CA Homeless Youth Project Blog

Farewell to Martha

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:39:00 -0700

Greetings,

Time sure has flown by. My time as a social work intern at the California Homeless Youth Project (HYP) has come to an end. I have to thank the researchers at the California Research Bureau and, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco. I have been so lucky to work alongside such experts who not only provided guidance, but provided support and encouragement regarding my writing capability. My understanding of policy development and policy interventions to improve the lives of homeless youth in our state has grown tremendously. I understand that in order to end homelessness, all realms need to collaborate with each other, and that is what HYP attempts to do which helps us provide rich reports for policymakers and stakeholders.

I have valued my experience here, and for that I thank to the Project Director, Shahera, for giving me the opportunity to be a part of HYP.

As my Grandfather would say, “Au revoir, auf wiedersehen, adios, sayōnara, paalam, and farewell for now,”

~Martha

On the Horizon – A New Brief on Immigration Status & Youth Homelessness

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:05:00 -0700

The project is proud to announce that our Consultant, Jimmy Ramirez, is currently working on a policy brief on the intersection of youth homelessness and immigration status. Through our review of the literature, we’ve learned that undocumented youth and the children of undocumented immigrants are at risk of homelessness for a number of reasons.

(Photo Credit: Kent Lacin)

Immigration status has created significant barriers for youth attempting to access benefits; however, the US government has implemented provisions to help these youth (in some cases). For example, all undocumented homeless youth enrolled in public school have the same access to resources under the McKinney-Vento Act and the DREAM Act which would enable more undocumented youth to access higher education and create a path for a career.

Furthermore, the brief will discuss different forms of immigration relief, such as the implementation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which helps this vulnerable population become stable US citizens.

The brief will also include landmark legislation that has had a significant impact on the well-being of undocumented homeless youth in California, and offer policy recommendations that will allow these children to achieve stability.

If you have any questions or recommended resources please do not hesitate to email us at shahera.hyatt@library.ca.gov

Thank you!

Jimmy

Social Workers Care about Homeless Youth

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:02:00 -0700

I am still excited about my experience last week. Why you ask? Last week I had the privilege to present on behalf of the CA Homeless Youth Project (HYP) to the Social Work Student Association (SWSA), a student organization at California State University, Sacramento.

Youth homelessness is such a huge issue that intersects with several issues relating to the social work profession (poverty, domestic violence, child welfare, sexual exploitation, mental & physical health, and so on). Social workers may provide services to people at risk of becoming homeless, so it is important for them to know the needs of people experiencing housing instability. In the case of youth homelessness, their stories are distinctly different than adults who experience homelessness.

About half of the attendees at the presentation were aware of youth homelessness because of their work in child welfare or homelessness. For example, some students shared that they have volunteered or worked with youth experiencing homelessness or at-risk of becoming homeless (i.e. former foster youth, LGBTQ youth, etc.). After viewing the documentary, Voices from the Street: Homeless Youth Speak Out on State Policy, some attendees were not surprised to hear about the struggles among homeless youth and shared their experience of working with youth who have similar stories shared in the documentary such as “youth running away from family violence,” “kids grades, attendance, and attitudes are affected when they’re worried about where they’re going to sleep,” and how “they don’t have many ‘true friends’.”

Youth experiencing homelessness often experience social or economic injustice, issues that social workers are committed to combating. With the help of youth, researchers, and service providers, HYP provides research informed policy recommendations that aim to reduce youth homelessness. In fact, the HYP report, More Than a Roof: How California Can End Youth Homelessness, provided policy recommendations for service providers, state agencies, policy makers, and advocates. Many bills pertaining to youth homelessness have been introduced this legislative term, largely relating to access to education, housing, and food. If Social Workers promote social change and if policy changes affect society, then I think it’s safe to say that Social Workers should know policy.

Resources regarding youth homelessness:

Hotlines for Youth Experiencing/At-Risk of Homelessness

Resources about state policy and the legislative process:

CalChannel: Watch Legislative hearings and learn how bills are voted on in the California Assembly and Senate.
California Legislative Information: Find out what bills are introduced this session and even track the status of bills.
California Representatives: Laws affect you, so find out which Assemblymember and Senator represent you!

~Martha

California Can’t Afford to Have Youth Missing from National Homeless Count

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:41:00 -0700

The California Homeless Youth Project released a new report at the Housing California conference yesterday alongside researchers and members of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. Hidden in Plain Sight: An Assessment of Youth Inclusion in Point-in-Time Counts of California’s Unsheltered Homeless Population highlights best practices for counting unaccompanied minors and transition-age youth experiencing homelessness.

Youth are a hidden population that has historically been undercounted in local, state and federal efforts to enumerate the homeless population. Among researchers and advocates for the homeless, a clear recognition has emerged that strategies to improve the well-being of homeless youth in California must be informed by accurate data.

To identify the challenges and successes communities have had in counting homeless youth, researchers interviewed staff from 31 of the 43 Continuums of Care in California about their experiences conducting the 2013 Point-in-Time (PIT) count. Mandated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the PIT count is conducted in order to receive federal funds for homeless assistance and improve community planning efforts to end homelessness.

From the interviews, researchers identified common challenges in accurately counting homeless youth, which helped guide recommendations for communities conducting future PIT counts, including:

Involving youth service providers and homeless youth as PIT count enumerators/interviewers;
Collaborating with McKinney-Vento school homeless liaisons to include data on homeless students as part of or a supplement to the PIT count;
Providing a stipend to youth for their time staffing in the count; and
Incorporating a dedicated count of youth at specified locations and times of day during the PIT count.

