National Alliance to End Homelessness

Advocacy Resource | February 21, 2012

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Talking Points

Need. Researchers estimate that there are approximately 1.6 million runaway or homeless youth under 18 each year. Approximately 400,000 of these children remain outside their home for over a week, and 125,000 are homeless for over a month. Additionally, an estimated 150,000 single young adults ages 18 to 24 are homeless each year, along with many young women and children. Resources to serve this population are greatly needed. Every year, thousands of youth who seek shelter are turned away. Describe the homeless youth population in your community and how the scope of youth homelessness compares to the need for increased resources to address this problem.

Success. Describe the success of local RHYA programs. Discuss the number of children/youth served locally and the effectiveness and outcomes from these programs.

• Efficient. Homeless youth programs are increasingly becoming more efficient at using their limited capacities to better serve youth. Providers are using new strategies to reach as many youth as possible with available resources and to protect youth from having to sleep on the streets, in abandoned buildings, or in other unsafe environments. Discuss how your community maximizes limited resources to effectively serve as many youth as possible. Explain any innovative strategies your community is using to serve homeless and runaway youth.
• Effective. In 2010, Transitional Living Programs exceeded the federal target for safe program exits, and Basic Center Programs exceeded the federal target for proportion of youth prevented from running away as a result of receiving preventive services. Share any outcome data you have from local RHYA programs. Explain their effectiveness at preventing and ending youth homelessness.
• Stable Foundation. Homeless youth programs provide youth with a stable foundation from which they can reunify with their families or develop the skills to live independently. They aim to help youth increase economic independence through educational attainment and employment/career advancement. Discuss your community’s efforts to connect runaway and homeless youth with necessary educational and employment resources. Share any outcomes data you might have.

I hope we can count on you to work with your colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to provide $127 million for HHS’ Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs in the final FY 2013 appropriations bill.

Click here to return to the FY 2013 RHYA Campaign.