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Behavioral Health
Safe Homes & Environments
Strong Communities
Education & Training

LGBTQ Youth

We target the needs of homeless and “at risk” Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Guided by various ongoing community advisory groups, we develop specific services to reach out to LGBTQ youth where they are, provide acceptance, understanding, mentoring and counseling to assist young people in realizing their full potential. This also includes educating families toward acceptance of their LGBTQ family members as well as intervening to reduce the harmful effects of family rejection on LGBTQ youth by providing a safe place for young people to develop self acceptance and build life affirming skills. Specific services include:

  • Support services for parents of LGBTQ youth (including foster and adoptive parents)
  • Support services for LGBTQ parents (including foster and adoptive parents)
  • Support and psycho-educational groups for LGBTQ youth
  • Outreach to LGBTQ youth
  • Training residential/foster care agency personnel concerning the needs of LGBTQ youth

2010

  • CK works in partnership with the Georgia Alliance to End Youth Homelessness to conduct the first-ever youth homeless count and more specifically the first-ever LGBTQ homeless youth count.
  • Summit Trail apartment community is completed and expands capacity up to 60 youth.

2008

  • Tides Foundation grant awarded to CK to provide LGBTQ training for community organizations and residential/foster care agency personnel including clinicians.
  • Awarded Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce's Guardian Angel Award for outstanding commitment to LGBTQ youth.

2005

  • CK CEO, Kathy Colbenson appointed to the National Advisory Board on LGBTQ Youth for the National Alliance to End Youth Homelessness.

2003

  • Rainbow Program combines with Independent Living Program to serve all homeless and "aging out" youth ages 17-21 in supervised apartment settings.
     

2002

  • A group of LGBTQ advocates and advisors formed the Rainbow Advisory Board (later OUT-Reach Committee) to assist with fundraising and community awareness/outreach.
  • CK youth and personnel invited to train other nonprofit professionals and organizations on best practices of working with LGBTQ youth.

2001

  • CK CEO, Kathy Colbenson appointed to the Child Welfare League of America's LGBTQ Advisory Committee.
     

2000

  • The Rainbow Home was established in East Atlanta to serve homeless LGBTQ youth that were kicked out by their families for "coming out."
     

1999

  • Federal grant awarded to CK provide outreach, housing and offer services to Georgia's homeless youth and homeless LGBTQ youth.
     

1995 -1998

  • Stephanie Swann, LCSW, Founder of YouthPride, and Kathy Colbenson, LMFT, CEO of CK, met and conducted a community assessment which determined that there were not enough behavioral health, housing or community services designed specifically for LGBTQ youth (especially homeless LGBTQ youth).
     

 

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