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1.0 Review and approve minutes of the meeting of June 14, 2017. 2
2.0 Review and approve report summarizing the work and Sarah Mahin 5
recommendations of the committee.
Adjournment
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Item 1.0
MINUTES OF THE
Attendance
LAHSA Commissioners Present:
Wendy Greuel, Chair
Sarah Dusseault
LAHSA Staff:
Sarah Mahin, Director, Policy & Planning
Eileen Bryson, Commission Liaison
Maggie Potthoff, Sr. Planning Analyst
JuHyun Sakota, Manager, Data
Commissioner Greuel welcomed Regina Wa, new chair of the County of Los Angeles Commission on Women
and Girls.
1.1 Review and approve revised minutes of the meeting of April 7, 2017.
Motion: It was moved by Maria Funk and seconded by Anne Miskey to approve the minutes as
revised.
1.2 Review and approve minutes of the meeting of May 12, 2017.
Motion: It was moved by Maria Funk and seconded by Anne Miskey to approve the minutes as
presented.
Ms. Juarez shared information on serving transgender clients through a presentation located online
at: http://prezi.com/rdfouz_rnd9c/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
There was discussion about trainings provided to agencies funded by LAHSA and a policy aside
from the HUD requirement to service people based on their gender identity. Dhakshike Wickrema
requested that requirements be incorporated into the shelter standards.
Karla Barrow, COO, shared that there is a pilot program in place which provides motel vouchers to
LAPD officers for especially vulnerable populations.
Public Speaker: Jazzman Crayton noted that there are few shelters available to accept transgender
women released from jail and a variety of issues that result from that gap.
Public Speaker: Suzette Shaw noted the way that homeless women are treated, and that there are
many cis-women and transgender women with AIDS but most funding goes to men.
Public Speaker: Tiffany Duvernay wondered if the needs and possible discomfort of cis-gender women
are considered.
Public Speaker: Gia wondered if the only way to access the vouchers was through law enforcement.
Karla barrow explained that these specific vouchers are only available through LAPD and not
necessarily for those who had been arrested. Commissioner Dusseault suggested a recommendation
for shelter availability after hours an option other than motel vouchers.
Public Speaker: Reba Stevens thanked Ms. Juarez for her presentation and hopes that the lived
advisory group will work on this topic.
Public Speaker: Ariana Alcarez thinks LAHSA should reconsider the partnership with LAPD and create
jobs for women with lived experience.
Anne Miskey and Jessica Postigo recognize that working with LAPD has challenges and encourage
training and increased partnership.
3.0 Presentation and discussion on Housing Inventory Chart and 2017 Homeless Count Results.
JuHyun Sakota, Manager, Data, gave the report:
Staff shared information about the Housing Inventory Chart and the 2017 Homeless Count as
shown in the provided presentation.
Commissioner Dusseault suggested showing a three year comparison of count numbers.
Anne Miskey recommended including labor trafficking and other forms of violence
Staff shared information about crisis housing for women as shown in the provided presentation.
Public Speaker: Jacqueline Watkins wants women in shelters to be treated with dignity and shared
some of her story.
Maria Funk, Becky Dennison, and Dhakshike Wickrema departed at 3:30 pm.
Martha explained about the Womens Initiative in Services and Housing (WISH) program. The
program has served over 150 people with 100% retention.
Jecella and Shelly shared information about their experiences with the WISH program.
Ms. Mahin reviewed the committee recommendations and actions to date and asked for approval.
Additional recommendations: sharing some client stories, including labor trafficking, not just sex
trafficking and an option for both, intentional linkage to Homeless Health Care training for those with
lived experience to enter the workforce, include data on violence and trauma, separate shelter from
housing and services, add a category of advocacy, after hours shelter accessibility, criminalization
of homelessness and quality of life tickets, rent control and stabilization, just cause eviction
protection, gender and sexual diversity training (ongoing and annual), health facilities for women,
Anne Miskey suggested a follow up for what happens after the Ad Hoc Committee sunsets.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
Public Speaker: Wendy Gaitor shared her lived experience and recommends peer advocacy and better
use of resources.
Public Speaker: Ariana Alcarez asked for five or ten minutes at the next meeting to talk about
decriminalization.
