About the National Network for Youth A Membership Organization Community-based & faith-based...

About theNational Network for

Youth

A Membership Organization

• Community-based & faith-based organizations

• Public agencies• Regional and state youth

service associations• Youth workers• Young people

Mission

Champion the Needs ofRunaway, Homeless,

and other Disconnected Youth through

Advocacy, Innovation, andMember Services

History

• Runaway and Homeless youth a central focus of our work since founding in 1974

• Architect and lead champion of the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

Place to Call Home Campaign

A Place to Call Home

The National Network for Youth’s

Permanency Plan forUnaccompanied Youth

Our Aspiration

To Build Permanency – A Place to Call Home –

for America’s Youth

Permanency• A lasting connection to loving

families, caring adults, and supportive peers

• A safe place to live• Possession of skills and

resources necessary for a life of physical and mental wellness, continuous asset building, dignity, and joy

Home Elements

Home Elements• Homeowners• Homebuilders• Neighborhood• Foundation• Roof• Construction Schedule• Walls and Bricks

The Walls and Bricks

The Walls and Bricks

• Public Policy Advancement and System Change

• Practice Improvement and Professional Development

• Public Awareness and Stakeholder Education

• Research and Knowledge Development

Wall 1: Public Policy

Brick 1.B: Place to Call Home Act• RHYA alone an insufficient

response• Causal factors must be addressed• NN4Y will advance comprehensive

legislation to prevent, respond to, and end youth homelessness

Wall 1: Public Policy

Brick 1.B: Place to Call Home Act• Vehicle for identifying

Congressional champions• Easy ask from constituents• Source text for stand-alone

mini bills• H.R. 3409; No Senate bill (yet!)

Purpose

Create theconditions, structures and supports needed to ensure

permanency for the nation’s unaccompanied

youth

Subject Areas• Homeless Assistance• Housing• Child Welfare• Juvenile Justice• Public Health• Education• Workforce Investment• Young Family Support• Immigration

Homeless Assistance

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

• RHYA only federal program targeted exclusively to unaccompanied youth

• RHYA projects form national safety net for unaccompanied youth

RHYA Programs

• Street Outreach Program• Basic Center Program• Transitional Living Program• National Support Activities• Administered by U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services, Family and Youth Services Bureau

Limitations of RHYA System

• Only 51,680 annual basic center users.• 2,081 basic center turnaways due to

lack of beds.• Only 3,279 annual transitional living

users.• 2,455 transitional living turnaways due

to lack of beds.• No transitional living program in Idaho,

Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wyoming.

• Small grant award amounts.

Reauthorization Issues

• Infrastructure– Staff recruitment and retention– Service coordination– Outcome monitoring

• Funding– Authorization levels– Small state and territory allotments– Redistribution of unrequested funds

Reauthorization Issues

• Federal Program Management– Grantee performance standards– Applicant appeals process

• National Activities– Homeless youth census– National RHY research and evaluation

priorities– Cost-Benefit analysis of services to homeless

youth– Public information campaign

• Admission and length of stay criteria• Use of funds and funding conditions

Reauthorization Status

• House– Lead is Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY)– Bill expected in December 2007

• Senate– Lead is Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)– Bill expected early 2008

HUD McKinney-Vento

• Homeless assistance program for all people experiencing homelessness

• Homeless youth and young adults access HUD McKinney-Vento-funded projects

• Serves homeless youth not reached through RHYA

Reauthorization Issues

• Definition of homelessness• Scope and flexibility of eligible

activities• Youth involvement in community

homeless assistance planning• Prohibition on family separation

in residential programs

Reauthorization Status

• House– HEARTH Act (H.R. 840)– Markup expected in mid 2008

• Senate– CPEHA (S. 1518)– Passed by Committee in Sept. 07– Could reach Senate floor any time

Housing

Permanent Housing

• Youth and young adults are not a focus population for permanent affordable housing

• No targeted youth permanent housing program

• Youth face housing access barriers

Perm. Housing Provisions

• GAO study on youth housing needs• Housing choice vouchers for homeless youth• Extend age and duration of FUP vouchers

for foster youth in transition• Youth as special population in consolidated

housing plans• Amend federal one-strike housing

admission/eviction policies• Sense of Congress on minor right to

contract for necessities

Perm. Housing Status

• NN4Y has requested a joint hearing on housing needs of youth

• NN4Y has requested a GAO study on the housing needs of youth

Transitional Housing

• Transitional housing is an appropriate housing model, including for youth and young adults

• Transitional housing opportunities are available for some target subpopulations, but lacking for others

