Supporting Unaccompanied Youth

1. Supporting Unaccompanied Youth A model for community collaboration

2. 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

3. Defining “Youth” • Youth under MV: eligible for public education • Legal age of adulthood = living as an adult ??? • Programs designed for emerging adults

4. 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

5. Challenges For Youth Tremendous challenges impacting their education and educational stability Housing Medical/dental/mental health needs Legal/Immigration concerns Employment Basic needs assistance

6. 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

7. 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.

8. What is the Need in Your community? • Teen Shelters • Adult Shelters • Housing Programs • Host Homes • Others

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Your Resources • Strengths • Weaknesses • Threats • Opportunities

17. Cross Agency Relationships How to start How to maintain

18. Program Application • 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

19. Program Services The services provided by the Homeless Youth Initiative include: 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. Housing Continued • 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.

23. 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.

24. 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

25. 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.

27. 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.

28. Creating an Advisory Team Include stakeholders willing to attend regular meetings with a case management focus Be willing and open to program modifications

29. 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

30. Adult Shelter Partnership • 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

31. Handling Issues Working out barriers that arise Program fluidity and improvement

32. 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

33. Information Gathering Identification of unaccompanied youth Data Collection and Record Keeping The Unaccompanied Youth Form

35. Collecting Data Our Excel Database • Demographics Student Name, School ID Number, DOB, Grade, School, Contact info, Employment Emergency contact info, POC • Case Notes Precipitating Events, Hardship, Needs, Ongoing Communications, Plans for graduation

36. The Road to Graduation Cora-College Specialist Laptops FAFSA Scholarships Deadlines/timelines/planning

37. 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

38. Funding : The Challenge Finding additional funding sources and maintaining current funding

39. Questions????

40. Contact us Kathi Sheffel klsheffel@fcps.edu 571-423-4332 Felicea Meyer-DeLoatch fcmeyerdeloa@fcps.edu 571-423-4336 Tami Eppolite teppolit@fcps.edu 571-425-4356