Here’s a link to OHIO YAB Youth Ambassador Erik’s video about being a trans youth in foster care.

1.) Knowing Your Rights

According to Foster Youth Bill of Rights, Ohio foster youth have the right to “protection against being discriminated against or harassed on the basis of race, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, color or national origin.”

If your rights are violated, first reach out to your county children services agency for support. If your concerns are not addressed, please contact the Youth Ombudsman Office so they can conduct an independent investigation.

2.) Seeking Support

Depending on where youth live in Ohio, local supports may vary.

National Resources:

a.) The Trevor Project provides 24/7 crisis support services to LGBTQ young people. Text, chat, or call anytime to reach a trained counselor.

b.) It Gets Better Project exists to uplift and empower LGBTQ+ youth around the globe.

c.) GLSEN is school-based. Their mission is for every student to be valued and accepted regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

d.) Freedhearts Ministries is a resource if you have a Christian foster parent who struggles to accept and understand your identity. They offer support groups, conferences, webinars and resources for Christian parents who feel isolated and confused, helping them reconcile their faith with their God-given desire to unconditionally love, accept and affirm their LGBTQ child.

Statewide Resources:

a.) Equitas Health provides resources throughout Ohio, with offices in Akron, Athens, Columbus Dayton, Lima, Mansfield, Neward and Toledo.

b.) Camp Lilac is a summer camp in Ohio for transgender and gender diverse youth.


County / Regional Resources

Kaleidoscope Youth Center is located in Central Ohio. Their drop-in center is open weekdays for youth ages 12 – 20, as a safe and affirming space for LGBTQIA+ youth and their allies. Their programming focuses on leadership development, life-skills, social activities, mutual support, and health and wellness education.​


3.) Educating Yourself and Others

From 2017-2021, Kinnect partnered with Cuyahoga County Division of Children Family Services, Case Western Reserve University, and A Place for Me on the Affirm Me grant project designed to improve outcomes for youth with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions (SOGIE) who were in foster care.

Affirm Me involved three primary strategies:
1.) The safe identification of youth in foster care who identify as LGBTQ+
2.) The creation of a PRIDE Network of foster and kinship caregivers to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ youth in care and to advocate and educate professionals, caregivers, and administrators on the needs.
3.) Implementing the Chosen Affirming Family Finding model to work with biological family members on acceptance of youth, as well as reunification or relational permanency.

4.) Building Our Collective Resource Knowledge

Ohio foster care youth and alumni are currently working together to map out resources in our state, including for name changes and health resources.

Ohio Legal Help has mapped out the steps to change your legal name.

The OHIO YAB and ACTION Ohio have received concerns from current and former foster youth that:

• They face the challenge of receiving state identification with a gender marker that they do not identify with…

• They long for identification documents that match their chosen name and identity

• It can be complicated to navigate county/state requirements (i.e. many states require proof of transition-related surgery, court order, or an amended birth certificate, or do not provide a clear policy)

• Such policies stand in the way of youth obtaining identification that can help them access services, benefits, and opportunities in a way that is consistent with their identity and plans for their future.

There are also financial barriers regarding costs that young people cannot afford and provide no avenue for a fee waiver.

In the words of one youth leader, “My county probate court gave me the form for the name change. But the issue for foster youth is the fees. In my county it is 140 dollars just to give them the paperwork. Then the court fees are about 100 dollars. And to post it in the news is about 90-100 dollars. All around, a name change ends up being over 300 dollars. My county children services agency said I had to pay for it myself because it’s court fees.”