Transcript Community Connections for Homeless Children Kara A. Capone, MA, MPH Director of Programs New Haven Home Recovery, Inc.

Community Connections for
Homeless Children
Kara A. Capone, MA, MPH
Director of Programs
New Haven Home Recovery, Inc.
Shelter Options in
New Haven, CT
• 4 Family Shelter options
– CCA –(2 sites) = 17 families (DSS)
– NHHR (2 sites) = 13 women & children
(DSS & City)
– Life Haven = 20 women & children (DSS &
City)
– Domestic Violence – 6 women & children
(DSS)
Homeless Kids in New
Haven & CT
• In the past two years, NH shelters (excluding
DV) sheltered 658 children. 55% were 0-5
years old. NHHR has over 1,700 requests for
shelter, only 16% could be accommodated
• There are an est. 13,000 homeless children
statewide
• 40% of all people who are homeless are
children
McKinney-Vento
Overview
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
• Originally authorized in 1987
• Reauthorized in January 2002 as Title
X, Part C of No Child Left Behind
(NCLB)
• The primary piece of federal legislation
dealing with the education of children
and youth experiencing homelessness in
U.S. public schools.
www.serve.org/nche/
McKinney-Vento
Overview (Cont.)
• Provides stability, access and support
for academic success for homeless
children and youth, including preschoolaged children
• To qualify for these rights, children and
youth must be considered homeless
according to the McKinney-Vento
definition of homelessness.
www.serve.org/nche/
Homeless Definition
Homeless children and youth are minors who lack a
fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. It
includes children and youth who:
• are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss
of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;
• are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping
grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate
accommodations;
• are living in emergency or transitional shelters;
• are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster
care placement
www.serve.org/nche/
Homeless Definition
(Cont.)
• have a primary nighttime residence that is a
public or private place not designed for or
ordinarily used as a regular sleeping
accommodation for human beings
• are living in cars, parks, public spaces,
abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus
or train stations, or similar settings; and
• migrant children and youth who qualify as
homeless
www.serve.org/nche/
Homeless Definition
(Cont.)
Subgroups:
• Children and Youth in Homeless Families
• Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (runaway, abandoned, and/or
unsupervised youth)
Under the McKinney-Vento Act, an individual or family who lacks a
fixed, regular and adequate residence is considered homeless.
• Fixed residence: one that is stationary, permanent and not
subject to change.
• Regular residence: one that is used on a regular (i.e., nightly)
basis.
• Adequate residence: one which is sufficient for meeting both
the physical and psychological needs typically met in home
environments.
www.serve.org/nche/
School Involvement
• Every LEA (Local Educational Agency) must
designate a local homeless education liaison
• Responsibilities:
– Identify homeless children and youth
– Ensure that homeless students enroll in and have
full and equal opportunity to succeed in school
– Post public notice of educational rights
– Coordinate and collaborate with agencies
– Arrange services and transportation
– Resolve disputes
www.serve.org/nche/
Educational Rights
Children and youth experiencing
homelessness have the right to:
• Go to school
• Continue in the school they last
attended before becoming homeless
• Receive transportation to the school
they last attended
www.serve.org/nche/
Educational Rights
(Cont.)
• Attending a school and participate in school
programs with children who are not homeless.
• Enroll without giving a permanent address.
• Enroll and attend classes without
immunization records or any other required
documents
• Receive the same special programs and
services, as provided to all other children
• Receive transportation to school and to school
programs
www.serve.org/nche/
The Children’s
Education Partnership
• NHHR, Head Start, Diaper Bank and
DSS got together to discuss the
problem
• Convened interested stakeholders
• TA from from Regional Head Start
• Put together a plan to address the
school readiness needs of homeless
children age 0-5 years.
Partnership
Goal: Develop strong collaboration between
agencies including Memo’s of Understanding
– Create collaborative steering committee consisting
of a representative from each organization to
meet quarterly
– Work with stakeholders to ensure a coordinated
system of care. Issue a quarterly newsletter on
progress
– Create and sign MOU’s between agencies
Education
Goal: Universal understanding of
McKinney-Vento and ability to use
information effectively
– Education of sheltered parents
– Education of shelter staff
– Education of local school staff
Identification &
Enrollment
Goal: Increase the number of homeless
children identified as eligible for and
enrolled in early childhood education
– Staff ID children eligible
– Applications completed and submitted
– Children enrolled in school
Identification &
Enrollment (Cont.)
Goal: All children who are homeless will be
enrolled in a quality education program
–
–
–
–
DSS collaboration with Head Start
Outreach agencies
Establish point people at agencies
Outreach other services providers: mental
health, substance abuse.
– Identify barriers to enrollment
Advocacy
• Goal: Homeless children will be better
served by the school system through
advocacy
– Participation of staff in IEPs and other
educational meetings
– Facilitate communication with teachers,
social workers and other school personnel
Outreach
• Locally: School Readiness Council, Board
of Alderman-Human Services, Policy
Council, City Health Dept-Manos, DPH
School of Health Services, Head Start
School Advisory, BOE School Based
Health Clinics, New Haven Continuum,
Voices for Children
Outreach
• Statewide: Commission on Children,
Daycare Council, School Readiness,
Department of Social Services,
Department of Children and Families,
Department of Education, Department
of Public Health, legislators and elected
/ appointed officials
Resources
• National Center for Homeless Education
http://www.serve.org/nche/
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and
Youth
http://www.naehcy.org/
• National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
http://www.nlchp.org/
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004
http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html
• No Child Left Behind Title X, Part C
http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg116.html