ASPE Youth and Homelessness Briefs: Factors Associated with Prolonged Youth Homelessness, Serious Mental Illness and Prolonged Youth Homelessness, and Interventions for Addressing Prolonged Youth Homelessness

Record Description
From the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, these three briefs address issues associated with prolonged youth homelessness, the role of mental health, as well as interventions that have been attempted to prevent and stop youth homelessness. Factors include history of childhood maltreatment, involvement in the justice system, and higher high school dropout rates, among others. Mental illness is also prevalent among the chronically homeless, including youth. Supportive housing interventions can provide safe and stable housing for these populations. Other interventions include programs to support education and employment, as well as those that reduce substance abuse. However, none of these interventions have been rigorously tested and merit further investigation.
Record Type
Combined Date
2017-09-26T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
Interventions for Addressing Prolonged Youth Homelessness
Serious Mental Illness and Prolonged Youth Homelessness
Risk Factors Associated with Youth Homelessness
Publication Date
2017-09-27

Ending Family Homelessness: An Opportunity for Pay-for-Success Financing

Record Description
This Urban Institute brief analyzes how a pay-for-success model could help solve family homelessness. Family homelessness remains high, and the authors believe that political will and arbitrary budget divisions stand in the way of solving this problem. Using a pay-for-success model allows state and local governments to overcome these challenges. In a pay-for-success project, an investor provides the upfront funding to a program, and if the program can achieve positive outcomes, then the investor can get their money back plus a potential positive return. The brief describes how such a model has been used for other housing interventions, such as housing vouchers and permanent supportive housing, and describes the benefits and complexities of a pay-for-success project.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-08-14T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.urban.org/research/publication/ending-family-homelessness
Publication Date
2017-08-15
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
Innovative Programs

Solutions for Change

Mission/Goal of Program

Solutions for Change solves family homelessness, one family and one community at a time, delivering a permanent solution to family homelessness and deep poverty through social enterprise. Founded in 1999 by social entrepreneurs Chris and Tammy Megison, Solutions for Change works to transforms lives and communities by permanently solving family homelessness.

Programs/Services Offered

Solutions for Change delivers permanent solutions to family homelessness through an innovative academy-like experience where parents of families in the deepest of poverty are equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to reclaim a contributory stake in society through jobs and by ending dependency. The model blends affordable housing, education, health services, servant leadership and workforce training to create a "work therapy" community.

Participants tripled their income in the first year through employment. 74% achieve the 500-day milestone of full-time employment and achieve their own rental housing. For those participants, TANF and Food Stamp benefits decrease by 62% at 500-day mark and 87% by end of engagement contract (1000 days). 850 families and 2200 children have moved permanently out of homelessness and obtained housing and employment, resulting in $51 million dollars in public support savings and $120 million in employment revenue generated into local economy. 

Start Date
Friday, January 1, 1999
Type of Agency/Organization
Community-Based Organization
City
Vista
State
California
Geographic Reach
Onesite
Clientele/Population Served
Homeless Families with Children
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Education and Training
Supportive Services
Health/Behavioral Health Referrals and Supports
Housing Assistance
Special Populations
Homeless Families
URL
http://solutionsforchange.org/

Creating Economic Opportunity for Homeless Jobseekers: The Role of Employers and Community-Based Organizations

Record Description
This brief from the Heartland Alliance highlights promising practices that employers and community-based organizations can use to connect homeless jobseekers to employment. The authors break down those practices into three broad areas: paving the way for employment success from the start, assessing the quality and fit of job opportunities for homeless jobseekers, and maintaining engagement. Specific practices include reducing potential barriers to employment success up front, hiring or partnering with a job developer, and providing jobseekers with ongoing work readiness and advancement support. Each section also includes examples of community-based organizations across the country who have successfully partnered with employers to provide opportunities for homeless jobseekers.
Record Type
Combined Date
2017-04-17T20:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
URL
http://nationalinitiatives.issuelab.org/resource/creating_economic_opportunity_…
Publication Date
2017-04-18
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Child and Partner Transitions among Families Experiencing Homelessness

Record Description
Families living in emergency shelters may experience instability, such as parents becoming separated from their children or partners. This Abt Associates report, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation details these family transitions. Using data from 2,282 homeless families who participated in the Family Options Study, the researchers found that about 30 percent of families living in shelters reported separation from at least one family member. Even 20 months after leaving a shelter, 24% of families reported that at least one of their children was not living with them. The researchers recommend that emergency shelters should consider whether their current policies allow families to stay together in shelters, and to realize that families are dynamic and their needs may change over time.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-07-16T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/child-partner-transitions-among-families-…
Publication Date
2017-07-17
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Criteria and Benchmarks for Achieving the Goal of Ending Family Homelessness

Record Description
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness released criteria and benchmarks for achieving the goal of ending family homelessness. The criteria apply to an entire community and are designed to address families with children under the age of 18 who are experiencing homelessness. Those criteria include identifying all families experiencing homelessness, using prevention and diversion strategies whenever possible, using coordinated entry processes, helping families swiftly move into permanent housing, and having plans in place to continue to prevent and end family homelessness. The benchmarks provide indicators that communities can use to measure their progress in ending family homelessness.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-07-12T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/family-criteria-benchmark…
Publication Date
2017-07-13
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Integrating Rapid Re-Housing & Employment: Program & Policy Recommendations for Enhancing Rapid Re-Housing

Record Description
Rapid re-housing is a strategy to combat family homelessness; ideally it entails using housing identification services to provide families with permanent housing and a short-term rental subsidy while also offering supportive services, possibly including employment assistance. In this report, Heartland Alliance analyzes the implementation of these programs, using interviews with rapid re-housing providers to make suggestions that could strengthen the implementation of these initiatives. A focus of the recommendations is on ensuring that connections to stable employment or training are facilitated as part of the rapid re-housing process.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-03-28T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://nationalinitiatives.issuelab.org/resource/integrating_rapid_re_housing_e…
Publication Date
2017-03-29
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Well-being of Young Children after Experiencing Homelessness

Record Description
In this report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, data on young children who have stayed in emergency homeless shelters is examined to measure child well-being 20 months after a stay in a shelter. The report considers pre-reading skills, pre-math skills, developmental delays, and behavior challenges to see if homelessness has an impact on these indicators of child well-being, using national norms for young children as a comparison. Also considered are links between a lack of housing or child care stability and well-being.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2017-03-13T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/well-being-of-young-children-after-experi…
Publication Date
2017-03-14
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness 6th Annual Conference

Record Type
Event
Posting Date
Combined Date
Source
Partner Resources
Sponsor
New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Web Url
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1109104538469&ca=75da44d5-974b…
State
New Mexico
Topics/Subtopics
Supportive Services
Housing Assistance
Special Populations
Homeless Families
Event Date

How the Federal Government is Working to End Homelessness

Record Description
Since 2010, veteran homelessness has fallen 47 percent. This report from the Urban Institute looks back at the work of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), which has played a critical role in helping reduce homelessness.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-12-11T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.urban.org/research/publication/how-federal-government-working-end-ho…
Publication Date
2016-12-12