*U.S. Department of Health and Human Services*

*U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development*

*U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs*

*U.S. Department of Labor*

**Preventing and Resolving Homelessness Through Successful Transitions
for Youth and Young Adults**

*May 4--5, 2006*

*Hyatt Regency Phoenix*

*Phoenix, AZ*

# Vermont 

**State Context**

Vermont serves approximately 261 homeless youth in nine transitional
living programs through three federal grants through our Vermont Council
on Homeless Youth and transitional programs. The characteristics of our
youth in these programs vary. These programs also serve 509 youths
through their runaway programs.

The State of Vermont has three main avenues in developing policy dealing
with homeless youth. The first is the Vermont Interagency Council on
Homelessness (VICH). VICH has met and established a 10-year plan to end
chronic homelessness and is now in the process in working closely with
the other task forces. The second is the Vermont Task Force on Youth
Transitioning out of Foster Care. The third is the Incarcerated Women's
Initiative (IWI). There have been dedicated positions to deal with the
all three and the Director of Housing and Transportation sits on all
three and chairs VICH.

In addition to the above, there are specific action steps in addressing
youth homelessness in our 10-year plan. Please see below:

*3.1.2: (1) Identify current educational resources and programs
addressing life skills training. (2) Identify curriculum resources that
address life skills training. (3) Identify potential programs/sites to
offer life skills training. (4) Advocate for membership on agency and
school advisory committees and boards for youth experiencing
homelessness. (5) Establish peer education models. Expected outcomes
include identification of life skills curricula; training in the use of
curricula for implementing agencies; and shelters, youth programs, and
school committees/boards including youth who have experienced
homelessness.*

*4.2.1: Establish and support statewide network of Homeless Education
Liaisons Pin SU/School Districts. Develop and disseminate McKinney Vento
informational materials to education and social service agencies,
including a Vermont Homeless Children and Youth Project (VHCYP)
brochure. Establish and maintain a Web site on homeless education.
Establish and maintain a listserv of Homeless Education Liaisons and
McKinney Vento subgrants. Provide funding for a technical assistance
network for schools, families, and communities (VHCYP). Provide ongoing
training and technical assistance to schools and agencies. Establish an
enrollment dispute process for Vermont. Develop an interstate protocol
to address enrollment disputes. Fund projects that support
school/community services to homeless children and youth in areas of
high need. Establish a State accountability system for subgrant services
to homeless children and youth. Address Vermont statute compliance with
McKinney Vento requirements for school enrollment.*

**Resources**

Who are the key players, stakeholders, and/or agencies currently
involved in addressing youth homelessness in your State? What is the
role of each, and how does the agency you represent fit in? What type of
funding is available in your State to address and prevent youth
homelessness? Describe any opportunities for new initiatives or
collaborations to address the issue.

**[Key Players in Vermont]{.underline}**

*Cindy LaWare, Secretary, Agency of Human Services (AHS):* Secretary
LaWare leads the efforts of policy direction and funding through the AHS
and is the Governor's voice in making youth transitioning out of custody
a priority for the State of Vermont.

*Cathy Voyer, Director, AHS Housing and Transportation; and Chair,
VICH:* In both of these roles, Director Voyer leads the effort in
coordinating services and developing policy with fellow State agencies
and departments within the AHS. She directly reports to the Secretary of
the Agency and coordinates through the Secretary's office.

*Steve Dale, Commissioner, AHS Department for Children and Families
(DCF):* Commissioner Dale helps define the resources and developing
policy for youth transitioning. Deputy Commissioner Cindy Walcott
reports to Commissioner Dale. The programs which help fund youth
transitioning programs are under his purview through Family Services,
Economic Services, and the Office of Economic Opportunity.

*Cindy Walcott, Deputy Commissioner, DCF Family Services Division
(FSD):* FSD housing the specific programs which funds the Vermont
Coalition of Runaway and Homeless Youth Porgrams (VCRHYP). These
programs serve the majority of our homeless youth.

