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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -  Homelessness and Runaway 
            -           Federal Definitions      

# Federal Definitions

Homelessness is defined in a number of different ways. Below are federal definitions and key terms that are used when talking about runaway youth and youth experiencing homelessness.

### The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) defines youth experiencing homelessness as individuals who are “not more than 21 years of age...for whom it is not possible to live in a safe environment with a relative and who have no other safe alternative living arrangement.” This definition includes only those youth who are unaccompanied by families or caregivers.1

### The U.S. Department of Education

Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (per Title IX, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act) defines homelessness as follows:

The term "homeless children and youths" 
                      - means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and
                      - includes 	                         - children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals;
                        - children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C));
                        - children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
                        - migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).

### The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines homelessness for their program into four categories. The categories are:
                      - individuals and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (includes a subset for an individual who resided in an emergency shelter or a place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided);
                      - individuals and families who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence;
                      - unaccompanied youth and families with children and youth who are defined as homeless under other federal statutes who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition; and
                      - individuals and families who are fleeing, or are attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member. 2

### Related Terms

Some other terms that are typically used when talking about runaway youth and youth experiencing homelessness include throwaway youth, runaway youth, street youth, and systems youth.
                      - Throwaway youth: Youth who have been asked, told, or forced to leave home by parents or caregivers with no alternate care arranged. 3
                      - Runaway youth: Youth who have left home without parental/caregiver permission and stay away for one or more nights. A runaway episode has been defined as being away from home overnight for youth under 14 (or older and mentally incompetent) and for two or more nights for youth 15 and older. 4  Research suggests that the experience of youth running away from home is often episodic rather than chronic with youth running away for short periods of time and returning home, in some cases multiple times.
                      - Street youth: Youth who have spent at least some time living on the streets without a parent or caregiver. 5
                      - Systems youth: Youth who experience homelessness after aging out of foster care or exiting the juvenile justice system. 6

## Resources

**The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act**The complete version, including definition, of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (Title III of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974).

**The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as amended by The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009**(PDF, 50 pages)The complete version, including definition, of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as amended by S. 896, The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009.

**U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Homelessness**This Department of Health and Human Services site focused on homelessness provides information on grants, research, resources, and web pages with agency-specific information related to homelessness.

**Homelessness Resource Exchange**The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Homelessness Resource Exchange is an online one-stop shop for information and resources on assisting people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Program guidance and regulations, technical assistance (TA) and training resources, research and publications, and more are available for use by federal agencies, state and local government agencies, continuum of care organizations, homeless service providers, TA providers, persons experiencing homelessness, and other stakeholders.

## References

1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 20082 HUD, 20113 Sedlak, Finkelhor, Hammer, & Schultz, 20024 Sedlak, Finkelhor, Hammer, & Schultz, 20025 Toro, Dworsky, & Fowler, 2007, Pergamit, 20106 Toro, Dworsky, & Fowler, 2007, Pergamit, 2010