Item 2.0
July 2017
i
Table of Contents
This report is intended to inform policymakers, service providers, and other stakeholders about the
findings and recommendations of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Ad Hoc
Committee on Women & Homelessness, created to confront the issue of rising homelessness among
women in Los Angeles County. The Committees work, as reflected in this report, has aimed to highlight
the unique and diverse needs of women experiencing homelessness and to influence service delivery
and the direction of resources to more effectively address these needs.
Several notable characteristics of women experiencing homelessness identified through the
Committees work include:
1. High rates of experience with violence, including domestic and intimate partner violence;
2. High rates of human trafficking, including both labor and sex trafficking;
3. High financial vulnerability, especially among older women who have lower incomes and are
more likely to live in poverty than their male counterparts; and
4. Increasing rates of poor physical and mental health.
Through each of the areas explored, a key theme that emerged from the Committees work was the
need for all services to be delivered through a gendered, trauma-informed lens. Further, the inclusion of
the perspective of individuals with lived experience throughout all levels of service delivery, from
planning through implementation and evaluation, is critical.
The Committees recommendations, as outlined in this report, are wide-ranging and addressed to
decision makers and service providers across Los Angeles County. Recommendations focus around five
specific areas:
1. Enhanced data and reporting to better understand and track issues affecting women;
2. Expanded capacity building and training opportunities to equip service providers to address the
unique needs and experiences of women, including transgender women;
3. Targeted funding enhancements to ensure services address sub-population needs;
4. Improvements and enhancements to service delivery at all levels, including:
o Outreach
o Prevention
o Interim Housing
o Permanent Housing
o Supportive Services; and
5. Advocacy around state and local policy priorities.
Throughout its work, the Committee has sought to align with and supplement the efforts of leaders
across the City and County of Los Angeles working to implement, fund, and develop policies around the
City and County's Comprehensive Homeless Strategies. The Committee has also been an active voice
throughout the Countys Measure H budget development process, and several of the Committees
recommendations can be seen in the resulting funding allocations.
This report summarizes the key findings that have emerged throughout this Committees work,
highlights the progress made to date as a result of these efforts, and outlines the commitments needed
at the County, City, and provider levels to carry this important work forward. The goal of this critical
1
ongoing effort is to reduce the occurrence of homelessness among women in Los Angeles County by
ensuring strategic approaches to program design, funding distribution, and service delivery that account
for and address the unique needs and challenges of this vulnerable population.
Overview
In May 2016, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) released results from the January
2016 Homeless Count, an annual point-in-time estimate of the Countys population experiencing
homelessness. The Count revealed a troubling rise in homelessness among women in the Los Angeles
Continuum of Care, including a 70% increase in the number of unsheltered females since 2009. These
results, coupled with findings of a 2016 needs assessment released by the Downtown Womens Action
Coalition (DWAC), generated concern and heightened attentiveness to this issue by the LAHSA
Commission, Los Angeles City and County leaders, and members of the community. A recognition that
women experiencing homelessness face unique risks and challenges further highlighted the need for
action to address this specific facet of the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County.
Committee Formation
In response, Chair of the LAHSA Commission, Wendy Greuel, called for the creation of an Ad Hoc
Committee on Women & Homelessness in November 2016. The Committee began its work in December
2016 and has covered a wide range of issues, including services within the existing homeless service
delivery system, domestic and other forms of violence, human trafficking, immigration, workforce
development, and gender diversity.
The purpose of the Committee has been to provide focused attention to the issue of womens
homelessness, identify opportunities to reduce the prevalence of homelessness among women, and
develop recommendations for how to meet the challenges of serving this vulnerable population.
Commissioner Greuel chairs the Committee, which is composed of 19 members who include service
providers, advocates, thought leaders in the field, people with lived experience of homelessness, and
representatives from the City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles departments, as well as the
offices of Senator Dianne Feinstein, Mayor Eric Garcetti, and the County Board of Supervisors. See
Appendix I for full list of Committee members.
Committee Goals
Over the course of the seven months since its creation, one of the Committees primary goals has been
to provide a forum for discussion of issues critical to understanding and addressing the needs of women
experiencing homelessness. To this end, the Committee has held eight public meetings and has invited
presentations from experts in the field, as well as feedback from the public at each meeting. The
meetings have generated rich discussion and increased public attention to issues impacting women
affected by homelessness. See Appendix II for a full schedule of the meetings held and the topics
discussed.
Another core goal of the Committee has been to develop and promote a set of recommendations to the
LAHSA Commission, the County, the City, and other stakeholders, to ensure that the specific needs of
women experiencing homelessness are at the forefront of policy and budgetary decision-making,
particularly throughout implementation of the City and Countys Comprehensive Homeless Strategies.
