The Los Angeles LGBT Center on June 1 called upon Bobby Cagle, director of the Los Angeles County’s Department of Child and Family Services, and the county Board of Supervisors to stop their neglect of LGBTQ youth in the foster care system.

Thirteen years ago, the county abandoned the LGBTQ youth under its care when it stopped funding the system’s only LGBTQ+-specific services, the L.A. LGBT Center said. Despite expressly agreeing in the years since that such services are critical to properly care for and keep these youth safe from harm, and contrary to explicit promises to the center and the state of California that they would remedy this situation, the county has failed to act.

“All we’ve seen from Bobby Cagle are empty promises,” Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean said. “The appalling consequences for LGBTQ youth have been dire, including emotional trauma, torture and even death. Yet, the very agency responsible for their care and protection, knowing this for many years, has done nothing to change the situation. This intentional neglect must stop. The county knows that at least one in five youth under their care are LGBTQ, and 90% of these are youth of color. They know, too, that their failure to properly care for these youth is actually causing them irreparable harm. Yet, they can’t manage to take even the simplest step of asking the Board of Supervisors for the resources necessary to prevent LGBTQ+ foster youth from a life of suffering. This shocking dereliction of duty is inexcusable. Queer youth of color are not expendable. It’s time for our county to do whatever is necessary to save the lives of LGBTQ foster youth.”

According to research commissioned by the center and conducted by UCLA’s Williams Institute in 2014, approximately 20% of foster youth identify as LGBTQ and more than 90% of them are youth of color. Other studies have indicated that as many as 30% of foster youth identify as LGBTQ.

“DCFS has failed LGBTQ youth by denying them life-saving services,” the center’s Youth and Family Connections Manager Jo Cerda said. “They need services and programs specifically designed for them to exist in the foster care system and enter the world as healthy, equal and complete members of society. The failure of DCFS to provide culturally competent services to LGBTQ youth of color is causing actual harm to these youth. Our children are suffering and dying under the DCFS watch. They deserve better.”

For information, visit lalgbtcenter.org/DCFS.