Staci Perlman, MSW, PhDUniversity of Delaware, Newark

Understanding Homelessness Among High School Age Youth

Joe WillardPeople’s Emergency Center, Philadelphia

INTRODUCTIONS

Who are you?

What brings you to this workshop?

Any community collaborations on collecting and using data to understanding youth homelessness?

• Prevalence

• Impact

• Addressing the Needs of Youth

Focus for Today

Scope of the Issue

Percent of Homeless Individuals who were Unaccompanied Youth

31 Youth

Estimates from HUD Point in Time Count Data

Percent of Homeless Students who are Unaccompanied

AY1011 AY1112 AY12130

5

10

15

20

25

30

6 67

24

19

13

NationalPA

100,000 v 1.6 million

Prevalence…

Why the difference?

Estimates based on different definitions…

Obtained using different methods…

…Yield different counts

Side by Side Comparison of State

Shelter (EH/TH)McKinney-Vento (School)

Does your community conduct a Youth PIT?

What do you think can be done to improve our understanding of the number of youth experiencing homelessness?

A strategy we tried: Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Philadelphia YRBS

• Conducted since 1991

• Asks about an array of youth risk behaviors

• In 2009 and 2011, Philadelphia included three questions on housing status – making it one of few locations in the country to do so…

Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)

• Conducted biennially - usually during the spring

• Completed in one class period (45 minutes)

• Anonymous, no “skip-patterns”

Philadelphia YRBS Housing Status Questions

• At a friend's or relative's home with my parents or guardians

• In a supervised shelter with my parents or guardians• In a hotel or motel, car, park, campground, or other

public place with my parents or guardians

Where do you typically sleep at night?

Homeless with Family

Housed• At home with my parents or guardians

Homeless Without Family (Unaccompanied Youth)

• At a friend's or relative's home without my parents or guardians

• In a supervised shelter without my parents or guardians

• In a hotel or motel, car, park, campground, or other public place without my parents or guardians

Housing Status Prevalence

Ever Homeless 7.6%(n = 2,606)

Sleep Away From Home With a Parent 3.5%(n = 1,215)

Sleep Away From Home Without a Parent (Unaccompanied Youth)

2.7%(n = 948)

Kicked out, Thrown Out, Ran Away, or Abandoned (in the last 30 days)

11.1%(n = 3,834)

Where Sleeping at Night

Homeless with Family

Unaccompanied Youth

At a relative’s or friend’s 86.6% 80.5%

In a shelter 13.4% 15.1%

In a hotel/motel/campground or other public place

0% 4.4%

PhiladelphiaPIT: 17YRBS: 2,163

MassachusettsPIT: 68YRBS: 12,541

Los Angeles, CAPIT: 366YRBS: 34,370

Youth Experiencing Homelessness:PIT Compared to YRBS

Do you think this is something you could do in your community?

Impact (or why it matters…)

Interpersonal/Sexual Violence

Physical Abuse

Sexual Abuse

Sexual Exploitation

Bullying

Substance Use/Abuse

Smoking

Alcohol

Marijuana

Mental Health

Depression

Anxiety

Self-injury Behaviors

Suicidal ideation

Suicide attempts

Academic Achievement/Engagement

Truancy

Poor academic performance

Poor engagement

High school dropout

Some youth are more vulnerable than others…

LGBTQ

Unaccompanied

Aging out

Although youth experiencing homelessness are more vulnerable to adverse outcomes, many are resilient…

Based on your experiences, what do you think promotes resiliency?

Policy & Practice

Addressing the Needs of Youth

Increasing Usage

Funding

Engagement

Research

Increasing the Use of the YRBS

Philadelphia

Massachusetts

Los Angeles, CATexas

North Carolina

Maryland

California – In Discussion

Connecticut

Delaware

Washington

Hudson cty, NJWisconsin

Sample YRBS Questions

MarylandDo your parents or guardians own or rent the home or place where you are living now?

During the past 12 months, did you ever live away from your parents or guardians because you were kicked out, ran away, or were abandoned?

During the past 12 months, where did you usually sleep at night?

North CarolinaWhere do you typically sleep at night?

Inclusion of LGQ Questions

All Youth

Youth Experiencing

Homelessness

LGBQAmong

Homeless

Connecticut 171,469 10,035 (4%) 1,870 (31%)

Delaware 37,713 1,461 (4%) 339 (32%)

Funding to Address Needs of Youth

• Massachusetts: – Partnership between a school district and their

local housing authority to house seniors in exchange for a pledge to graduate high school.

– Statewide collaboration between CoC & Education

• Phila: $250,000 PUSH grant

• Grant proposals

Engagement Around Youth Issues

• Increased dialogue focused on youth

• National Consortium

• Youth Count! – Urban Institute recognition

• USICH – blog

• Future web site

Research

• Homeless Youth in Philadelphia: Prevalence and Mental Health Risks Manuscript

• BMI manuscript (under review)

• Substance use manuscript (in progress)

• LGBTQ manuscript (in progress)

What resources/policies seem to be working in your community?

What is still needed?

We greatly appreciate the time and insight of the individuals who participated in the stakeholder interviews and who contributed to this study.

Thank You!