YMCA Sprott House, Canada’s first transitional housing for LGBTQ youth, will provide a safe and supportive environment for up to a year for 25 youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer between the ages of 16 and 24.

“I have never felt more proud of our city than I do this morning,” Dr. Abramovich said at the shelter’s opening in February, flanked by Toronto Mayor John Tory and Councillor Joe Cressy.

With all my heart, I hope this is the beginning of a major shift in how we deal with youth homelessness.”

Through more than a decade of research, Dr. Abramovich demonstrated that, while LGBTQ youth account for up to 40 per cent of homeless youth and are particularly vulnerable to mental illness and substance use, their needs weren’t met being met in traditional shelters. His work convinced the City of Toronto to update its shelter standards last fall, and mandatory LGBTQ training for front-line staff in youth shelters began in February.

Dr. Abramovich will evaluate the shelter’s impact on the lives of LGBTQ youth to build evidence that will inform the development of future LGBTQ housing services across Canada.

Dr. Abramovich’s research and advocacy work is an important part of CAMH’s wider efforts toward improving health for LGBTQ youth and adults. In March, CAMH welcomed the province’s decision to expand access to referrals for sex-reassignment surgery in Ontario.

CAMH researcher Dr. Alex Abramovich is working closely with municipal and provincial governments to help address the needs of LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.