The authors of this report are Colette Auerswald, MD, MS, at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine and the University of California; Jessica Lin, MPH, at the University of California, San Francisco; Laura Petry a graduate student in Management and Planning at the UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare; and Shahera Hyatt, MSW, at the California Homeless Youth Project. View the Executive Summary here.

The Project goes on MSNBC to discuss Youth Homelessness

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:23:00 -0700

I was recently honored to receive an invitation from Melissa Harris-Perry to be on her MSNBC show to discuss the issue of youth homelessness and more importantly to discuss the recent inclusion of youth age 18 to 24 in HUD’s Point-in-Time (PIT) Count this year.

When I arrived to the DC studio, I was escorted into the green room, where I anxiously waited. I was greeted by the camera operator, David, and was handed an earpiece that connected me to the New York Cty headquarters (where the show was filmed). I was told to look and speak directly into the camera and given great words of encouragement by the producers in New York City and my best friend Corey (photographed below).

The segment began. Ms. Harris-Perry opened with the following words: “While those of us who haven’t experienced homelessness can’t describe the experience; we can recognize the significance of quantifying it.” I wholeheartedly agree. Ms. Harris-Perry was able to articulate how data is singularly the most important tool as we move forward to end youth homelessness. It provides policymakers and practitioners tangible estimates on the scope of the problem and a path for moving forward.

I was honored to speak alongside fellow formerly homeless youth and experts in the field. The conversation that took place brought the issue of youth homelessness to the forefront while at the same time commending the recent inclusion of youth in the PIT count.

During the interview, I was really hoping Ms. Harris-Perry would ask me about my opinion on the Obama administration’s efforts in helping end youth homelessness. On her program, Ms. Harris Perry quoted President Obama in his Inauguration Speech: “We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed because she is an American.” The administration’s initiatives including the US Interagency Council on Homelessness federal strategic plan to end youth homelessness by 2020 has demonstrated that this country cares about the plight of those without homes across our country.

Here at the Homeless Youth Project, we have attempted to align California with the efforts of the USICH by authoring a state plan to end youth homelessness. More than Just a Roof is a comprehensive plan that establishes a strategy to coordinate service providers, government agencies, and policymakers in California. The plan particularly emphasizes the need for better data on youth homelessness.

Learn more about the plan here: More Than a Roof

I would like to thank Ms. Harris-Perry for broadcasting this issue and her commitment to social justice for the children of this nation. I would also like to thank David for allowing me to take the cheesiest photos of all time in the NBC News Room after my interview.

Remember that only together can we end youth homelessness and to “Stay Classy California”.

Sincerely,

Jimmy

California Legislative Bill Digest

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:04:00 -0800

In these first few months of the new two-year legislative session, California lawmakers have introduced a number of bills related to youth homelessness. Listed below are nine proposed bills that aim to address youth homelessness primarily as it relates to educational services, involvement with the child welfare system, and access to safety net programs.

Senate Bill

SB 177: Homeless Youth Education Success Act
Author: Sen. Liu (D – La Cañada Flintridge)
Co-Author: Asm. Ammiano (D – San Francisco)
This bill includes numerous provisions that would affirm the education rights of California’s homeless child or youth, by considering them eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities (i.e. interscholastic sports) even if they don’t meet school-residency requirements. This bill would provide youth access to educational support and services by requiring:

Immediate enrollment of a homeless child or youth;
The State Department of Education and the Department of Social Services to organize a work-group to accomplish specified objectives relating to homeless children and youth; and
Local educational liaisons for homeless children and youth to ensure public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths are distributed in schools within the liaison’s local educational agency.

Assembly Bills

AB 5: Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights
Author: Asm. Ammiano (D – San Francisco)
The bill would enact a Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights, providing that “no person’s rights, privileges, or access to public services may be denied or abridged because he or she is homeless, has a low income, or suffers from a mental illness or physical disability” and would clarify many federal laws related to the educational rights of homeless youth under the McKinney-Vento Act.

AB 264: Homelessness: housing
Author: Asm. Maienschein (R – San Diego)
This bill states that intent of the California Legislature is to “enact legislation to provide housing for homeless persons in this state.”

AB 309: CalFresh: homeless youth
Author: Asm. Mitchell (D – Los Angeles)
This bill aims to clarify that there is no minimum age requirement for unaccompanied homeless youth to apply for CalFresh benefits. This bill would also require county welfare departments to promote awareness of CalFresh expedited services to the homeless population by ensuring local educational agency liaisons and homeless shelter operators to receive training about CalFresh services.

AB 346: Emergency Youth Shelter
Author: Asm. Stone (D – Scotts Valley)
This bill would require that the Department of Social Services (DSS) create a new licensing category for emergency youth shelters. DSS would license shelter facilities that have met the requirements to offer short-term, 24-hour non-medical care and supervision and personal services for up to 25 youths who voluntarily enter the facility. The bill would require DSS to adopt regulations to implement these provisions.

AB 652: Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act: homeless children
Author: Asm. Ammiano (D – San Francisco)
The Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act would clarify that a minor’s homelessness is not, in and of itself, a sufficient basis for reporting child abuse or neglect. This clarification would be consistent with federal law.

AB 951: Educational rights of homeless children: school district administrator and staff training
Author: Asm. Medina (D – Riverside)
This bill would require school districts to:

Train all administrators and certificated and classified staff about the educational rights of homeless children and correlate services according, but not limited to, the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act;
provide public notice to all students and parent/guardians regarding the educational rights of homeless children; and
Designate a liaison between the school district and the homeless population to ensure that homeless children are identified and served accordingly.

