Runaway and Homeless Youth Program

Runaway and Homeless Youth Program
Name	Runaway and Homeless Youth Program
Formed	1974
Jurisdiction	United States
Parent agency	Family and Youth Services Bureau

Runaway and Homeless Youth Program is a federal initiative established to provide crisis intervention, shelter, and transitional services to adolescents and young adults who are without safe housing. It operates through multiple grantees and models to serve populations at risk of exploitation and trafficking, collaborating with diverse agencies and community organizations. The program intersects with legislation, advocacy networks, and research communities to shape responses for youth experiencing homelessness.

Overview

The program funds emergency shelters, transitional living, and street outreach through grants administered by the Administration for Children and Families, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services. It partners with national networks such as National Network for Youth, Covenant House, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities USA, United Way of America, and Youth Service America to coordinate services. Research institutions like Urban Institute, RAND Corporation, Juvenile Law Center, Columbia University, and University of Chicago contribute evaluation studies, while foundations including the Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Open Society Foundations provide philanthropic support. The program interacts with federal laws including the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, and related provisions in the Social Security Act.

History

Congress enacted statutory authority in 1974 under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act following advocacy from groups like National Runaway Switchboard, Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program advocates, and activists associated with National Coalition for the Homeless. Early implementation involved partnerships with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and YMCA of the USA. Over decades, amendments and reauthorizations engaged policymakers including committees in the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, and leaders from administrations like the Clinton administration, George W. Bush administration, and Obama administration. Program guidance evolved amid research by Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, and community-based evaluations from groups like MetaStar and Abt Associates.

Eligibility and Services

Eligibility criteria reflect federal guidelines and are implemented by grantees such as YouthCare, Lutheran Social Services, Fellowship House, and Friends of the Children. Services include emergency shelter, counseling, family reconnection, and transitional living supports provided by agencies including Heartland Alliance, Covenant House New York, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, and House of Ruth. Specialized outreach targets subpopulations served by Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and tribal providers associated with the National Indian Child Welfare Association. Coordination with Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and Department of Education connects youth to mental health, substance use treatment, and educational stability programs run by districts and nonprofits like Teach For America and Communities In Schools.

Funding and Administration

Congressional appropriations through committees such as the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee allocate funds, while grant competitions are administered by the Family and Youth Services Bureau within Administration for Children and Families. Major grantees include faith-based organizations like Catholic Charities USA and secular providers like Center on Youth Services. Audits and compliance involve agencies such as the Government Accountability Office, Office of Management and Budget, and Office of Inspector General divisions within Department of Health and Human Services. State and municipal partners, including offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle, supplement federal funding with local sources.

Program Models and Components

Program models include Basic Center Programs, Transitional Living Programs, and Street Outreach, implemented by providers like Covenant House International, Shelter Partnership, First Place for Youth, and Homeboy Industries. Components emphasize trauma-informed care influenced by research from National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and American Psychological Association. Case management and rapid rehousing are linked with U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness strategies and models developed by National Alliance to End Homelessness and Department of Veterans Affairs for young veterans. Collaborative components engage legal services from Legal Aid Society, employment training from Goodwill Industries International, and public health linkages with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Outcomes and Evaluation

Evaluations have been conducted by Urban Institute, RAND Corporation, Abt Associates, Mathematica Policy Research, and academic centers at Boston University and University of California, Los Angeles. Outcome measures include housing stability, educational attainment tracked with Department of Education indicators, and reductions in trafficking measured in conjunction with National Human Trafficking Hotline data. Longitudinal studies reference cohorts similar to work by Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, and University of Michigan examining mental health, substance use, and employment outcomes. Reports to oversight bodies such as Congressional Research Service inform legislative reauthorization debates.

Criticism and Challenges

Critiques from advocacy organizations like National Coalition for the Homeless, American Civil Liberties Union, and National Network for Youth highlight gaps in capacity, cultural competency for LGBTQ youth represented by GLSEN and Human Rights Campaign, and insufficient funding cited by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Implementation challenges involve coordination with child welfare systems like Child Welfare Information Gateway, data-sharing constraints with Department of Justice initiatives, and disparities documented in research from Pew Charitable Trusts and Brookings Institution. Calls for reform reference policy proposals from think tanks such as Urban Institute, American Enterprise Institute, and Center for American Progress.

Category:Homelessness in the United States