The Foster Care Training Committee, supported by the Hawaii Department of Human Services, hosted this training on August 30, 2012.  The training presenters were:

• Stacia Ohira has worked in the field of social services for over ten years advocating for many different populations. She has experience working with at risk youth, inmate populations including sex offenders, and people who are living with HIV/AIDS. Currently she works with people who are living with HIV/AIDS who also have mental health issues as well as working with youth who have committed sex offenses.

• Kintaro Yonekura has experience as a co-facilitator and educator of LGBTQ workshops for local non-profit agencies. He is a Board of Directors member for the Life Foundation and is an active volunteer working with intermediate and high school youth providing HIV and AIDS awareness. He has also been a part of the foster care system since the age of four and struggled with drug addiction and abuse for many years before becoming clean and sober. He is currently working towards his Masters in Social Work at UH Manoa.

Because of the stigma and social pressures they face, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning, Inter-sex Youth (LGBTQI) face higher risk for substance abuse, unsafe sexual practices and suicide. The support of a resource caregiver (aka foster parent), adoptive parent, social worker, GAL, CASA, judge and/or teacher can mean the difference between life and death for these youth.

When supporting youth, it is important to remember to value the person’s right to self-determine their sexual orientation.  Do your best to learn as much as you can and keep learning.  If every person is respected, our society benefits from our diversity.

For more insight, read The Transgender Child – A Handbook for Families and Professionals.

Below are the handouts from this training:

LGBTQI Community Based Organizations

LGBTQ Definitions

Health and Mental Health of Young Adults Based on Levels of Rejections

LGBTQ Facts

LGBTQ Rights

Creating Welcoming Environments

Additional resources include:

Web Page with resources for Hawai`i

Suicide Prevention: You can help prevent suicide in your community by knowing how to ask about it, & knowing where to get help. Download Mental Health America’s free suicide prevention iPhone App today, ASK. Search under suicide prevention in App Store to get the ASK about suicide App to save a life with warning signs, how to ask & hotlines.

LGBTQI Personal Comfort Assessment Tool
Strategies for LGBTQ Educational Advocacy
Family Acceptance Project
Center for Mental Health Services ‘Helping Families Support Their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Children