Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Panel: Preventing and Reducing Youth Homelessness

(Family and Child Policy)

An estimated 89,000 students without a parent or guardian (“unaccompanied”) were identified as experiencing homelessness at some point during the 2013-2014 school year, according to Department of Education data. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s point-in-time count found approximately 45,000 unaccompanied youth under 25 – most of whom were over 18 – were living on the streets, in shelter, or in transitional housing on a given night in 2014. This panel focuses on two subpopulations of youth at heightened risk for homelessness: an estimated 20 to 40 percent of youth experiencing homelessness identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ), and an estimated 11 to 37 percent of those who age out of child welfare experience homelessness. It is important to understand which factors might place youth at greater risk for homelessness, as well as how to help prevent or end an episode of homelessness. While a number of risk factors can contribute to youth homelessness, it is often a reflection of family conflict or breakdown. Youth in foster care have typically experienced some form of family breakdown; LGBTQ youth may be at increased risk due to lack of parental acceptance of sexual orientation or gender identity. In some cases, addressing family conflict can prevent youth homelessness. However, youth at risk for homelessness may interact with a range of systems, including child welfare, juvenile justice, schools, and community programs. As a result, the US Interagency Council on Homelessness has noted that preventing and ending youth homelessness requires collaboration among these systems. This panel examines recent efforts to prevent youth homelessness, as well as efforts to improve our understanding of which youth become homeless. The first paper explores factors associated with increased risks of homelessness among youth aging out of foster care. It utilizes data from the National Youth in Transition Database to identify the share of youth from the foster care system who experience homelessness by age 21. When possible, it also explores differences among states in risk factors for homelessness. The second paper explores the research base behind interventions and practices that involve families to prevent homelessness among youth to understand what has been tried and what has evidence of working. It finds six interventions classified as “evidence-based” or “evidence-informed,” which include core components like delivering home-based services and providing parent training. The third presentation discusses efforts in Cincinnati and Houston to prevent LGBTQ youth homelessness through a public-private partnership. It will highlight key aspects of the pilot’s planning and implementation phases, as well as lessons learned about how communities can prevent LGBTQ youth homelessness. The fourth presentation provides information on the efforts of one state, Maryland, to build the capacity of child welfare systems to prevent homelessness among the most at-risk, child welfare-involved youth. The presenter will discuss efforts to pilot a risk screening tool and conduct an enumeration of homeless youth. Together, these presentations will address ways to identify at-risk youth, intervene, and coordinate across systems to prevent homelessness among child welfare-involved and LGBTQ youth.