Trans. Housing Provisions

• Reauthorize the RHYA TLP program• Extend eligibility for Chafee room and

board services through age 24• Authorize a new transitional housing

program for youth domestic victims of commercial sexual exploitation/trafficking

• Authorize a youth offender reentry program with room and board component

Trans. Housing Status

• House– RHYA reauthorization in 2008 (Yarmuth)– Reconnecting Youth to Prevent

Homelessness Act (Berkley-NV), 11/07– Youth Offender Reentry Act, 12/07

• Senate– RHYA reauthorization in 2008 (Leahy)– Possible companions to above House

bills

Child Welfare

Child Protection• Family risk factors are primary

causal factor of youth homelessness• Practices to strengthen and support

families are well understood, but lacking in resources

• Some public policies lead to youth separation from their families

Child Protection Provisions

• Reauthorizes and strengthens Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act programs

• Reauthorizes and strengthens substance abuse and mental health programs

• Increases funding for Promoting Safe and Stable Families

• Prohibits child removal to foster care on sole basis of the family’s homeless status

• Prohibits homeless and victim assistance programs from denying admission based on any age of a child member of the family

• Reforms one-strike housing admission/eviction laws

Foster Care

• Older youth face barriers to accessing foster care and adoption assistance services

• Foster care system ends services for youth too soon

• Foster care system discharge to homelessness

Foster Care Provisions

• Extends foster care maintenance through age 20

• Authorizes kinship guardianship assistance• Removes income as eligibility consideration

for foster care maintenance payments• Requires states to reduce incidences of foster

children going missing from care• Improves foster care case planning, discharge

planning, and judicial review of such plans• Requires GAO study on youth admission into

foster care

Foster Care Transition• Youth in transition from foster care

often lack family connections and supports

• Youth in transition from foster care often lack resources for basic needs

• Congress has established the Chafee program to facilitate foster care transition

Foster Care Transition Provisions

• Increases authorization level for Chafee program

• Extends eligibility for Chafee services, room and board, and education and training vouchers through age 24

• Ensures that that States inform Chafee youth of supports and services available through other programs

• Ensures equal opportunity for nonprofit providers to receive Chafee funds

• Strengthens evaluation requirement of Chafee funds

Child Welfare Status

• House– Reconnecting Youth to Prevent

Homelessness Act (Berkley-NV), 11/07

– Kinship Caregiver Support Act(H.R. 2188)

• Senate– Kinship Caregiver Support Act (S.

661)

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile Justice System

• Unaccompanied youth are at risk of contact with juvenile justice system

• Youth may run from juvenile justice placements

• Juvenile justice system discharge to homelessness

Juv. Justice Provisions

• Removes valid court order exception to JJDPA deinstitutionalization of status offenders core requirement

• Strengthens juvenile justice system case planning and discharge planning

Youth Offender Reentry• Youth discharged from juvenile justice

system often lack family connections and supports

• Youth discharged from juvenile justice care often lack resources for basic needs

• Congress has not established a program to facilitate youth offender reentry

Youth Reentry Provisions

• Authorizes formula grants to states for youth offender reentry

• States may use funds for pre-release services and post-release supports

• Offenders below age 25 are eligible

Juvenile Justice Status

• House– JJDPA reauthorization in 2008

(McCarthy, D-NY)– Youth Offender Reentry Act, 12/07

• Senate– JJDPA reauthorization in 2008

(Leahy, D-VT)– Youth Offender Reentry Act, 12/07

Public Health

Public Health

• Untreated addiction, mental illness, chronic diseases, and catastrophic health situations contribute to family breakup

• Unaccompanied youth are at high risk of physical and mental health problems

SA/MH Provisions

• Prohibits treatment facilities from discharge to homelessness

• Increases authorization levels for SAMHSA substance abuse and mental health programs

• Includes unaccompanied youth as special population within SAMHSA youth programs

Medicaid/Access Provisions

• Extends Medicaid to youth through age 24 up to 300 percent of FPL

• Restricts premiums and co-pays for youth through age 24 below 200 percent FPL

• Requires states to provide Medicaid to transitioned foster youth through age 24

• Requires states to remove barriers for unaccompanied youth to Medicaid

• Sense of Congress that states shall permit unaccompanied youth access to health services without parent consent

Public Health Status

• House– HART Act (H.R. 4129, Solis (D-CA)

and Ramstad, R-MN))

• Senate– SAMHSA reauthorization

legislation under development

Education

Secondary Education

• Unaccompanied youth face barriers to enrolling, attending, and succeeding in secondary education

• Congress has established the McKinney-Vento program to remove such barriers

Secondary Ed Provisions

• Requires LEAs strategies to address unaccompanied youth participation in extracurricular activities

• Requires LEAs to permit unaccompanied youth to make their own educational decisions

• Waives school fees for homeless children and youth

• Requires liaisons to develop policies for managing school participation of unaccompanied youth

Secondary Ed Provisions

• Requires LEAs to accept for credit full or partial coursework completed in other jurisdictions

• Increases authorization for EHCY program

• Requires federal afterschool grantees to ensure enrollment, participation, and success of homeless students