This report outlines key themes that have emerged from the Committees work, as well as the
Committees resulting recommendations.
What We Know: Data from the 2017 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count
The annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, conducted in January 2017, provided critical point-in-
time information about homelessness in Los Angeles. The 2017 Count revealed a 23% increase in the
number of people experiencing homelessness on any given night across Los Angeles County compared
to 2016, for a total of 57,794 individuals. The number of females increased by 16% in this time, for a
total of 17,882 females experiencing homelessness across Los Angeles County (Graph 1).
Graph 1: Total Homeless Population by Gender, Los Angeles County, 2016 - 2017
1
The Los Angeles Continuum of Care covers all of Los Angeles County excluding the cities of Pasadena, Glendale,
and Long Beach. Unless otherwise specified, data points discussed in this section are CoC-level data, as detailed
demographic characteristics of females experiencing homelessness are only available at the CoC level.
Table 2: Total Number of Females Experiencing Homelessness by County Supervisorial District, 2016 - 2017
Supervisorial District 2016 Total 2017 Total % Change
SD 1 2,582 3,658 +42%
SD 2 5,439 5,750 +6%
SD 3 3,257 3,566 +9%
SD 4 1,234 1,694 +37%
SD 5 1,968 2,391 +21%
Totals 14,461 17,059 +18%
Females were highly prevalent among the homeless population in in City of Los Angeles Council Districts
(CD) 12, 8, and 6. Females comprised 50% of the homeless population in CD 12, 44% in CD 8, and 40% in
CD 6. The highest number of females experiencing homelessness was found in CD 14 (2,036) and CD 9
(1,326) (Table 3).
5,017
29% Individual Women (25+)
Individual Female Youth (Under 25)
10,817
64% All Female in Families (All ages)
1,224
7%
Two-thirds (67%) of female individuals were between the ages of 25 and 54. Twenty-two percent (22%)
were age 55 and older; 10% were transition age youth (TAY, ages 18-24), and 1% were minor children
(under age 18).
Asian 24 (1%)
162 (2%)
American 32 (2%)
Indian/Alaskan Native 147 (2%)
57 (3%)
Multi-Racial/Other 253 (3%) Sheltered Unsheltered
(19%) 374
Serious Mental Illness
(40%) 3,942
(7%) 141
Substance Use Disorder
(22%) 2,235
(1%) 27
Persons with HIV/AIDS
(3%) 250
Sheltered Unsheltered
The 2017 Homeless Count data also showed that women experiencing homelessness on any given night
had lifetime experience of domestic violence (DV) or intimate partner violence (IPV)5 at a rate nearly
twice that of men. Half of all women age 18 and above and unaccompanied minors experienced DV/IPV
2
Sheltered is defined as: an individual/family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter
designed to provide temporary living arrangement.
3
Unsheltered is defined as: an individual/family whose primary nighttime residence is public/private place not
designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
4
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines chronic homelessness as (1) an unaccompanied
homeless individual with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless for a year or more, OR (2) an
unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the
past three years.
5
DV/IPV includes physical or sexual abuse by a parent/guardian/other relative or intimate partner, dating violence,
and stalking.
68%
50% (306) 43%
27% (7,229) (67)
(9,577)
Among the unsheltered population, a history of trafficking was also highly prevalent, with 28% of
females and 42% of transgender individuals reporting experience as victims of sex trafficking (Graph 6).
42%
6%
28% (162) 24%
(1,666)
(3,050) (36)
Table 4: [Draft Data] Year-Round Bed Inventories, Emergency Shelter for Families,
Los Angeles Continuum of Care (2017)
Service Planning Area Total Beds
SPA 1 413
SPA 2 650
SPA 3 509
SPA 4 903
SPA 5 316
SPA 6 1,287
SPA 7 573
SPA 8 535
Grand Total 5,186
Across the LA CoC, the HIC indicated there were a total of 2,507 emergency beds available year-round
for individuals, and only 17% (438) of those were specifically designated for women. Including beds that
are not specifically designated by gender, the maximum number of beds potentially available to women
was 490, or 20% of the total number of year-round emergency shelter beds. Table 5 shows the
availability of beds for women by SPA, and data include all emergency shelters for individuals except
male-only shelters.
