Welcome to the LGBTQIA+ Quality of Life Study!
Here you will find:
- Background information on the study
- Purpose of the study
- LGBTQIA+ Quality of Life Study Final Report
Related Links:
- LGBTQIA+ Quality of Life Final Report
- News Release
- Kick-off Presentation
- Study Flow Chart
- Study Charter
- LGBTQ Commission Page
Background
The LGBTQIA+ Quality of Life study began from the City of Austin's LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission. Founded in 2017, this Commission is appointed by City Council and charged with advising the City on matters impacting the LGBTQIA+ communities in Austin.
The other Commissions with similar, identity-based work all had a "Quality of Life study" to better inform their work. These studies operated like a census of the population, examining population numbers, income, and other demographic information.
The LGBTQ Commission did not have a study, and had identified a gap within the City for demographic, census type of data on the LGBTQIA+ communities, but also a lack of a strong intersectional analysis within and between the diverse LGBTQIA+ communities of Austin.
What does the Study aim to do?
In beginning to plan out the scope of work for the study, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission examined the Quality of Life studies done for the African-American, Asian-American, and Hispanic/Latino Commissions, as well as other similar LGBTQIA+ centered studies done in cities across the nation.
Building from this research, as well as the input from interested community members and the Commissioners' own experiences, they gathered for a retreat in February 2019 to create a shared set of expectations for the eventual end of the study.
From these notes, Commissioners Taylor and Curette, along with staff support from the Equity Office, set to drafting a Scope of Work, for use within the solicitation.
This Scope of Work was intentional and explicit that this study would not just become another "Needs Analysis," or deficit-based report that identified all the problems and shortfalls of their communities. The Scope of Work, building from the analysis of the Commissioners, would also recognize the power present within these communities, and instead analyze the systems that exclude, exploit and extract from their communities. The Scope of Work also explicitly named that this report would utilize an intersectional analysis and center the experiences of the Queer People of Color communities, particularly those most negatively impacted by the systems.
Who is Health Management Associates, Inc.?
Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA) is a leading independent, national research and consulting firm dedicated to improvements in health and human services. HMA specializes in publicly funded health programs, system reform and public policy, and has worked with community-based organizations, foundations, government providers, policy-makers, and others to provide solutions to complex issues.