Transcript Supporting Unaccompanied Youth A model for community collaboration Who Are Unaccompanied Homeless Youth?  Not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

Supporting Unaccompanied
Youth
A model for community collaboration
Who Are Unaccompanied Homeless
Youth?
 Not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and meet the MV
definition of Homelessness
 Lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence:
 Sharing the housing of others due to a loss of housing, economic
hardship or similar reason
 Living in motels or hotels, trailer parks, campgrounds, due to lack of
adequate alternative accommodations
 Living in emergency or transitional shelters
 Awaiting foster care placement
 Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live
 Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, sub standard housing, etc.
 Migratory children living in any of the above circumstances
Defining “Youth”
 Youth under MV: eligible for public education
 Legal age of adulthood = living as an adult ???
 Programs designed for emerging adults
Why Are These Youth On Their Own?
 Unstable living situations due to parental
incarceration, deportation, illness, hospitalization or
death
 Lack of space due to family homelessness, or shelter
policies that prohibit certain ages or genders
 Extreme family conflict, fleeing abuse, and neglect
 Running away from home or denial of housing by
family
Challenges For Youth
 Tremendous challenges impacting their education
and educational stability
 Housing
 Medical/dental/mental health needs
 Legal/Immigration concerns
 Employment
 Basic needs assistance
Unmet Needs For Unaccompanied Youth




Lack of shelters specifically for youth over 18
Gap in emergency services for youth
Adult shelters not equipped for late teens
Health and other services difficult to access without parent
involvement
 Lack of programs designed to address aging out
 Post graduation planning and guidance
Understanding The Need
Adult Shelters are not designed for high school
students.
 Students need a consistent place to stay where
they can focus on school.
 Adult shelters do not offer regular nighttime
residence. It may be night to night.
 hyper vigilance necessary on the part of the
student regarding basic needs and personal
safety.
 shelter may be far removed from the school
population
 risk of disengagement and becoming isolated
with homelessness.
What is the Need in Your community?
 Teen Shelters
 Adult Shelters
 Housing Programs
 Host Homes
 Others
Homeless Youth Initiative (HYI)
How did we start?
 Gathering stakeholders
 Community invitation to join Unaccompanied youth
task force
 Representatives from Multiple agencies including:
 Shelter programs, CPS, Dept of family Services,
Housing, Recreation services, Dept of Human
Services, NAEHCY, youth representative
Topics of Discussion
 Legal issues for youth including local runaway laws
and policies
 School actions with runaways
 Medical treatment and parental consent
 Emergency medical care
Needs Identification
 Identify strengths within the community (what do
we have in place)
 Identify Weaknesses (what are the barriers for our
youth)
 Identify Opportunities for youth (what are some of
the options suggested)
 Threats to progressing
Strengths
 Current programs: Assisting Youth Mothers,
Residential Youth Services, Alternative House
 FCPS Homeless Liaison’s Office (provide
transportation to school, access to resources, tutors
in shelters)
 Commitment of Task Force members
 FC Coordinated Services and Planning
 Job skills programs
 Finding alternatives to avoid foster care
 FC Teen Centers
 Strong faith community
Weaknesses
 Lack of affordable housing
 Lack of adult to sign for Shelter-Alternative House
 Lack of awareness/understanding of issues
surrounding unaccompanied youth
 $$$
 Policies that frustrate efforts to support
unaccompanied youth
 Link between teens living with boy/girlfriends and
teen pregnancy
Threats
 Economic downturn
 Public discomfort with children being on
their own
 Misperceptions between undocumented
minors and unaccompanied youth
 Age of becoming an “adult” differs between
other cultures and may cause confusion
 Political pressure to avoid $ for
undocumented immigrants
Resource Planning
 Find resources
 Federal funding became available to support
programs addressing homelessness
 Advocacy to include UY in this discussion
 Ongoing meeting to strategize “who "had spending
power
 Collaborated with stakeholders to pilot program
Your Resources
 Strengths
 Weaknesses
 Threats
 Opportunities
Cross Agency Relationships
 How to start
 How to maintain
Program Application
 FCPS Homeless office assists the School Social Worker
in identifying HYI candidates
 SSW assists the student with the application to HYI
 HYI reviews each application, interview student, and
makes the appropriate housing placement
Program Services
The services provided by the Homeless Youth Initiative
include:
 Helping homeless youth locate safe, affordable housing.
 Providing a rent subsidy sufficient to allow the youth to
maintain housing while attending school.
 Providing assistance with food and clothing when
necessary.
 Provide case management, life skills training and
educational supports to achieve graduation from high
school.
Option 1: Rental Subsidy
 The Alternative House Housing/Program
Coordinator will match the young person with
appropriate housing. In many cases this will be a
room in a home located near the school the young
person attends.
 A family that may be stretching to make their mortgage
payment receives that small additional income that
keeps them in their home;
 The young person has a safe, stable living arrangement
close to the social supports he or she has developed;
and
 The school district does not incur the cost of
transporting the young person from a remote shelter to
their high school.
Option 1: Continued
 HYI staff will verify on a monthly basis that the housing
is still safe and appropriate and be available to discuss
any issues that may occur between the family acting as a
landlord and the young person.
 When the Coordinator finds a suitable living situation
the young person will meet with the landlord. In most
cases this will be a family that wishes to rent a room.
The rental agreement is between the landlord and the
young person and may be terminated by either party
with 30 days notice.
Housing Continued
 A rent subsidy is paid directly to the landlord. The
maximum subsidy is $700 per youth. The young
person and the landlord will decide on a case by case
basis whether the rent paid will include meals and if
so, how many.
 In circumstances where the young person already
has a safe living arrangement, but cannot afford to
maintain it, the Case Manager will sit down with the
young person, develop a budget and determine the
extent of rental subsidy needed. In no instance will it
exceed $700 per month.
Rental Subsidy
 Assists students at risk of losing their housing
 Program requirements include that students
secure employment and be able to live
independently.
 They will receive ongoing support from the
Alternative House staff.
Option 2 : Host Homes
 Host Homes are individuals or families in the
community willing to take a student in and provide
housing while the student is enrolled in high school.
 The family/individual undergoes background checks
and meets with the Coordinator.
 Students are assessed by a therapist in terms of
appropriateness for the program and needs
 Contracts are created between the student and the
host home
Host Homes
 Involvement in the life of the teen will be dependent
on the student and the Host Home.
 An agreement about house rules will be defined by
two parties.
 The Host Home Coordinator will visit with the family
once a month to ensure things are going smoothly.
Option 3 : Janet Lane House
Home for Teen Girls
 A four bedroom home in Vienna, VA is available to
house four young women who are enrolled in FCPS.
 Supervision is provided 24 hours a day. Students
must be screened by a therapist.
Creating an Advisory Team
 Include stakeholders willing to attend regular
meetings with a case management focus
 Be willing and open to program modifications
School Partnership: What does that
really mean?
Meetings and More Meetings……..why we need them
and how they actually help our kids!