Table 5: [Draft Data] Year-Round Bed Inventories, Emergency Shelter for Individuals,
Los Angeles Continuum of Care (2017)
Maximum
Maximum
Service Beds Available Women-Only Women-Only
Total Beds Beds Available
Planning Area for Women Beds (#) Beds (%)
for Women (#)
(%)
SPA 1 81 56 69% 56 69%
SPA 2 260 74 28% 74 28%
SPA 3 65 7 11% 5 8%
SPA 4 909 85 9% 60 7%
SPA 5 103 30 29% 20 19%
SPA 6 633 187 30% 182 29%
SPA 7 228 29 13% 19 8%
SPA 8 228 22 10% 22 10%
Grand Total 2,507 490 20% 438 17%
6
Data are pending approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). All figures are
self-reported numbers by service providers and funding agencies.
7
Data exclude beds that are part of the winter shelter program, as these beds are only available for a portion of
the year.
8
As defined in federal statute, the term severe form of trafficking in persons is: (A) sex trafficking in which a
commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has
not attained 18 years of age; or (B) the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person
for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary
servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
9
Wenzel, Suzanne L., Barbara D. Leake, and Lillian Gelberg. "Risk Factors for Major Violence Among Homeless
Women." Journal of Interpersonal Violence 16.8 (2001): 739-752.
10
Examples of topics covered to date include training on core elements across program components as required by
LAHSAs scopes of required services, such as creating housing stability plans, working collaboratively with rental
property owners, navigating transitional and interim housing for TAY, etc.
Recommendations
The work of the Committee has brought increased attention to the unique needs of women
experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, and impacts of their efforts can already be seen in several
important ways. In addition to the advancements that have already resulted from the work of this
group, the Ad Hoc Committee on Women & Homelessness puts forth a number of recommendations for
the consideration of the LAHSA Commission, City and County departments, and homeless service
providers. The Committees recommendations center around five categories: (1) data and reporting, (2)
training and capacity building, (3) funding, (4) service delivery, and (5) advocacy and policy
development. Both the progress achieved to date and the Committees further recommendations within
these five categories are detailed below.
Data and Reporting
Progress to Date
As highlighted above, the Committee has emphasized the importance of improving the extent and
quality of available data. Per the Committees recommendation, a question was added to the 2017
Homeless Count demographic survey for the first time to identify the number of survivors of human
trafficking among the unsheltered population. The Committee also recommended that LAHSA conduct a
housing gaps analysis for women experiencing homelessness. This recommendation aligns with the
Citys Homeless Strategy 9K, and work is currently underway for a women-focused gaps analysis in the
City of Los Angeles. Findings from this analysis will play a critical role in identifying additional service
needs and shaping strategy.
Providers
County
LAHSA
Priority
City
Recommendation
Level
Priority
City
Recommendation
Level
Funding
Progress to Date
The Committees work has coincided with the passage of Measure H, a ballot initiative approved by
voters in the County of Los Angeles in March 2017, which is expected to generate an estimated $355
million annually for the next 10 years, to be used exclusively for combatting homelessness in LA County.
As a result, the Committee has been a strong voice in the subsequent budget development process.
Among the Committees recommendations which were included in the final Measure H budget
allocations are: (1) enhanced funding for rapid re-housing programs, (2) the creation of longer-term
shallow rental subsidies (recommended by the Committee), (3) an increase to the per diem rate for
crisis housing, and (4) funding for legal services and eviction prevention.
LAHSA's budget requests to the City and County for fiscal year 2017-2018 also included funding requests
for areas relevant to women experiencing homelessness, such as increased support for added capacity
and linkage to the domestic violence provider system, as well as new and renewed crisis housing for
families and individuals. At the recommendation of the Committee, language was added to the budget
request stating that women should be a priority, and focus and attention should be paid to this
population when funding allocations are made.
Further Recommendations
In addition to recommendations which have already been incorporated into the approved Measure H
budget allocations and City and County budget requests, the Committee recommends additional
funding-related steps, including two which aim to better serve seniors and women with severe
disabilities.
Providers
County
LAHSA
Priority
City
Recommendation
Level
Service Delivery
Progress to Date
The Committee also made several recommendations that influenced policy and funding pertaining to
service delivery. The Committee emphasized the need for rapid re-housing programs to allow flexibility
to provide child care support to families who need it. This is reflected in LAHSAs new FY 2017 contracts
for providers in the Coordinated Entry System (CES) for Families. Contracts now include child care as an
allowable expense within agencies rapid re-housing budgets. Because housing has been identified as
one of the most-needed resources, the Committee also recommended that shared housing models be
utilized, as a strategy for increasing the availability of housing options. While shared housing has been
previously practiced by service providers, LAHSA is now in the process of intentionally incorporating
shared housing models into its service delivery system, beginning with three pilots currently underway
in SPAs 2, 5, and 6.