AB 1068: PupilRecords
Author: Asm. Bloom (D – Santa Monica)
This billwould allow minors age 15 years or older to access their own records if the minor “is living separate and apart from his or her parent or guardian, and is managing his or her own financial affairs.”

AB 1110: Foster Care Services
Author:Asm. Mansoor (R – Costa Mesa)
This bill intends to “preserve and strengthen a child’s family ties whenever possible, removing the child from the custody of his or her parents only when necessary for his or her welfare or for the safety and protection of the public.” The bill would amend the Section 16000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to foster care. Reunification must be deemed “impossible or unlikely” for an alternate permanent housing option to be found; rather than “not possible or likely.”

AB 1283: Homeless Youth: Service Providers
Author: Asm. Bonilla (D – Concord)
This bill would mandate the state advisory group on youth homelessness to identify existing programs that assist youth homelessness and develop a directory of these programs. In addition, it would require this advisory group to found an “Internet Web site for runaway and homeless youth that would include a directory of service providers and the rights of homeless and runaway youth.” The bill would amend Section 1786 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to homeless youth.

The California Homeless Youth Project is a non-partisan initiative of the California Research Bureau and the California State Library. As such, we do not take a position on legislation; this post is for educational purposes only.

caseyfoundation: Youth Ages 20 to 24 Who Were Employed in 2011....

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:19:22 -0800

caseyfoundation:

Youth Ages 20 to 24 Who Were Employed in 2011. Learn more>

Eek! CA has the 6th lowest employment rate in the US for transition-aged youth ages 20 - 24.

More Than a Roof: State Action Plan Release Round-Up

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:49:47 -0800

Nearly 50 community members, policymakers, and advocates came to the State Capitol last week to see Senator Carol Liu host an informative press conference to release our new State Action Plan, “More Than a Roof: How California Can End Youth Homelessness”. Our report identifies 10 main subject areas addressing the needs of homeless youth (prevention, education, employment, supportive services, housing, health, juvenile justice, rural areas, governance, and research and data) and offers corresponding policy solutions and action steps for state and local policymakers, service providers, and government agencies.

Featured Speakers included Senator Carol Liu, Homeless Youth Project Director Shahera Hyatt, and homeless youth Joshua Williams & Aaron Mott from California Council on Youth Relations. All speakers emphasized the importance of a state action plan to end youth homelessness and shared their ideas for ending youth homelessness. Senator Liu discussed her support for More Than a Roof by saying, “We are fortunate that the information presented not only raises awareness of the scope of the homeless youth problem but also provides a framework for tackling an issue that heretofore has been largely ignored. I am committed to advancing the report’s recommendations, through legislation if needed, to prevent and reduce youth homelessness.”

Hyatt added, “Homeless youth do not access services for chronically homeless adults or homeless families, for a variety of reasons: their needs are different, they have experienced threats, theft, or harassment in those programs, or they have been turned away from those programs because they don’t meet eligibility requirements. Plans to address the needs of these populations don’t necessarily impact unaccompanied homeless youth, so we felt we needed to create a plan that is youth-focused and specifically addresses the unique needs of homeless young people.”

Williams had this to say about the plan, “The idea of a state action plan to end youth homelessness is phenomenal. No one chooses to be out on the street. We should help youth get back on their feet so they can be successful as they mature into adults. It makes no sense to turn your back on youth.”

Opening Remarks were followed by a screening of our documentary, “Voices from the Streets: Homeless Youth Speak Out on State Policy”, which highlights California homeless youth’s ideas for policy change that coincide with some subjects from our state action plan.

If you were unable to attend, please watch the video of our Press Conference and review our report to see how we all can be a part of the plan, as we get closer to reaching the goal of ending youth homelessness.

We are very excited to invite you to join us, Senator Liu, and...

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:33:00 -0800

We are very excited to invite you to join us, Senator Liu, and formerly homeless youth next Tuesday (Jan. 8) for a press conference announcing the release of California’s first State Plan to end youth homelessness! Share with your friends!

Please Note the room change to Room 2040

Educate Youth & Parents' Rights Under McKinney Vento

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:26:43 -0800

On November 15, I had the honor of attending the “Spotlight on Youth Homelessness” a panel discussion presented by The DC Alliance of Youth Advocates. This panel discussed the issue of youth homelessness in the context of Washington DC and included experts from community based organizations, government agencies, and the DC public school system. One of the most impressionable moments from the panel was the testimony of Azalia Speit the DC Principal of Luke Moore High School. She explained that her staff had to receive additional training to handle the influx of youth homelessness within the public school system. More astounding, was the fact that the district, which is made up of 40,000 plus students, has only one McKinney Vento Liaison. The work that this principal had to do to ensure her staff was well prepared, coincides with one of the recommendations in our action plan to address youth homelessness:

Ensure that all homeless youth in schools are counted by training school staff to identify homeless youth, posting notice of McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act eligibility, educating Parent-Teacher Associations, and using enrollment forms that can help determine housing status.”

To that end, an innovative approach to present the rights of homeless youth has been developed by the National Center for Homeless Education. NCHE has developed posters that outline the educational rights of homeless youth on posters that are available in both Spanish and English.

NCHE has also developed posters for both youth and parents that visually demonstrate what type of housing qualifies the child as homeless (ie shelters, cars, doubled up) and follows up with the rights ensured by the McKinney Vento Act (ie. transportation to and from school).