Collaborating with County Leadership
Awareness building
Maintaining stamina and patience
Common responses: how to handle them
Adult Shelter Partnership
 Identifying an adult shelter
 Educate the shelter staff about the needs of
Unaccompanied Youth
 Develop a plan of action
 Ongoing communication with shelter director,
student, and HLO
Handling Issues
 Working out barriers that arise
 Program fluidity and improvement
On the Ground
 Communication and relationship building
 Ongoing discussions--issue related
 Process: Internal school and outside agency
 School staff training on needs of UY
 Regular agency staffing and process adaptations
Information Gathering
 Identification of unaccompanied youth
 Data Collection and Record Keeping
 The Unaccompanied Youth Form
Interview Date:
UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH INFORMATION
To Be Completed by Social Worker
In order for us to better assist you and the unaccompanied homeless youth attending your
school, please enter the data in this fillable form and e-mail the form to [email protected] .
SCHOOL:
SOCIAL WORKER:
SOCIAL WORKER CONTACT NUMBER:
STUDENT NAME:
RETURNING UY?
ID #:
Yes
NO
DOB:
GRADE:
STUDENT’S CONTACT NUMBER:
IF NO PHONE, IS ASSURANCE WIRELESS NEEDED?
Who is the student living with:
How long have they been there:
What is the address where the student is currently living:
How does the student get to school? Are there transportation needs?
STUDENT’S SHORT STORY:
Precipitating event which lead to homelessness, including relationship with parents:
Does the student pay rent?
Does the student work?
Does the student need help paying rent?
Where?
If a job is needed, call Job Corner at 703-531-6290.
Does the student have issues with grades? (failing or needs assistance, which courses)
What other needs does the student have? (food, medical, mental health)
IF IN THE 12TH GRADE, WHAT IS THE STUDENT’S PLAN AFTER GRADUATION?
FOR HOMELESS OFFICE USE
This student qualifies as a homeless unaccompanied youth because his/her housing is not:
______ fixed
______ regular
______ adequate
_____ custody pending
Revised
9/12
Collecting Data
Our Excel Database
 Demographics
Student Name, School ID Number, DOB,
Grade, School, Contact info, Employment
Emergency contact info, POC
 Case Notes
Precipitating Events, Hardship, Needs,
Ongoing Communications, Plans for
graduation
The Road to Graduation
 Cora-College Specialist
 Laptops
 FAFSA
 Scholarships
 Deadlines/timelines/planning
Outcomes 2011 School Year
 Data from annual UY report
 Total number of identified HUY : 407
 Total number between the ages of 14-17: 191
 Total number ages 18 and older: 216
 Total in 12th grade at end of year: 112
 Total graduated: 75
 Total planning on higher education: 55
Funding : The Challenge
 Finding additional funding sources and maintaining
current funding
Questions????
Contact us
Kathi Sheffel
[email protected]
571-423-4332
Felicea Meyer-DeLoatch
[email protected]
571-423-4336
Tami Eppolite
[email protected]
571-425-4356