necessary appointments. She says getting youth into apartments is a tiered process in which the program will provide more help in the beginning and gradually ease them into contributing more of their earned income over time. Eventually, they will be able to sustain themselves. Assistance with scattered housing sites and independent living is available for ages 18-22. Davis says the organization has not yet received a referral for these services, but she is hoping to identify candidates within the community.
Davis says one of the program’s challenges has been parental consent. If teens are kicked out of their home due to sexual orientation, the family member who has kicked them out still must consent to the transitional living program because they are minors. She says frequently a teen will run away, but the family is angry that the teen is leaving home and, instead, wants the teen to stay while continuing to try to change them.
“We have to ask parents, ‘Do you want them on the street or do you want them somewhere safe?’”
Davis says she once encountered a grandmother who gave consent for a transgender teen to enter “SafePlace2BToo: LGBT.” The teen began transitioning while in the facility, but the grandmother later removed her because she didn’t agree with the transitioning process.
“That was one of the sad cases because she was a young person who finally had the safety and freedom to be who she was,” Davis says.
However, Davis says most family members are realistic that they can’t force the child to change and will give consent to enter the program.
Another challenge has been getting teens to stay for at least six months. The youth are sometimes not appropriate for transitional living due to mental health issues or substance abuse. Davis says the facility has never been full since opening almost two years ago, and she is hoping that spreading the word in the community will help bring in more teens.
“I’m hoping that we can spark an interest so that someone who knows someone in need will reach out,” Davis says. “It’s free of charge, so these kids could stay with us 18 months and it doesn’t cost them anything.”
Many “SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” teens enter by way of other Family Resources programs such as the “SafePlace2BToo: Teen Shelters” and Street Outreach, a program designed to seek out youth in the community who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless.
Family Resources, Inc. is a nonprofit organization initially founded in 1970 as a hotline to help troubled teens. According to tax documents, it’s grown substantially, reporting more than $6 million in revenue annually. Other programs in Pinellas include individual and family counseling, “SafePlace2BToo: Young Moms,” Safe Place Education, Teen Outreach Program, Youth Enrichment Program, and Truancy Prevention.
“We serve some foster care kids, but they are not our primary focus,” Davis says. “There is a big misconception out there that Family Resources only serves foster care youth.”
Davis recalls one of her first memories with “SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” of a gay teen who came from out of county: “His case manager picked him, and the boy told the case manager he was his hero. When the case manager asked him why, the boy said, ‘Because I didn’t know there were people like you who cared about kids like me.’”
Davis also shared a story of a lesbian teen who was with Family Resources before the transitional program launched: “We opened this program right when we were closing another one, and she was able to transition and stay with us until her 18th birthday. She was with us for four years and she said we were her home. She would take a bus an hour and a half away so she could continue her education. She just graduated this past May and is doing great.”
“SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” is funded by the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) under Health and Human Services. The program has also received support from St. Pete Pride and guidance from the True Colors Fund. “SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” is always looking for mentors and volunteers, especially those who can teach new skills such as cooking, yoga, art, or music.
“These kids have experienced so much trauma,” Davis says. “It’s nice that they have a place where we can alleviate concerns of where they’re going to sleep at night or whether they’re going to have a hot meal. And to come to a place with no judgment.”
For more information, to make a referral, or to volunteer, contact “SafePlace2BToo: LGBT” at (727) 552-1015.
