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Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth. What defines a homeless youth?. “Homeless youth are typically defined as unaccompanied youth ages 12 to 24 years who do not have familial support, and who lack a regular night-time

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Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

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  1. Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

  2. What defines a homeless youth? “Homeless youth are typically defined as unaccompanied youth ages 12 to 24 years who do not have familial support, and who lack a regular night-time residence. Homeless youth live in shelters, on the streets, in a range of places not meant for human habitation (e.g. cars, abandoned buildings), or in others’ homes for short periods under circumstances that make the situation highly unstable (so-called “couch surfing” or “highly mobile youth”)”

  3. Runaway: youth who have left home without parental permission (physical abuse, neglect, alcohol abuse) Throwaways: youth who were forced to leave their homes by parents (abandonment) 3. Institutional youth: youth who have an extensive history in foster care, group home, institutions 4. Street youth: youth who have spent some time living on the streets, most chronic 4-Categories

  4. Characteristics • Sexual Orientation • 3-10 % Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual (1993 survey) • Race / Ethnicity • Survey found “no differences”, proportional to racial make-up of community • Some studies have over-represented statistics • Age • Majority 13 or older • Gender • Males generally more likely • Street youth: males • Shelters: even or more females

  5. Statistics • 5-7% of teenagers experience at least one episode of homelessness each year (1-1.5 million) • 20,000 – 25,000 transition out of foster care each year, 25% experience homelessness within 2.5-4 yrs • 2005 survey indicated 79% of homeless youth attended school

  6. Hidden Youth: The Life and Times

  7. $$$ Funding $$$ • Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHA) • $130 million • Served over 500,000 youth in 2005 • Funds NWYS transitional housing program • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009) $70 million for identification, enrollment, attendance, and school success • $1.5 billion for HPRP for various housing needs/programs • $50 million for YouthBuild activities • $70 million for identification, enrollment, attendance, and school success • Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program • If all funds were used for housing, each youth/young adult would receive about $800/yr

  8. $$$ Funding $$$ • In 2007, federally funded programs made over 700,000 contacts with youth through street outreach programs but served 47,400 (less than 10 percent) with shelter and housing • Congressional Research Service • Small fraction

  9. Policy • State and local educational agencies must provide students experiencing homelessness with school access and stability, and remove barriers to their attendance and success. • Enroll without parent permission • Liaison • Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act • A recent federal law eliminated the barrier for unaccompanied youth applying for aid for the 2009-2010 school year and future years. • Independent student status • College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007

  10. Policy… • Runaway youth can receive: • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Food Stamps (EBT) • TANF • Is it against the law to runaway from home? • Yes, in Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming • Mandatory Reporting to Social Service Agency

  11. Issues / Needs • Runaway / Homeless youth have issues trusting adults and therefore don’t seek services • Difficult to measure effectiveness of intervention strategies w/out facing ethical dilemmas • Increased funds for housing • While the average cost of foster care, in-patient treatment, or juvenile correction placements average between $25,000 and $55,000 per year, the average cost of a transitional living program housing unit for youth is approximately $11,800.

  12. References • Levinson, D., & Ross, M. (Eds.). (2007). Homelessness handbook. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing Group. • Hombs, M. E. (2001). American homelessness (3rd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, Inc. • Jorgensen, J. (2010, March 8). Telephone interview. • Wayman, R. A. H., & Modglin, T. (2009). American recovery and reinvestment act: homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing program. National alliance to end homelessness. Retrieved from http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/2217 • Monjazeb, A. (Producer). (2009). Hidden youth: the life and times [video clip]. Available from http://www.nwys.org/ • Foscarinis, M. (2004). Legal tools to end youth homelessness. National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. Retrieved from http://nlchp.org/content/pubs/Legal%20Tools%20to%20End%20Youth%20Homelessness1.pdf

  13. NWYS • What services do you provide? • 2 housing programs, transitional living, 18-21, emancipated 16-17, NWYS signs lease • Permanent housing – homeless youth 18-25 works with a case manager • How are you funded? • Federal rhy – transitional • Whatcom homeless service center – permanent

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