Supporting Unaccompanied Youth A model for community collaboration.

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

Youth under MV: eligible for public education

Legal age of adulthood = living as an adult ???

Programs designed for emerging adults

Defining “Youth”

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.

Teen Shelters

Adult Shelters

Housing Programs

Host Homes

Others

What is the Need in Your community?

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

Strengths

Weaknesses

Threats

Opportunities

Your Resources

Cross Agency Relationships

How to start

How to maintain

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 Application

Program Services

The services provided by the Homeless Youth Initiativeinclude: 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.

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.

Housing Continued

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

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

Adult Shelter Partnership

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

I nterview Date:

UNACCOMPANI ED YOUTH I NFORMATI ON

To Be Completed by Social Worker

I n order for us to better assist you and the unaccompanied homeless youth attending your school, please enter the data in this fi llable f orm and e-mail the f orm to [email protected] . SCHOOL: SOCIAL WORKER: SOCIAL WORKER CONTACT NUMBER: STUDENT NAME: RETURNING UY? Yes NO ID #: 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 need help paying rent? Does the student work? 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 NotesPrecipitating 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 [email protected]

Tami [email protected]