NICWA Partners with University of Maryland School of Social Work to Support LGBTQ2S Youth in Foster Care

The National Indian Child Welfare Association is part of a group of organizations partnering with the National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability and Permanency for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two-Spirit Children and Youth in Foster Care (QIC-LGBTQ2S) to support child welfare administrations caring for youth with diverse sexual orientations and gender identity expressions.

The QIC-LGBTQ2S is opearted by the University of Maryland School of Social Work and funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. The QIC-LGBTQ2S is now accepting grant applications from organizations responsible for administering child welfare/foster care programs throughout their jurisdiction to apply to become a local implementation site. The purpose of these grants is to improve well-being, stability, and permanency of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2S) youth in foster care. Applicants must describe how they will address at least two of the following focus areas over the course of the four-year project:

  1. Appropriate methods for safe identification, assessment of individual needs, and data collection related to target population demographics and permanency, well-being, and placement stability outcomes, with attention to addressing confidentiality and privacy issues
  2. Engagement in effective community, group, family, and individual services
  3. Placement stability supports to children, youth, and caregivers, including families of origin in reunification situations National Quality Improvement Center (QIC) on Tailored Services, Placement Stability and Permanency for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two-Spirit Children (LGBTQ2S) and Youth in Foster Care
  4. Permanency innovations for those not reunified with families of origin
  5. Increased knowledge, competence, and responsiveness of youth with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities and expression (SOGIE) by agency staff, caregivers, and service providers in congregate care settings

Click here for Application FAQ.

Visit the QIC-LGBTQ2S website.