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Commission presents preliminary needs assessment showing high rates of hate crime and housing instability among LGBTQIA+ respondents
Summary
Director Jeremy Browning presented preliminary community needs assessment findings showing 27% lifetime reported hate-crime experience and 16% lifetime homelessness among respondents, and described barriers to healthcare and uneven service distribution across counties.
Director Jeremy Browning presented preliminary findings from the Commission’s community needs assessment at the Jan. 12 meeting, saying respondents reported a 27% lifetime rate of having experienced a hate crime and a 16% lifetime rate of homelessness.
Browning said open-ended responses emphasized that while Maryland is perceived as safer than some states, safety felt fragile and uneven across counties. He told commissioners that resources and services are concentrated in urban areas, that many people avoid care because of fear of discrimination or burdens associated with travel, and that federal policy shifts were increasing fear even where state protections exist.
The director said the Commission will present an expanded 15-page report and asked commissioners to submit feedback and resource suggestions within the next two weeks; the full, updated report is expected for adoption at the February Commission meeting.
Why it matters: the preliminary figures indicate significant challenges in safety, housing, and access to care within Maryland’s LGBTQIA+ communities, and the Commission will use the full assessment to guide recommendations and resource allocation.
