Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths face a higher risk of homelessness and a greater scarcity of services than heterosexual youths because of their sexual orientation, according a new report from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Between 20% and 40% of all homeless youths -- or as many as 500,000 individuals nationwide -- identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), compared with between 3% and 5% of the total population, the report states.

This disproportionate rate of homelessness among LGBT youths is "a national disgrace," said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "It is a further disgrace that federal programs that assist homeless young people have been woefully underfunded."

The recently published report, entitled "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth: An Epidemic of Homelessness," offers a range of recommendations for solving the problems of homeless LGBT youths, including the recommendation that more funding be allocated for addressing their issues.

While the report's perspective is national, its numbers appear to reflect the situation in the D.C. area. Deborah Shore, executive director of Sasha Bruce Youthworks, a nonprofit agency serving homeless and runaway youths, said she has always seen "a significant population of LGBT youths," but that it has been increasing in recent years.

"What has been going on in the last few years is that there is great visibility of LGBT issues and it's such that it has caused young people to want to be who they are and not cover up the issue," Shore said. "And sometimes the family is less than tolerant about this."

Covenant House, a Catholic organization that caters to at-risk teens, has seen less of a prevalence of GLBT youths, but many do come through its doors. A spokesperson for the nonprofit said that one about one of 10 boys it serves is gay and that three out of 10 girls it serves are lesbians.

Carolyn Austin, Covenant House director of service management, noted that sexuality-related issues are just one category of the many reasons teens become homeless. "We don't have an enormous amount of gay, lesbian and transgender youths, but they do come through the door," She said. "But there are many other issues: those that are victims of physical and sexual abuse and even those involved in human trafficking."

Along these lines, report found that while family conflict is a major cause of homelessness for youths overall, familial conflict over a youth's sexual orientation or gender identity presents a special problem.

"There are a multitude of reasons they these young people become homeless, but ultimately, family conflict is the primary cause," said Nicholas Ray, author of the report. "Over a quarter of those who came out to their parents were told to leave home."

In fact, 50% of gay teens experienced a negative reaction from their parents when they came out, asserts one study cited in the report. Another study states that more than one third of the young people who are homeless or in the care of social services experienced a violent physical assault when they came out. The fear of such assaults often leads youths to leave a shelter or foster home because they feel safer on the streets.

Homelessness also makes LGBT youths more vulnerable to mental health problems and substance abuse because they experience the combined stresses of homelessness and sexual-orientation discrimination, the report states.

Many LGBT youths also report harassment and discrimination from shelters and service providers because of their sexual orientation. In one case, a shelter in Michigan forced youths identified or perceived as being LGBT to wear orange jumpsuits to distinguish them from other clients.

Transgender youths face special problems, the report notes, citing studies indicating that one in five transgender individuals need, or are at risk of needing, homeless shelter assistance. But some of these youths are ostracized by shelters and agencies that serve their lesbian, gay and bisexual peers.

"Shelters often create unsafe and hostile environments by imposing gender-enforcing behavioral rules and dress codes, causing many transgender youths to wind up on the street, engaging in risky survival and coping behaviors," the report adds.

"This report is the first of its kind, and we hope it will educate a lot of people about this issue," said Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. He noted that there is an overall lack of research available on LGBT youths in the United States.

The report proposes some solutions, and it highlights model programs that provide support for homeless LGBT youths.

The report urges an increase in federal funding for programs under various youth-related acts. Additionally, it recommends that youths be allowed to receive health services on the federal level without the consent of their parents, particularly when they have been kicked out of their homes after revealing their sexual orientation.

On the state and local levels, the report asserts that funding streams should be established to provide housing for all youths, that recipients of funding should commit to safe and appropriate treatment of LGBT youths, and that shelter and housing space should be allocated specifically for LGBT youths.

The report also recommends that service providers be trained in cultural competency for working with LGBT youths and the issues that accompany their homelessness.

In the Washington area, Covenant House does not offer any specific services to the LGBT population. However, Sasha Bruce Youthworks works closely with the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League to offer LGBT individuals various services. Executive director Shore said that more services for these teens are definitely available in D.C.

"For people working with homeless youths, [this prevalence of GLBT youths] has been something we have known for years," she added. "But it's wonderful to finally have acknowledgement of this."

Laura Thompson Osuri and David Pike Contributed to this article