My favorite thing about these posters are the sections designated for “Local Liaison” and “State Coordinator,” these spaces are left blank to be filled out by local educators. This allows youth or parents to easily access to the information and directly contact the person that can help in a time of need.

The posters can be found here.

If you are a local administrator, provider, or educator we highly recommend posting these posters to ensure youth in your area are aware of their rights to education and basic needs.

To read more about our strategic, state-wide plan to end youth homelessness, click here.

Upcoming Policy Seminar: The Worlds of White & African...

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:52:00 -0800

Upcoming Policy Seminar:

The Worlds of White & African American Homeless Youth

We are incredibly proud to announce our upcoming event at the Capitol, where we will be highlighting the release of our new issue brief, “Comparing White and African American Homeless Youth in San Francisco: Research Findings and Policy Implications” by Colette Auerswald and Ginny Puddefoot.

This event will be hosted by the Homeless Youth Project and Assemblymember Holly Mitchell (D- Los Angeles) in partnership with At the Crossroads, Larkin Street Youth Services, and the California Coalition for Youth. The panel of service providers and advocates will be discussing the role public systems can play in better serving homeless youth of color. Audience members will be invited to join the discussion. Lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis in the State Capitol Room #444 from noon to 1pm.

Come join us for lunch and learn more about serving homeless youth in our state.
Please register for the event via surveymonkey or learn more on our facebook event page.

We look forward to seeing you!

Jobs for Youth with Criminal Records

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:16:30 -0700

Earlier this month I attended “From Jails to Jobs! How to Help Youth with Criminal Records Get Jobs” a training in Oakland, Ca. The training was hosted by the Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance and presented by Larry Robbins, a well-rounded expert of at-risk youth and employment. The attendees at this training were representatives from various social service programs throughout California who work with at-risk youth. Each agency discussed the services that help their clients get jobs, which led to additional recommendations from Robbins. His recommendations were key features identified from successful programs that work with youth with criminal records.

There were many interesting suggestions shared at the training, many of which were rooted in strength-based theory, emphasizing the youth’s self-determination and resiliency.

Suggestions for Social Service Providers and Youth

- Identify the youth’s interests by asking questions such as, “What are you doing when you lose track of time?” These interests are known to help youth’s identify their own strength.

Robbins shared a story of a youth who was interested in bicycles and bike maintenance, which made her a resource to others. This client would make $40 fixing bicycles, which she loved, and if demand increased she could look into the steps needed to start her own business.

- Consider the youth’s incarceration as a learning experience by identifying the assets youth had to demonstrate, by asking “What did you do to survive?”

Attendees brainstormed answers they have heard from youth, such as: “I have learned …” conflict resolution skills, how to read people, being well organized, respectful of other’s differences, self-discipline, negotiation skills, etc.

- Use Innovative job searching tools. Innovative techniques are key in being noticed by an employer, so Robbins suggests the use of a “Turnaround Packet”, which is a collection of information that is used for the job application and interview process. Such information includes: Letters of Reference, Clean DMV records, GED or High School Diploma, picture of accomplishments, a link to a website that they made, etc.

Robbins shared a story of a youth who included a picture of them playing soccer and a soccer trophy. Coincidentally, the employer was a fan of soccer, which led to the employer being less critical to the fact that the youth was incarcerated and hired the youth.

- Understand the mindset of the employers.

“Knowing is half the battle.” Youth need to understand how an employer views them. For example, if a youth was incarcerated for acts of violence, but did not commit acts of violence during incarceration, then they can communicate that during the interview; this will show that they are honest and that their behavior should not be questionable or feared. In addition, the youth could ask a guard or their parole officer for a reference, which would substantially support the claim.

- Use a sincere “Turnaround Talk.”

A Turnaround talk is an effective speech to voice to the employer during the interview process. Key aspects of this talk include thanking the employer for the interview in consideration of their background; displaying sincerity and remorse, and expressing that you are rehabilitated.

In sum, it is important to realize that choices have been made that led the youth to incarceration, and afterwards the best thing for service providers to do is help the youth reflect what was learned from their experience.

Testimony on the State-Wide Plan to End Youth Homelessness

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:51:00 -0700

On October 4, HYP Director Shahera Hyatt was invited to present More Than Just a Roof, the first ever California Statewide Plan to End Youth Homelessness, to the California State Assembly Select Committee on Homelessness. The hearing took place in San Francisco where Ms. Hyatt presented alongside other distinguished colleagues in the field of youth homelessness.

Below is the testimony provided by Ms. Hyatt. Her testimony highlights the urgent need for the plan and provides legislative recommendations needed to go forth to end youth homelessness. The full statewide plan will be released in November in accordance with Runaway and Homeless Youth Month, so be sure to check back!

Assembly Select Committee on Homelessness Testimony

“Hello and good afternoon chair and members of the committee. Thank you for welcoming me here today. My name is Shahera Hyatt and I’m the Director of the CA HYP, a non-partisan grant-funded initiative of the CRB, aimed at educating policymakers on the needs of HY in our state. As a formerly homeless young person myself, this issue is near and dear to my heart. I experienced homelessness both with my family, staying in hotels and motels for months at a time, and later as an “unaccompanied” homeless youth, couch-surfing with friends and relatives throughout high school. However, as a homeless man selling newspapers told me the other day, we have to be thinking about how to end homelessness not just with our hearts, but also with our brains.

