True Colors Sexual Minority Youth and Family Services of CT

True Colors annual conference began as a field work project for its founder and current exeutive director in 1994 and it's now the largest and most comprehensive lgbt Youth issues conference in the nation. More than 3,500 Youth, educators, social workers, clinicians, Family members, and clergy participate in more than 250 workshops, films, activities and events over the course of the 2 or 3 day event. School groups participate from more than half of the communities in CT, from across the northeast and nationally. The conference is open to the public and provides up to 10 continuing education credits for professional participants.

True Colors provides Connecticut's only lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (lgbt) one-on-one and group Youth mentoring program, bringing the benefits of mentoring directly to Youth from across the state of Connecticut. In addition to one-on-one mentoring with trained and screened adults, this program provides weekly group activities such as game nights, movie nights, dance, etc. These activities provide participating Youth the opportunity for healthy peer interactions and social development - sadly lacking for most of the Youth we serve.

The safe harbor project is a public/private partnership between True Colors, the CT state department of children targeting the unique concerns and needs of lgbt Youth in out-of-home care. The safe harbor project's mission is to ensure the safety, support and nurturance of all children and Youth, regardless of their race, inherent sexuality, gender identity or expression by ensuring culturally competent, unbiased and affirming service by all dcf staff and its contracted providers. The safe harbor project includes a state-wide, policy-focused task force that meets monthly; staff and provider training to approximately 400 youth-serving professionals annually; foster parent recruitment for adolescents regardless of their gender or sexuality as well as individual case consultation. We provide intervention and mediation on behalf of approximately 75 Youth annually, resulting in the creation of new foster homes, staff development and improved Services. We provide interventions and mediation on behalf of 40 Youth in the mentoring program, but we also work directly with approximately 200 Youth in the Youth development program and train approximately 5,000 helping professionals per year.