Full Text of HR0424 099th General Assembly
HR0424 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, There are an estimated 25,000 youth in Illinois | 3 | | who experience
homelessness in the course of a year, 15,000 of | 4 | | whom represent Chicago; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Approximately 40% of youth experiencing | 6 | | homelessness identify as
lesbian, gay, bisexual, or | 7 | | transgender (LGBT), yet LGBT youth make up less
than 7% of the | 8 | | general youth population; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Stable housing is not only a basic necessity to | 10 | | maintain health and youth safety, it also aids academic | 11 | | achievement, employment seeking and stability, healthy
living, | 12 | | and positive adolescent development; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Homeless youth face many daily challenges such as | 14 | | lack of sufficient food,
lack of access to physical and mental | 15 | | health care, lack of information and treatment of substance | 16 | | dependence
and trauma, and lack of social support, and face | 17 | | threats to their safety and survival
including violence and | 18 | | exploitation; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Many factors contribute to LGBT youth | 20 | | homelessness, the most commonly
cited reason is identity-based | 21 | | family rejection; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Homeless LGBT youth face additional daily | 2 | | survival challenges, they also
face additional obstacles, | 3 | | including lack of safe emergency housing that is | 4 | | gender-affirming
and recognizes transgender identity, lack of | 5 | | social supports in their transition to
adulthood, compounded | 6 | | discrimination and harassment based upon sexual orientation
| 7 | | and gender expression, and vulnerability to human trafficking; | 8 | | and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Reducing the disproportionate percentage of | 10 | | homeless LGBT youth
requires our understanding of this issue | 11 | | and the ways in which we can each contribute
to a solution; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Young people are better able to get the support | 13 | | and services they need
when community members get involved in | 14 | | preventing and ending youth homelessness; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, LGBT youth homelessness is a national and local | 16 | | community issue; finding
solutions depends upon leaders and | 17 | | citizens in Illinois communities, including urban,
rural, and | 18 | | suburban communities; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, All citizens should become more aware of LGBT | 20 | | youth homelessness
within the community, become more involved | 21 | | in its prevention, and support solutions to
ensure that LGBT |
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| 1 | | youth have a safe, nurturing environment; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The True Colors Fund developed a resource kit | 3 | | identifying guided activities
to raise awareness of the issue | 4 | | of LGBT youth homelessness and to build collaborative
| 5 | | solutions; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, April 29, 2015 will be the first Forty-to-None Day | 7 | | (aka #40toNoneDay), a
national day focused on raising awareness | 8 | | about LGBT youth homelessness; therefore, be it
| 9 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 10 | | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 11 | | designate the 29th day of April as 40-to-None-Day (aka | 12 | | #40toNoneDay) in the State of Illinois and call upon citizens, | 13 | | government agencies, the business community, service | 14 | | providers, advocates, LGBT youth, and elected officials of this | 15 | | State to increase awareness of LGBT youth homelessness and to | 16 | | engage in efforts to end homelessness, thereby strengthening | 17 | | the communities in which we live; and be it further | 18 | | RESOLVED, That individual agencies are encouraged to post | 19 | | this resolution on their Internet websites; and be it further
| 20 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 21 | | delivered to each member of the
Illinois congressional |
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| 1 | | delegation and to the Office of the Governor.
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