Considering the unique needs of immigrant women experiencing homelessness, the Committee
recommended that outreach teams distribute know-your-rights cards to better equip and inform
women of their constitutional rights and protections under the law. LAHSA teams have begun to
incorporate this practice. The Committee also recommended that LAHSA develop a LA CoC-wide gender
non-discrimination policy. This recommendation aligns with a new rule issued by the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development entitled "Equal Access in Accordance with an Individual's Gender
Identity in Community Planning and Development Programs." In March and April 2017, LAHSA, in
partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, hosted forums for discussion and training around this
rule, and LAHSA is currently in the process of developing a policy for the LA CoC to affirm and reinforce
this commitment to equal access and non-discrimination based on gender identity.
Further Recommendations
Many of the Committees further recommendations focus on modifications and enhancements to
specific aspects of service delivery, including outreach, prevention, interim housing, permanent housing,
and supportive services. These recommendations seek to ensure the unique needs and experiences of
women are accounted for and incorporated into service delivery models. As a supplement to these
recommendations, see Appendix VI, Trans Tips Sheet for Housing Providers: Transitioning Our
Shelters, developed by the Los Angeles LGBT Center to outline specific policies and procedures to
incorporate within a shelter setting to support the safety and well-being of transgender program
participants.
Providers
Category
County
LAHSA
Priority
City
Recommendation
Level
High X X
women are more likely to become homeless as they age.
9. Target prevention resources to women who have experienced
violence, especially those who do meet the federal definition of High X X
homelessness.
10. Enhance shelter standards to be inclusive of gender diversity. Med X X X
11. Develop after hours resources and protocol for individuals in need of
crisis housing that are not administered by law enforcement, with a
High X X
priority on developing after hours service teams comprised of directly
impacted people.
12. Ensure project-based sites consider:
Interim Housing
housing, through direct funding, land use tools, and other means. High X X
Services
reunifying with their children, and women who have lost their
ve
Med X
children, including women who have different family compositions
(e.g. grandchildren removed from custody).
Providers
County
LAHSA
Priority
City
Recommendation
Level
1. Include women with lived experienced in all parts of planning, from design
High X X X X
through implementation.
2. Establish a local housing first policy for all LAHSA-funded providers. High X
3. Develop just cause ordinances for eviction prevention. Med X X
4. Support policies that strengthen the Rent Stabilization Ordinance in the
High X X
City of LA.
5. Support the efforts to establish rent control in unincorporated areas in LA
Med X X
County.
6. Oppose policies that criminalize homelessness, such as quality of life
High X X X
tickets.
7. Advocate at the state level to increase the Presley Fund. Med X X X
8. Ensure that policies are in place to promote safety of all clients in all types
High X X X X
of housing assistance.
Conclusion
The work of the Ad Hoc Committee on Women & Homelessness represents significant progress toward
highlighting and addressing the unique needs of women experiencing homelessness across the County
of Los Angeles. The characteristics and experiences of women are diverse, and strategies must take into
account the unique needs of populations such as immigrant women, survivors of human trafficking,
transgender women, and senior women, among others. Because violence, assault, trafficking, and other
forms of trauma disproportionally impact this community, effectively meeting the needs of this
population requires particular attention to safety concerns and service delivery through a gendered and
trauma-informed lens.
The recommendations of the Committee, some of which are already underway, are critical steps toward
ensuring that the needs of women remain at the forefront of decision making. Continued focus on this
issue by LAHSA, City and County partners, service providers, and community members is essential to
Committee Members
June 9, 2017
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
Attention: COMMITTEE CHAIR: Wendy Greuel
811 Wilshire Blvd., 5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Re: AD HOC Committee on Women & Homelessness Recommendations
Hello Committee Members, the Downtown Womens Action Coalition writes you this letter to
comment on proposed recommendations that this committee will be hearing during the June 14th
committee hearing. The Downtown Womens Action Coalition is a coalition comprised of community
residents, social service providers, and others concerned about issues of homelessness and women. First
of all, we would like to thank you for your incredibly hard work and commitment to creating a work plan
that addresses womens homelessness in Los Angeles County and City.