State Action Plan to End Youth Homelessness

To that end, the HYP has been crafting a State Action Plan to End Youth Homelessness in California. This plan was created under the direction of an advisory council consisting of about 25 service providers, state agencies, policy makers and advocates from across the state, as well as national partners from the USICH, and NAEH. These stakeholders also represent the target audience for the Plan, a collection of the most actionable recommendations in the literature on the topic of ending youth homelessness in California.

The Plan is organized by issue area including prevention, education, employment, supportive services, and housing strategies. The myriad issue areas underscore the complexity of the problem and the need for collaboration across sectors.

Origin of the Plan

The State Plan was initiated by a request from Senator Carol Liu who forged a partnership between the HYP and the Senate Office of Research to identify practices to serve homeless youth and provide a summary of what other states have done to address youth homelessness. The following are just a few of our findings:

In order to prevent youth homelessness the legislature should:

Ensure that AB 12, which extends foster care to age 21, is fully implemented to prevent transition-aged foster youth from exiting into homelessness

Increase housing options for youth ages 18 to 21, and;

Identify and address obstacles that prevent abused or neglected children from entering the child welfare system, so that fewer kids are missed by the system and become homeless;

To improve education outcomes for homeless youth,

Clarify state reporting requirements to ensure that homeless youth are able to enroll in school without being referred to law enforcement or child welfare

Require that basic information about the McKinney-Vento Act and homeless youth is included at least once a year in the ongoing, mandatory trainings of principals, and other school staff, and increase McKinney-Vento staff, particularly in school districts that are heavily impacted by homelessness, and;

Issue a statewide policy instructing school districts to calculate and accept partial credits, helping homeless and foster youth who are unable to complete an entire academic semester at one school access their records and change schools when a parent is not available.

To ensure young people have access to a continuum of services,

Develop a system to expedite and pay for birth certificates and IDs for youth who often lack a central place to store and access important documentation. Without this system, many homeless youth are not able to access services that could prevent or end their homelessness. Free non-driver ID cards are already available to the homeless in several other states including Illinois, Washington DC, Kentucky, New York and others;

Expand the capacity of community-based service providers to serve the nearly 2/3rds of California’s 58 counties that have no services designed to specifically meet the needs of unaccompanied homeless youth;

To increase access to safe, affordable homes for transition-age youth, we must:

Ensure on-going funding for housing for transition-age youth through California’s permanent source campaign, and increase safe;

Develop regulation standards for homeless youth shelters in California by creating a licensing category for emergency youth shelter facilities and;

Encourage the use of host home models by public child welfare agencies and allow them to utilize their licensing and background process to approve host home providers

To improve health outcomes for youth experiencing homelessness, we need to:

Prepare outreach strategies to transition-age youth for 2014 when the Affordable Care Act will expand coverage to all adults and children under 133% of the poverty level, and encourage local service providers to prepare for Medi-Cal expansion by ensuring they have adequate staff to support new enrollees and bill for services

To better understand the number and characteristics of homeless youth in our state, we should:

Require that state-funded programs collect housing status data using a common standard and share this information across state agencies to improve the coordination of services.

Lastly, we know that attempting to establish a statewide Interagency Council on Homelessness in California has not been successful, but one of the most frequent comments we’ve heard while writing this plan is that there is a lack of state ownership and coordination on the issue of youth homelessness, and that this is a real barrier to achieving progress. An alternative the Legislature could continue to pursue is to replicate Colorado’s model of creating an Office of Homeless Youth Services – a state entity that coordinates current services and facilitates interagency collaboration related to homeless youth.

LGBT Homeless Youth in CA

Finally, I’d like to discuss a particularly underserved segment of the homeless youth population – lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. As my colleagues have mentioned, LGBT youth are disproportionately affected by homelessness, many of which become homeless due to family conflict around their sexual orientation or gender identity.

LGBT homeless youth experience greater rates of victimization on the streets such as robbery, physical and sexual assault, and hate crimes, and are more than 3 times as likely to be involved in survival sex, the exchange of sex for food, shelter, clothing, or drugs, and report higher rates of hard drug use.

Unfortunately, LGBT homeless youth often feel that service providers are not culturally competent in areas outside of San Francisco, and noted a particular disparity in treatment between gay and transgender youth

These increased risks and negative outcomes strongly suggest the need for targeted community and policy action. The needs of this population are highlighted throughout the State Plan, particularly in items such as creating a host home model to serve LGBT homeless youth and collecting better data about sexual orientation and gender identity from service providers. I’m going to hand it off to Sherilyn to talk more about this population in her remarks.

Next steps

This plan will be officially released in November in conjunction with National Runaway and Homeless Youth Month and will be shared widely with service providers, advocacy groups, government agencies, and community leaders. I invite the member of this committee to respond with any comments or suggestions for the plan, and I look forward to working with you all to achieve these action steps and end youth homelessness. Again, I appreciate you inviting me here today.”

Assembly Select Committee on Homelessness

Testimony by Shahera Hyatt, Director of the California Homeless Youth Project

Thursday, October 4th, 2012

Sexual Exploitation in California

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 12:00:35 -0700

What’s Happening Now?

On September 24^th Governor Brown signed a series of bills to protect victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. SB1133, AB 2466, & SB 1193 are the bills that aim to curb human trafficking. SB1133 will expand the list of assets that are subject to forfeiture upon conviction of a human trafficking sex crime. AB2466 will allow courts to “seize and freeze” a defendant’s assets during prosecution, which helps dismantle the criminal enterprises’ economic infrastructure. SB1193 makes it a requirement for certain businesses (i.e. bars, strip clubs, truck stops, etc.) to post notices advertising telephone tip lines for members of the public and victims of human trafficking.