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Agencies 

                          - Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control

### Announcements 

                          - National Adoption Month 2022
                          - National Adoption Month 2022
                          - Observance: 2023 Global Diversity Awareness Month
                          - Permanency for Youth on Their Own Terms
                          - Pride Month Census Data
                          - Recent Event: HUD Awards Nearly $500,000 to Public Housing Authorities to Help Young People Aging out of Foster Care
                          - Report: A Guide to Effective Collaborations with Community-Based Organizations to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Report: Food Insecurity and Health-Related Concerns Among Elementary Schoolteachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic
                          - Report: Fulfilling America’s Future: Latinas in the U.S., 2015
                          - Report: Homelessness and Housing Instability Among LGBTQ Youth
                          - Report: Lessons from a Historic Decline in Child Poverty
                          - Resource: “My Dream Home” Activity
                          - Resource: ACS-ED Data
                          - Resource: Activate: The Center to Bring Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Research to Youth-Supporting Professionals
                          - Resource: Advances in Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast Series
                          - Resource: All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness
                          - Resource: American Community Survey Resources for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations
                          - Resource: Ask Youth Challenge
                          - Resource: Broadband Access Landscape
                          - Resource: Child Welfare in the News
                          - Resource: Core Youth Outcomes in Youth of Color
                          - Resource: Determining Youth and Young Adult Eligibility for Services: Grantee Tools and Processes
                          - Resource: Federal Student Aid and Homeless Youth
                          - Resource: From Evidence to Action: A Federal Homelessness Research Agenda
                          - Resource: Going to a Public Disaster Shelter During the COVID-19 Pandemic
                          - Resource: Highlights From the 2020 Juvenile Residential Facility Census
                          - Resource: Homeless Resources
                          - Resource: Housing Services
                          - Resource: John H. Chafee Foster Care for Successful Transition to Adulthood Program Resource List
                          - Resource: Joint Letter Regarding the Assignment of Rights to Child Support for Children in Foster Care
                          - Resource: LGBTQIA2S+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Resource: Mental Health Awareness Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Resource: Most Kids with Parent in Same-Sex Relationship Live with Female Couple
                          - Resource: NCFY
                          - Resource: OnTheMap for Emergency Management
                          - Resource: Placement Stability
                          - Resource: Reducing Homelessness Among Young People Transitioning from Foster Care
                          - Resource: Reducing Homelessness Among Young People Transitioning from Foster Care
                          - Resource: Reentry to Foster Care
                          - Resource: Rethinking Service Array for Young People Transitioning from Child Welfare
                          - Resource: Runaway & Homeless Youth and Relationship Violence Toolkit
                          - Resource: Screening and Assessment Tools
                          - Resource: September 2022 Spotlight on Kinship Care
                          - Resource: Student Homelessness in America: School Years 2019-20 to 2021-22
                          - Resource: Supporting Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness during the COVID-19 Outbreak: Questions to Consider
                          - Resource: Supporting LGBTQI+ Students Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Resource: The National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression (The National SOGIE Center) 
                          - Resource: Tip Sheets on Everyday Parenting Topics
                          - Resource: Transporting Students Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Resource: Unregulated Custody Transfers of Adopted Children
                          - Resource: Voices Amplified
                          - Resource: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System 2021 Data
                          - Resource: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System 2021 Data
                          - Resource: Youth Voices
                          - Resource: Youth Voices
                          - Second Chance Month: April 2023
                          - Share with Youth: 1-800-RUNAWAY Public Service Announcement (PSA)
                          - Toolkit: National Foster Care Month 2022 Outreach
                          - Webinar Recording: Elevating the Leadership of Students and Families with Lived Expertise
                          - Webinar Recording: Homelessness in Foster Care: What Would Really Keep Foster Youth From Sleeping in Offices
                          - Webinar Recording: Providing Emergency Preparedness Supports for Students Experiencing Homelessness
                          - Webinar Recording: Supporting English Learners (ELs) Experiencing Homelessness: An ARP-HCY Implementation Spotlight
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Collaboration Profiles 

                          - Atlanta Housing Authority
                          - Resources
                          - Y2CONNECT.org

### Data Sources 

                          - 2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report
                          - American FactFinder
                          - Resources for Young Parents & Children Experiencing Homelessness

### Feature Articles 

                          - Father’s Day 2012 – Reconnecting Families and Dads Saturday, June 16th, 2012
                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - Minnesota's Support Systems for Rural Homeless Youth Program
                          - Nation's Housing Authorities to Celebrate Fathers Day
                          - Report on Well-Being of Nation’s Children Released
                          - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development/GreatSchools Partnership – Coordinating Housing Assistance with Educational Opportunities

### Programs 

                          - Administration for Children and Families/Family and Youth Services Bureau Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
                          - Choice Neighborhoods
                          - Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Toolkit
                          - Family Unification Program
                          - John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood
                          - Neighborhood Networks
                          - Public and Indian Housing
                          - Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency Program

### Publications 

                          - Healthy Homes Program Brochure
                          - HUD Strategic Plan FY 2010 -2015
                          - Seven Steps to a Healthy Home
                          - Transitional Living Programs and Relationships with Landlords

### Resources 

                          - Ending Housing Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals and Families
                          - Report: Fulfilling America’s Future: Latinas in the U.S., 2015
                          - The Equal Access to Housing Rule and Youth
                          - Webinar Recording: Helping the LGBTQIA+ Community Before Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation Considerations

### Technical Assistance 

                          - Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
                          - Homelessness Resource Center
                          - Office of Public and Indian Housing Training and Technical Assistance
                          - Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Centers
                          - Rural Information Center

### Tools & Guides 

                          - Healthy Homes Website
                          - Rural Development Funding Notices

### Websites 

                          - Interagency Council on Homelessness

## Youth Briefs

How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities
Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

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### Announcements

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Resource: Voices Amplified

Resource: American Community Survey Resources for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations

### Collaboration Profiles

Y2CONNECT.org

Resources

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### Data Sources

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

2011-2021 YRBS Data Summary and Trends Report

### Feature Articles

Resources to Support Youth Who Have Lost a Caregiver

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

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### Hotlines

Resource: National Runaway Safeline (NRS) | (1800runaway.org)

Resource: National Runaway Safeline (NRS) | (1800runaway.org)

### Publications

What Factors Predict Whether Youth Will Run Away or Become Homeless Again After Returning Home?

Transitional Living Programs and Relationships with Landlords

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### Resources

Webinar Recording: Helping the LGBTQIA+ Community Before Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation Considerations

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Resource: Data on Homeless Students