• Authorizes grant program focused on truancy

Postsecondary Education

• Unaccompanied youth face barriers to enrolling, attending, and succeeding in postsecondary education

• Very little support available for homeless students at postsecondary level

Postsecondary Ed Provisions

• Qualifies homeless, foster care, and juvenile justice youth as independent students for purposes of FAFSA

• Includes disconnected students as special consideration populations in TRIO and GEAR UP programs

• Authorizes grants to higher education institutions for comprehensive support services for disconnected students

Postsecondary Ed Provisions

• Authorizes grants to higher education institutions for provision of temporary housing to homeless students during periods when student housing is closed

• Authorizes student loan forgiveness for employees of runaway and homeless organizations

Education Status

• Place to Call Home Victory! – FAFSA Fix for Homeless Kids Act (PL 110-84)

• House– Homeless Education Improvement Act

(H.R. 3205)– No Child Left Behind Reauthorization– Higher Education (HEA) Reauthorization (H.R.

3147)

• Senate– NCLB Reauthorization– HEA Reauthorization (S. 1642)

Workforce Investment

Workforce Investment

• Unaccompanied youth require income in order to secure housing and other basic needs

• Unaccompanied youth face barriers to workforce services and to employment

Workforce Provisions

• Extends age of youth for WIA youth programs through age 24

• Adds runaway and homeless youth organizations to WIA youth councils

• Requires local WIA agencies to permit unaccompanied youth to participate in WIA services without parental consent

• Adds homeless youth as target group for eligibility in the Work Opportunity Tax Credit

Workforce Status

• House– Reconnecting Youth to Prevent

Homelessness Act (Berkley-NV), 11/07

– WIA Reauthorization

• Senate– WIA Reauthorization

Young Family Support

Young Family Support

• Young families require income in order to secure housing and other basic needs

• Minor parent families face additional barriers to TANF programs beyond those facing adult heads of household

Young Family Provisions

• Requires states to develop strategies to address the unmet service and living arrangement needs of teen parents

• Requires states to establish transitional compliance periods for minor parent education and training and minor parent living arrangement TANF rules

• Establishes TANF sanctions protections procedures for teen parents

• Ensures the provision of appropriate alternative living arrangements for minor parents unable to live at home

• Ensures states consult with minor parents about their preferred living arrangements

Young Family Provisions

• Permits minor parents to appeal state selection of alternative living arrangement

• Commences the lifetime limit on TANF assistance for teen parents completing education and training requirement at age 20, rather than at age 19

• Requires HHS to conduct studies of TANF and teen parents

• Requires states to establish policies and procedures to facilitate homeless family access to child care

Young Family Support Status

• House– Reconnecting Youth to Prevent

Homelessness Act (Berkley-NV), 11/07

• Senate– No action pending

Immigration

Immigration

• Undocumented, unaccompanied children and youth need special protections within the nation’s immigration system

Immigration Provisions • Establishes procedures for handling

unaccompanied alien children when found at border or port of entry

• Establishes conditions of care and custody of unaccompanied alien children within interior

• Establishes order of preference for placing unaccompanied alien children with relatives and licensed facilities

• Establishes standards of placement for detained unaccompanied alien children

• Establishes Sense of Congress not to repatriate children into life threatening settings

• Authorizes DHS to establish a child advocate program for unaccompanied alien children

Immigration Provisions

• Ensures access to counsel for unaccompanied alien children

• Preserves law enforcement authority to investigate and prosecute crimes in which the unaccompanied alien child is a victim or witness

• Strengthens polices for permanent protection of alien children

• Provides training for officials and private parties who come in contact with unaccompanied alien children

• Ensures training for officials and private parties in handling children’s asylum claims

Immigration Status

• House– William Wilberforce Trafficking

Victims Protection Act (H.R. 3887)– Immigration reform legislation

• Senate– Unaccompanied Alien Child

Protection Act (S. 844)– Immigration reform legislation

Building a Place to Call Home

Building A Place to Call Home

• Permanency plan in place• Homebuilders identified• Foundation poured• Bricks are being laid!

Be a Homebuilder• Learn more about the Place to Call Home

Campaign and the Place to Call Home Act• Endorse the Campaign and/or the Act• Urge U.S. Representatives to co-sponsor the

Place to Call Home Act (H.R. 3409)• Be a “homebuilder” in your local community

Please Join us in Building a Place to Call Home for the Nation’s Unaccompanied Youth!

NN4Y Contact Information

National Network for Youth1319 F St NW 603 Stewart StSuite 401 Suite 920 Washington DC 20004 Seattle WA 98101 202.783.7949 voice 206.382.4949 voice202.783.7955 fax 206.382.6072

fax info@nn4youth.orgwww.nn4youth.org

Victoria A. Wagner, MA, President and CEO206.382.4949, ext. 2

vwagner@nn4youth.org

Bob Reeg, MPA, Public Policy Director202.265.7271

bob.reeg@verizon.net