*Christine Johnson, Chair, Governor's Task Force on Youth Transitioning
out of Foster Care, DCF:* Christine was appointment by Governor Jim
Douglas to serve as his Chair of the newly formed Governor's Task Force
on Youth Transitioning out of Foster Care. Their role is to develop
strategies to enhance Vermont's youth transitioning out of custody and
their successful transition.

*Dana Lawrence, State Youth Development Coordinator, FSD:* Ms.
Lawrence's position is to coordinate grants administered through the
family services division to those community programs serving homeless
youth.

*Kreig Pinkham, Executive Director, VCRHYP:*

  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------
  **Advocacy support**                            64%

  **Individual counseling**                       37%

  **Life skills training**                        56%

  **Group counseling**                            21%

  **Drug/alcohol counseling**                     17%

  **Employment counseling**                       30%

  **Mediation services**                          1%

  **Emergency Housing**                           41%

  **Housing (longer term)**                       32%

  **Recreation/transportation**                   18%

  **Vocational advocacy**                         4%

  **Educational advocacy**                        20%

  **Medical services/referrals**                  8%

  **Judicial services**                           1%
  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------

VCRHYP is a coalition of 12 member programs serving runaway and homeless
youth throughout Vermont. Each of the member runaway programs operates
within its own distinct umbrella agency. The umbrella agencies are
community-based, nonprofit youth and family service organizations.
VCRHYP programs have served Vermont youth and families as a coalition
since 1981. Some individual VCRHYP programs have provided runaway
services as early as 1970. The Washington County Youth Service
Bureau/Boys and Girls Club serves as administrative agency for the
Coalition, maintaining bottom-line fiscal and programmatic
responsibility for these programs.

*Jim Greenwood, Representative, Department of Labor (DOL):* Mr.
Greenwood is the DOL designee on the Governor's Taskforce on Youth
Transitioning out of Foster Care. DOL also attends and participates in
the Vermont Interagency Council on Homelessness.

*Diane Delmasse, Director, Vocational Rehabilitation:* Director Delmasse
administers programs that enhance individuals' ability in obtaining
work. She serves on the Task Force above.

*Elaine Pinckney, Education Quality Deputy Commissioner, Department of
Education (DOE):* DOE participates in both the youth transitioning task
force and VICH.

*Dave Jaques, Department of Corrections (DOC):* DOC also participates in
both the youth transitioning taskforce and VICH.

*Mark Redmond, Executive Director, Spectrum:* Spectrum is a homeless and
at-risk youth program in our largest county in Vermont. They serve the
majority of our homeless youth in the State of Vermont and serves on the
above task force.

*Charlie Biss, Director, Vermont Department of Health Division of Mental
Health (VDH/DMH):* The VDH/DMH serves on both the task force and VICH.

*Barbara Cigmaglio, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Health, Division
of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs (ADAP):* ADAP participates in both
the task force and VICH.

**Barriers/Challenges**

The key barriers and challenges in preventing and addressing youth
homelessness are defined in three major areas:

1)  Youth are statutorily released at the age of 18 with no required
    follow-through.

2)  Transitional planning starts only 3 months out. There is a direction
    the task force is taking to help in enhancing this transitional
    planning.

3)  Collection of data is nonexistent for outcomes and changing policy
    and practices. Efforts are underway to collect consistent data with
    the rest of Vermont's homeless population and to coordinate with the
    development of Vermont's Homeless Management Information System.

Another primary issue is that Vermont's statutes allow for 16-years-olds
to be charged as adults. The way the system is set up, it encourages
this direction due to the complicated system if a court doesn't charge
the youth as an adult.

The lack of educational preparation for foster care youth leads to
unemployment or underemployment. There is also a lack of a rental
history for youth, and it creates a barrier due to the tight housing
market in Vermont, which leads to affordable housing issues.

**Expectations**

The State of Vermont is in the process in developing a plan to create a
successful transition from foster care to adulthood. We would like to
review best-practice models and hear the challenges and barriers others
already have experienced and suggestions in avoiding those barriers. We
also would like to hear from States of similar size and rural nature of
Vermont.

![](media/image1.wmf)