Task Force

In December 1995, Youth Pride, Inc. organized legislators, therapists, educators, parents, youth, representative from state departments and other concerned individuals to sponsor the first statewide forum to address the concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. Each constituency testified about the reality of the educational system, and made recommendations for change. A report issued from that forum was distributed to school administrators, policy makers, teachers and parents. This forum identified specific and concrete recommendation to make schools a safe and nurturing educational environment for all students. As a result of ongoing advocacy, the RI Board of Regents adopted a policy banning discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation (1997). Subsequent forums confirmed positive change as well as a continuation of the often horrific experiences of LGBTQQ youth in schools.

In September 2005, YPI was contracted by the RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to convene the RI Task Force for LGBTQQ Youth, the purpose of which is to develop a statewide plan addressing the needs of LGBTQQ youth. The project is scheduled to be completed by March 2006.

In August, 2006 YPI released “Bandaids Don’t Cut It: A statewide plan to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth in Rhode Island.” This report illuminated opportunities to address the systematic change necessary to assist Rhode Island’s LGBTQQ youth. Rhode Island has amassed an expansive array of engaged, willing and passionate community based organizations, youth leaders, community members, educators and policy makers who are committed to addressing the needs and lives of LGBTQQ youth. The Rhode Island Task Force for LGBTQQ Youth was yet another example of this commitment. All partner agencies involved in this Task Force have committed to addressing recommendations internally and within their systems.

In September, 2006 Action Teams consisting of community members, people of faith, non profit agencies, educators, youth and legislators met to begin the work of implementing the Task Force recommendations. Action Teams have been formed in line with the recommendations (Child Welfare, Education, Data, Mental Health and Health & Human Services). These Action Teams prioritized several recommendations to work on in 2007 to forward the work from the Task Force at large. Please contact YPI if you are interested in joining in our work!

Some of the things that Action Teams are currently working on are:

• Within the school system, encouraging LGBTQQ-sensitive school policies that reflect state laws regarding issues such as sexual harassment, bullying and non-discrimination for students as well as faculty
• Attempting to have all questionnaires/forms in an agency to be LGBTQQ-sensitive
• Putting LGBTQQ-sensitive questions on surveys that are taken throughout the state (such as the school SALT survey)
• Organizing trainings for supervisors and clinicians, in such organizations such as DCYF
• Standardizing contract language within data collection instruments.

For a list of all recommendations and more about the Rhode Island Task Force for LGBTQQ Youth, check out: Band-Aids Don’t Cut It.