New York City is trying out a new initiative aimed at preventing LGBT homelessness, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced Monday.

The New York City Commission for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Runaway and Homeless Youth will address the problems of LGBTQ teens before they resort to running away, according to a press release. The program will provide homeless youth with housing and emotional support, plus family reuniting services.

Currently, the Department of Youth and Community Development offers drop-in centers, transitional independent living programs and street outreach services for homeless youth, but a new committee of 25 civic leaders will re-evaluate youth services and ensure they are targeting LGBTs.

“New York City may be one of the most tolerant places on earth, but LGBTQ youth still face daily discrimination that forces many of them to leave home and sometimes make risky decisions,” said Bloomberg.

Earlier this week, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced a significant expansion to New York’s anti-bullying program “Respect for All.” The program, founded in 2007, was created to prevent bullying and to help students deal with harassment inside the New York Public School System.

The recently-expanded initiative will extend training programs to all elementary school teachers and counselors and will guide principals in creating anti-bullying plans and maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment.

“Eliminating bullying and harassment in our schools is critical to preventing hate among future generations,” Quinn said. “And now, by increasing training opportunities and accountability, we’ve created the most comprehensive anti-harassment initiative in the nation.”

Staff training and accountability is cruciala, Quinn said. “Respect for All” schools are required to develop annual plans to convey appropriate standards of behavior to students and staff, investigate complaints properly, and require all staff to attend two-day training sessions.