Attorney General Kamala Harris stated that “Human trafficking is big business in California” and is a high profit criminal industry that has expanded across the globe. Harris also stated, “With these new laws, California prosecutors and law enforcement officials will be able to seize assets of human traffickers, cripple their operations and aid victims”.

People around the world are realizing the prevalence of human sex trafficking, including here in California. This issue has gained momentum in California, and there has been action from Governor Jerry Brown, the California Homeless Youth Project (HYP), and the stakeholder groups like the California Child Welfare Council (CWC).

Here at the California Homeless Youth Project (HYP), we published an issue brief addressing Sexually Exploited Homeless Youth in California in May 2012. The brief establishes what is known about the sexually exploited homeless youth, highlights California legislation addressing CSEC and a diversion program that’s working on better protecting and serving CSEC, and provides policy recommendations for addressing CSEC and youth homelessness.

There is a Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) workgroup under the purview of the California Child Welfare Council (CWC), which has been researching and promoting awareness of CSEC among government agencies and service providers. Their upcoming report is set to be released December 2012/January 2013. CWC is an advisory body comprised of representatives from the state and county department, nonprofit service providers, advocates, parents and former foster youth. The CWC is an initiative response to The California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS), which is responsible for improving the collaboration and processes of the multiple agencies and the courts that serve children in the child welfare system.

Homeless Youth Are Victims of Sex Trafficking

Homeless Youth are a large diverse population, which encompasses many subpopulations such as pregnant and parenting youth, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, undocumented youth, and foster youth. The homeless youth population is extremely vulnerable to exploitation. Here are some common sexual exploitation experiences among homeless youth:

· 162,000 homeless youth are estimated to be victims of commercial sexual exploitation in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001).

· Lacking social and financial support, homeless youth engage in a number of risky behavior and coping strategies in order to survive, making them easy targets for sex traffickers (Tyler, Hoyt, & Cauce, 2004).

· LGBT youth are at an increased risk for becoming sexually exploited due to their over-representation in the homeless youth population (Hyatt, 2012).

· More than one third of homeless youth engage in survival sex; the act of trading sex for food, clothing, or a place to stay (Ray, 2006).

· Runaway and homeless youth experience rape and assault rates 2 to 3 times higher than the general population of youth (Robertson & Toro, 1998).

· 66% of males and 33% of females report being assaulted on the street, and 47% of females had been sexually assaulted (Cauce, et al., 1998).

These statistics illustrate how homeless youth are a vulnerable population, and that some sub-populations are more at risk. Sexually exploited homeless youth have an increased risk of physical health problems – including tuberculosis, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (i.e. HIV/AIDS) – and mental health problems – including PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders (Hyatt, 2011). As a result, trauma-informed programs, services, and policy initiatives are needed to address such concerns.

What Can be Done?

Homeless youth that are victims of sexual exploitation are a vulnerable sub-population of CSEC. Promoting awareness of issues such as CSEC, including human sex trafficking, is key to the reduction and prevention of its occurrence.

Here are a few policy recommendations from our report:

- Prevent homelessness by 1) providing homeless youth immediate assistance finding safe and long-term homes, continuing education services, and job training; 2) having law enforcement be a positive gateway service by providing immediate referrals to relevant services for victims of sexually exploited and homeless youth;

- Increase access to health care and mental health services for sexually exploited and homeless youth;

- Research underserved populations such as sexually exploited boys, young men, and LGBT youth;

- Improve state-wide data collection to accurately measure sexually exploited and homeless youth in order to understand the extent of their trauma; and

- Create effective public policies to assist sexually exploited and homeless youth by being better informed of the long-term effects of sexual exploitation and homelessness

Although issues relating to sexual exploitation and youth homelessness are sensitive conversation topics, awareness is the first step to preventing CSEC and youth homelessness.

For more information regarding youth homelessness in California visit these sites:

California Homeless Youth Project (HYP)

John Burton Foundation

California Coalition for Youth

For more information and services regarding sexual exploitation among youth homelessness visit these additional sites:

Missing and Exploited Children’s Program

Missey

National Center for Youth Law

UPDATE: State-Wide Plan to End Youth Homelessness

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:36:25 -0700

It brings me great pleasure to officially announce a new project that the California Homeless Youth Project has been working on for the past couple months.

We have been developing the first ever state-wide plan to end youth homelessness in California. The project has been working closely with service providers across the state, government agencies, policymakers and the best literature out there to develop the most effective strategies to ensure that every child has a home. The plan is set to be released in November to coincide with National Runaway & Homeless Youth Month.

If you would like a “sneak peak” of the State Action Plan, HYP Director Shahera Hyatt will be presenting some of the policy recommendations and legislative ideas to the Assembly Select Committee on Homelessness this Thursday from 1-4PM in San Francisco at The State Building (455 Golden Gate Ave. Suite 14300). This hearing will focus directly on the housing, social, legal and health care barriers for homeless youth, LGBT youth, and transitioning foster youth. It’s free and open to the public. Learn more here.

As we move forward remember that only together we can end youth homelessness.

Jimmy

California State Policies Concerning Homeless Youth

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:51:00 -0700

Last week the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP)released “Alone without a Home,” a report that focused on the legal rights of homeless youth concerning health care and social services.