Every three years the Downtown Womens Action Coalition conducts a needs assessment
survey regarding the women of Skid Row and issues a set of community based recommendations. After
reviewing your plan and our own internal recommendations, we feel there are a few additional points to
be included to make the LAHSA womens committee recommendations more holistic. Since 2013, the
number of women experiencing homelessness has increased by an astounding 55%. Additionally, since
2013, 61% of the overall homeless population has been women (DWAC 2016 Needs Assessment). As
these numbers reflect, homelessness continues to increase year after year and it is imperative that this
committee address one of the reasons these numbers are increasing (The Housing Crisis).
In the 2016 Downtown Womens Needs Assessment, we identified the need for resources that
keep people housed such as legal services and eviction defense. We should also recommended
supporting policies that strengthen the Rent Stabilization Ordinance in the City of Los Angeles and
support the recent push to establish rent control in unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County. In the
community of Skid Row, home to one of the largest homeless populations, we recommend that LAHSA
and programs supported by LAHSA adhere to a housing first model.
While the idea of community based policing is commonly mentioned in the news media and in
political discourse, the reality for Skid Row women is different. Over one- third of the survey
respondents of the 2016 Needs Assessment had a police interaction over the last year. Of those women,
33% received a citation, an increase from the 2013 Needs Assessment. In addition, 40% were arrested.
These numbers exemplify the lack of safety Skid Row women feel on a daily basis. We are
recommending the need to address polices that criminalize homelessness such as quality of life tickets
that continue to exacerbate the struggle of living on the streets. In 2016, the City passed three new
ordinances that criminalized homeless individuals.
As this committee comes to a close, we would once again like to thank you for all your hard
work in bringing attention to the conditions of the homelessness crisis that women face. We urge this
committee to include the recommendations outlined in this letter in order to ensure a robust set of
solutions. Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns you may have.
The Downtown Womens Action Coalition Co-Chairs Silvia Hernandez and Ariana Alcaraz
Silvia.cangress@outlook.com and ari@cangress.org
https://srlp.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/TransitioningOurShelters.pdf
INTAKE:
2. Private information, such as medical information and information about whether a person is
transgender, etc., is kept confidential unless the resident wishes otherwise.
If resident reveals to staff that he or she is transgender, the intake conversation should include the
following additional topics:
1. Housing placement and sleeping arrangements, including the availability of beds close to night staff if
the resident prefers
2. Shower and bathroom placement, including the availability of private showers and bathrooms that
the resident may use if he or she prefers
3. The name and pronouns (he, she,they) the resident would like staff to use
Do:
Developed written policies covering issues of respect, confidentiality, housing placements, bathroom
and shower policies, harassment, and topics for intake conversation.
Make alterations to bathrooms and showers, including installing locks or doors and putting up curtains
to increase the amount of privacy in your facility without placing extra financial burden on trans
resident.
Change your intake forms to ask Gender:____________ followed by a statement that transgender
people are respected at your facility.
Put up a sign in your lobby that indicates that transgender people are welcome in your facility.
Integrated a training segment into the training program for all new staff.
-People who identify as men are to be housed with the men and are to use the mens showers
and bathrooms. -People who identify as women are to be housed with the women and use the
womens showers and bathrooms.
-People who do not clearly identify as male or female are to be housed in and use the
bathrooms and showers in whichever section they feel safest. If this bothers the other residents
of that section, staff should patiently explain to those residents that the person is not a threat to
them and that they should be respected.
-Residents who are worried about privacy should be reminded that all showers and bathrooms
in the facility allow for bodily privacy and that single-use showers and bathrooms are available if
they more comfortable using those.
At this facility, we have a policy of respect for all people, including transgender people. Our policy is to
respect the gender of each person as they self-identify it. For example, if someone says she is a woman,
she is a woman. A persons gender does not depend on whether they have had surgery or other medical
treatments. People are who they say they are.
Dont:
3. Do not assume that someone who is transgender is also lesbian, gay or bisexual, or that the person
will transition to become heterosexual.
4. Do not say "she wants to be called," "she calls herself," "she goes by Susan," or other phrases that
cast doubt on the transgender person's identity.
5. Never ask transgender people about how they have sex or what their genitals look like. This is
inappropriate in every situation 6. Never use words such as it or whatever when referring to
someone who is transgender.