Tools and Resources

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

In 2007, Congress passed resolutions to make November a time to highlight youth homelessness because, in part, "an average of 13 homeless youth die each day due to physical assault, illness or suicide" and "some homeless youth are expelled from their homes or run away after physical, sexual or emotional abuse." It's estimated that more than 1.6 million children experience homelessness at one time in their lives.

A review published in 2005 examining violence and aggression in the lives of homeless children found they are more likely than others to be exposed to all types of violence, including community violence, domestic violence and child abuse.

And violence isn't only a result of homelessness, but can often be the cause.

According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, researchers have documented a strong link between domestic violence and homelessness. Almost 40 percent of cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness.

Below are resources to help aid understanding and action when dealing with homeless youth.

General Information

National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth
[search results for "homeless youth & trauma"]
http://ncfy.acf.hhs.gov/search/node/homeless%20youth%20%2526%20trauma

National Alliance to End Homelessness
http://www.endhomelessness.org/
I suggest taking folks to the section on youth: http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/issues/youth

National Center on Family Homelessness
http://www.familyhomelessness.org/

National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Resource page for National Homeless Youth Awareness Month
http://www.nctsnet.org/resources/public-awareness/national-homeless-youth-awareness-month

National Runaway Switchboard Media Resource Center
http://www.1800runaway.org/media/

Campaign to End Child Homelessness
A campaign from the National Center on Family Homelessness. Includes state level statistics http://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org/index.php

National Coalition for the Homeless
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/

Volunteer Organizations

Stand Up for Kids
A national organization with local chapters where volunteers take to the streets to find homeless youth.
http://www.standupforkids.org/default.aspx

Corporation for National & Community Service
http://www.serve.gov/

Federal Initiatives
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
http://www.usich.gov/population/youth

Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness
http://www.usich.gov/PDF/OpeningDoors_2010_FSPPreventEndHomeless.pdf

Improving Federal Collaboration for Homeless Children and Youth
http://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org/media/159.pdf

Federal Initiatives

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
http://www.usich.gov/population/youth

Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness
http://www.usich.gov/PDF/OpeningDoors_2010_FSPPreventEndHomeless.pdf

Improving Federal Collaboration for Homeless Children and Youth
http://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org/media/159.pdf

Promising Practices

Safe Start Center
Moving From Evidence to Action Issue Brief #6: Homeless Shelters, Permanent/Supportive Housing and Transitional Housing
http://www.safestartcenter.org/pdf/IssueBrief6_homeless.pdf

Trauma–Informed Organizational Toolkit for Homeless Services
http://www.familyhomelessness.org/media/90.pdf

Psychological First Aid for Youth Experiencing Homelessness
http://www.nctsnet.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/pfa_homeless_youth.pdf

Research

The Heterogeneity of Homeless Youth in America: Examining Typologies
http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/4247

Child Trends
2002 Study on sexual abuse among homeless teens
http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2002_11_01_OP_HomelessTeenAbuse.pdf

KidsData.org
A 2007 look at homelessness in California, a state ranked among those having the highest number of homeless youth.
http://www.kidsdata.org/data/topic/dashboard.aspx?cat=40&gclid=CKbHlrOQk6wCFUGo4AodbQz6mg

National Incidence Study of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Youth
https://www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/nismart/04/

Legal

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
A mix of Information, including the rights of homeless children and the role of attorneys. http://www.nlchp.org/

CLASP
Formerly the Center for Law & Social Policy, provides policy information for low-income families http://www.clasp.org/about/