Federal Policy Brief | 12 Aug 2010

Author: National Alliance to End Homelessness

Files: PDF | 54 KB | 1 page

Overview

The best studies available indicate that over 1 million youth are homeless each year in America.  In 2009, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs made over 800,000 street outreach contacts with homeless and at-risk youth, of which less than 41,000 received access to a shelter bed and less than 4,000 received access to housing.  Once homeless, many youth face survival on the streets, recruitment by gangs, exposure to drugs, and sexual exploitation by adults.

Causes. Many youth report severe family conflict as a primary reason for becoming homeless.  Volatile conditions within a family create an environment where the youth may experience physical violence, sexual abuse, chronic neglect, or abandonment, typically related to chemical dependency or mental health issues.  Across studies of homeless youth, reports of sexual abuse experiences range from 17 to 53 percent and physical abuse reported ranges from 40 to 60 percent.  Youth may also become homeless when their families force them to leave due to pregnancy, drug or alcohol use, sexual orientation, or school problems. 

Youth homelessness also reflects the deficits in public systems of care such as child welfare, juvenile corrections, and child mental health systems.  Each year, approximately 29,500 youth age out of foster care and 100,000 youth leave the juvenile justice system with little or no financial and housing resources.  As a result, many experience episodic homelessness.  More attention is required to address the housing needs of youth leaving public systems of care.

Turning away Youth. In 2009, over 7,500 youth were turned away and denied shelter and housing due to lack of resources.  Communities would like to serve homeless youth but often lack the necessary options of outreach, drop-in centers, shelters, and housing to intervene. 

Cost-Effective Programs. Homeless youth programs are cost-effective alternatives to more expensive out-of-home placements like treatment facilities, group homes, foster care, juvenile corrections, custodial care, treatment, and/or arrests.  Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget’s Program Assessment Rating Tool process rated RHYA programs as “effective” in 2006 because they made improvements to their evaluation of youth outcomes and had ambitious targets for program measures. 

Current Status

The Administration proposed level funding RHYA programs at $116 million in FY 2011.  The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee recommended providing $123.7 million for RHYA programs.  Details of House Appropriations Committee bill are not yet available.  

Recommendation

America’s homeless youth are denied services because communities lack outreach, shelter, and housing programs.  Congress could offer necessary, crisis services for homeless youth by appropriating $165 million in fiscal year (FY) 2011 for the RHYA programs, according to the breakdown in the chart above.