According to the report, youth experience homelessness for numerous reasons and struggle with having their needs met; this is partly due to policies and procedure of state law. This is important because effective policies around health care and social services can help meet their human needs (i.e. food, water, sleep, health, etc.).

Statistics among the States

State laws vary in allowing homeless youth to receive health care, social and legal services (i.e. applying for health/federal benefits and writing up legal contracts) without parental consent. Here is a national snapshot of these laws:

22 states don’t require court involvement for receiving some social services

34 states allow minors to apply for health insurance without parental consent

47 states allow homeless youth to receive federal benefits (i.e. food stamps) without parental consent

28 states allow homeless youth to receive mental health treatment on their own accord

46 states allow homeless youth to be taken into police custody

36 states grant law enforcement power to return the homeless youth to their foster/home against their will

Where does California Stand?

California is 1 of only 10 states that include provisions to fund programs targeted to runaway and homeless youth.California authorizes few sources of funding for runaway and homeless youth programs and services, which include the Runaway Youth and Families in Crisis Project and the Youth Center and Youth Shelter Bond Act program. These programs allow multiple types of services to be directed to homeless youth such as food, shelter, health services, independent living/employment skills programs, and counseling, among others.

The Courts and Law Enforcement

Homeless youth can become “wards of the court”, which allows the court to order for the care, supervision, custody, conduct, maintenance, and support of the youth.

A police officer may find it reasonable to take a homeless youth into custody without a warrant, but must advise them of their rights. The youth can be held in shelters, non-secure facilities, or crisis resolution homes, but they can only be held in detention facilities in extenuating circumstances (i.e. warrants against the youth, if necessary to find guardians; and if reaching/awaiting guardians) for no more than 72 hours.

Emancipation

In order for a homeless youth to avoid barriers to accessing health care, social services, and/or legal help, becoming legally independent or “emancipated” may be needed. The fact that homeless youth (under the age of 18 in California) are “minors” means that they have limited legal rights; for example, they lack the legal status to live independently unless they become emancipated. Youth may become emancipated by choice or because there are no adults able and/or willing to support them. The two common obstacles that homeless youth encounter in becoming emancipated are (1) parental consent and (2) age limitations.

California permits minors as young as 14 years old to petition for emancipation, allowing them to enter into binding contracts if it is deemed to be in the youth’s best interest. Once granted, the emancipated minor is considered an adult and therefore allowed the same legal rights and consequences as adults. The youth or the guardian may appeal a decision regarding emancipation if they are not pleased with the court’s decision, so emancipation may be voided or rescinded.

NLCHP recommends that states assign responsibility for offering opportunities and supports for runaway and homeless youth, which California does, albeit in a limited capacity. The report sites Indiana as an example of effective emancipation statue in that they (1) do not allow youth to be returned to their foster/home against their will; and (2) do not require parental consent for emancipation efforts, nor do they have a minimum age requirement. Indiana statutes require the court to ensure that youth seeking emancipation understand the consequences of their decision. In addition, youth are required to show that they have acceptable safe living arrangements and that they can support themselves.

The Point

The report aims to promote the safety, health, dignity and worth of homeless youth, thus increasing their chances of a more positive future. The barriers that prevent homeless youth from having their needs met jeopardize their chances of re-establishing safe and stable homes. For more information about California law pertaining to child welfare please visit the CALIFORNIA WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE.

Welcome a new member of CA Homeless Youth Project!

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:41:00 -0700

Hello all,

My name is Martha Gonzales. I am a graduate student from the division of Social Work at Sacramento State, and today is my first day interning at the California Homeless Youth Project. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Sacramento State. For the past two years I have gained experience working as a social worker with both homeless and foster youth. I have seen and heard what some homeless and foster youth deal with (i.e. unsure of sleeping arrangements, having provisional friends, being stigmatized, etc.) and I was able to be a constant support when dealing with such matters. I am grateful for this opportunity to contribute to the California Homeless Youth Project, and I look forward to gaining a thorough understanding of policy interventions to improve the lives of homeless youth in our state.

Best,

Martha

Become a THP+Foster Care Provider!

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:11:58 -0700

On behalf of the Homeless Youth Capacity Building Project, we would like to share with you an exciting opportunity to serve youth who, prior to the passage of Assembly Bill 12, were aging out of the foster care system with nowhere to go and ending up in your shelters, drop-in centers and housing programs, unprepared for the world that awaited them. As many of you know, as a result of AB 12, youth in the foster care system are now eligible for continued financial support, housing and services until they turn 21.

In order to ensure that youth in extended foster care are receiving services appropriate for their wide range of developmental needs, it is essential that a continuum of placement options is available to them. If you are a current service provider, consider becoming a Transitional Housing Placement-Plus Foster Care (THP+FC) provider. This is an opportunity to serve the youth you may have once served through RHYA funding or private grants, with Federal Title IV-E Foster Care funding. THP+FC provides affordable housing and supportive services to youth ages 18 to 21 who are participating in extended foster care. Licensed providers are eligible to be paid a monthly rate of $2,225 to $2,797 per youth per month.

The first step in becoming a THP+FC provider is to attend an orientation with the Community Care Licensing (CCL) Division of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to pursue a THPP license. CCL has scheduled 8 orientations across the state, all taking place this August. I encourage you to act fast as there are youth in need of this placement type now!

