Social Work Commons^™

Phoenix is the sixth largest city in the United States, with a vibrant yet underserved lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) population. Despite an extensive community presence, social service delivery bias persists among members of the LGBTQ community, but more often among transgender individuals. Existing research has examined social services from the perspective of either the client or the practitioner. This exploratory study specifically examines social services in the Phoenix metropolitan area for the transgender community. Data collected from interviews with participants and providers contributed to an assessment of the current level of social services for the transgender community, …

This article describes an integrated model of service provision called a continuum of care (CoC), and illustrates the application of this approach to working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth through a case example. The CoC described in this article includes provision of individual and group counseling, case management, housing/family supports, socialization events, and prevention workshops, along with relevant outcomes. The relevance of a CoC model for LGBTQ youth due to the inclusion of community context and potential to empower service users is explored. Key recommendations for CoC models with LGBTQ youth include a focus on collaboration, …