Homeless Youth Say They Need More from Schools, Social Services
Mikayla Foreman, a 20-year-old who has been dealing with homelessness since she was 18, believes that her experience could have been different if someone had intervened earlier. Currently living in a shelter, Foreman is determined to continue her academic journey, studying for exams in hopes of attaining a nursing degree. However, she thinks that there were intervention points that could have prevented her from experiencing homelessness in the first place.
Unique Problems Faced by Young People
As cities impose bans, fines, or jail time for adults living on the streets, young people who have been homeless say they face unique problems that could have been addressed earlier. Through more than 400 interviews and survey responses, young people across the country told researchers how earlier guidance and intervention might have made a difference for them. The research suggests that the country is missing its biggest opportunity to prevent youth homelessness by intervening well before a young person reaches a shelter and years before they are chronically homeless.
The report, from Covenant House and the University of California, Berkeley, finds that the pathways into youth homelessness are different from those of adults experiencing temporary or chronic homelessness. A young person coming out to their family, or becoming pregnant, or experiencing untreated trauma can create conflicts that push them into homelessness. According to the survey responses, the top three reasons that young people experience homelessness for the first time are being kicked out of their family homes, running away, and leaving an unsafe living situation such as one affected by domestic violence.
Intervention Points and Solutions
Advocates say there are multiple intervention points — in school, in child welfare organizations, and inside family dynamics — where the worst outcomes can be avoided. States such as California, Florida, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington have explored some of those intervention points in policies that range from guaranteed income pilot programs to youth-specific rental assistance and campus housing protections. For example, Hawaii has made its youth drop-in and crisis-diversion program permanent, and Oregon and Washington have expanded rental assistance and education-centered supports for vulnerable youth.
One of the key points of intervention for potentially homeless youth is school. Public schools across the country have increasingly reported more homeless students since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the report, respondents suggested youth-specific housing options, identifying and helping at-risk youth in health care settings, providing direct cash assistance, and offering conflict resolution support within families. They also emphasized the importance of strong relationships with non-parental adults, including mentors, teachers, service providers, and elders.
The research breaks out responses from specific groups — Indigenous, Latino, immigrant, LGBTQ+ people of color, and pregnant or parenting youth — to understand their distinct needs. For instance, Indigenous youth often deal with the effects of intergenerational trauma and alcoholism, while pregnant or parenting youth struggle with finding their next paycheck, putting food in their baby’s stomach, and lacking a support network.
By understanding these nuances and specificities, researchers and advocates hope to tailor their approaches and responses to better address the needs of homeless youth. As Foreman notes, “Homelessness is multifaceted, and lots of us slip through the cracks because the system isn’t designed for our reality.” By intervening earlier and providing more targeted support, we can work towards preventing youth homelessness and helping young people like Foreman achieve their full potential.
Read the full report and learn more about the issue of homeless youth Here
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