Download more information about becoming a THP+FC Provider

Jimmy

More Than Just a Roof: The Importance of Youth Empowerment

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:52:00 -0700

Yesterday I was reminded of the influence the class had on me by a program that the Leadership class puts on each year: Boot Camp. Boot camp is Freedom High School’s (FHS) own unique program that orientates the incoming freshmen. I was blessed enough to be invited back as the kick off speaker for the incoming 700 freshmen and share with them what helped me succeed. All I could speak of was the incredible teachers, administrators, programs, and students I had come across in my four years there. Freedom High School may not have been the most well-funded or highest-achieving in academics, nonetheless, the culture at the school is one of community.

Boot Camp is put on by the students in the Leadership class and headed by Mrs. Dana Johnston; the Leadership students are split into groups of four where they serve as “platoon leaders” and each group is designated a teacher who serves as the presiding “drill instructor.” Each platoon spends time throughout the summer getting ready for the two-day event. The teachers and students who put on the program are involved with a variety of activities at the school. The “drill instructors” often serve as a teacher AND cheer coach or teacher AND head of drama. The “platoon leaders” are as equally diverse and participate in a number of activities. The diversity of leaders is vital because it increases the connections that are able to be made amongst the incoming class and those leading.

(above) Mrs. J and the students who coordinate the entire event. (below) Leadership students who serve as the upperclassmen “platoon leaders.”

Each platoon is put in charge of 70+ freshmen, where at a more intimate level the upperclassmen and teachers can make long lasting connections with the freshmen. These platoons break out into classrooms where things such as 4 year college plans, school rules and activities, and study strategies are discussed in order to heighten the success of the freshmen in their next four years.

Students visually demonstrate that approximately 1 in 4 students in the State of California do not graduate on the time they are supposed to. The school slogan is to not be that 1 in 4.

Most importantly, this program breaks down the barriers between underclassmen and upperclassmen as well as between students and teachers. When platoons come together in the school’s gym they form their buildings (the way FHS organizes their students, think Harry Potter houses) where each building is equipped with a different color and mascot. When the buildings gather, cheering, laughter, and excitement fill the gym as each building vies to be the “Winning Building.” I can remember back to the three years I was a platoon leader when I saw my beloved teachers and fellow students going crazy as each of us wanted our teams to win. This continually demonstrated to me, and the classes of freshmen who have gone through boot camp, that Freedom High School is a place filled with people that care.

According to a National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth report, “Primary Sources: How Can Homeless Youth Contribute to Programs That Serve Them?”, youth in the focus group of the study listed four elements that empower them for success:

1) Youth voice and ownership. A bridge or connection between those in charge and those seeking help.

2) Emotional safety. A two way street of conversation with adults to discuss anything, not just when something bad happens.

3) Power. A greater sense of community with their fellow peers.

4) Reciprocal support. The need for a peer mentoring program.

In the most unconventional, fun, and innovative way, FHS Boot Camp does this for students. It opens the doors for students, creates a platform for them to succeed, and most importantly establishes a friendly dialogue between adults and students who can help youth in whatever they are suffering through. Boot Camp reminded me of the unique social safety net my high school had created for me to succeed and prosper, something that not every child has in this country. When this program started, my high school was the only one to put it on for years; I can remember back to students at other schools being envious of the awesome program. As of this year, two other high schools in my old district put on boot camp and another plans to do so next year. This program is all about making youth feel comfortable at their school and empower them to speak up when something goes wrong. It is programs like this that saved me.

This blog is dedicated to all those who put on the program this year.

with Falcon Pride,

Jimmy Ramirez

Data & Ending Youth Homelessness

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:57:00 -0700

The most prominent theme that we observed at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference was the need for consistent and better data. In every workshop, this theme echoed as presenters urged service providers to get involved with their local Continuum of Care (CoC). As part of our blog series on lessons learned from the conference, we write about the importance of data and how you can get involved.

Why is data so important in the fight to end homelessness?

Data is one of the most important tools we have when it comes to ending homelessness because it allows us to have a confident estimate of the scale and scope of the problem. Once we know the magnitude of the situation we can be aware of the policy response and resources needed.

Data is also vital because it allows us to know what is and isn’t working. It also allows us to measure outcomes so service providers can be consistently informed and equipped with the most effective strategies for getting youth off the streets. Outcomes validate the importance of these programs in ending youth homelessness.

Approaches to get better data.

An important step in the direction of acquiring better data is coordinating our data collection systems: RHYMIS and HMIS. By integrating the systems under a united standard we would have consistent data and at the same time reduce burden on grantees.

Collaboration between schools, RHY providers, CoCs, and formerly homeless youth while doing the Point-in-Time (PIT) counts is essential when it comes to finding youth that would have otherwise not been visible during the count.

When is the PIT count happening?

The HUD-mandated biennial count is happening January 2013. Contact your CoC for specific dates.

Both Nan Roman (President of the National Alliance to End Homelessness) and Secretary Kathleen Sebellius (Secretary of Health and Human Services) urged participants of the conference to get involved with their local CoCs upcoming PIT count. This year will be the first year that HUD will require transition aged youth (ages 18-24) to be counted, making this an extremely crucial count in acquiring an accurate gauge of how many homeless youth are on the streets.

How can YOU get involved with helping improve your local community’s PIT count?

The California Homeless Youth Project in partnership with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has developed the “Toolkit for Counting Homeless Youth”

to help CoCs more accurately count homeless youth in California. If you are in charge of your communities Continuum of Care, we urge you to take a look , or contact your representatives, provide them with the information, and volunteer that January night.

To look for your local CoC in the state of California look hereor here

For more information on the the Homeless Youth population in California read our publication: “Estimating California’s Homeless Youth Population.”