Tippecanoe County CASA Recognized for LGBTQ+ Inclusion

According to the Human Rights Campaign, LGBTQ+ youth make up approximately 30 percent of all kids in the foster system.

That is why Tippecanoe County CASA decided to add LGBTQ+ training for its volunteers.

Up approximately 30 percent of all kids in the foster system.

That's why tippecanoe county casa decided to add lgbtq+ training for their volunteers.

I talked with the organization as well as a local lgbtq+ advocate and both say these changes can help save kids lives.

Tippecanoe county casa is the first child welfare program in the state to be recognized for l-g-b-t-q inclusion.

"training our volunteers that if a child would come out even to them that they have the tools they need to be able to help that child."- coleen the non profit received the "your welcome here" seal from the human rights campaign's all- children-all families program.

Obtaining that seal..

Required them to change their training and policies to make them more w do you work with others when they have a strong feeling about something?

How do you work with a foster parent when a child does come out to them?

Those are the kinds of things they will learn.

Then they will learn for themselves the kind of vocabulary that is used."-coleen local lgbtq+ advocates say..

These policy and training changes are essential to keeping kids safe.

"when we come out as adults it's difficult enough but when you are a kid and you rely completly on your parents for financial support where you live what's going on and you know you can't come out even if you are in a religious school you can get kicked out of that school so there are so many factors."- ashley smith ashley smith is the president of pride lafayette.

She believes these policy and training changes could save lives.

"just having a conversation could save someones life just knowing that one person is there for you can save your life no matter how old you are."

Tippecanoe county casa is also one of 4 other casa's in the country that have changed their training guidlines to become more inclusive for lqbtg+ youth.

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