Teenagers and Young Adults on Their Own and Without a Place To Call Home – A Growing Problem That Needs a Smart Solution

Today's blog is a guest post from Ingrid M. Löfgren, Skadden Fellow/Attorney with the Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc.

The Maryland General Assembly is currently considering SB 764/HB 823, a bill that would establish a task force to study the housing and supportive services needs of “unaccompanied homeless youth,” or young people between the ages of 14 and 25 who lack stable housing and are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. This bill represents a critical first step toward the development of statewide strategies to ensure that these young people transition to a stable and self-sufficient adulthood.

Homelessness among unaccompanied youth in Maryland has increased dramatically in recent years. The Maryland State Department of Education identified more than 14,000 homeless students during the 2008-09 school year, up from approximately 10,600 only two years earlier, and school systems in almost every jurisdiction report unaccompanied homeless students. Consistent with this trend, the Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health identified 640 unaccompanied homeless youth in Baltimore in 2011 (of which 115 were aged 14-18), a 50 percent increase from 2009. Prince George’s County identified 185 unaccompanied homeless youth during its first count in 2012. Although more data is needed to accurately determine the scope of the problem, unaccompanied youth homelessness clearly is a persistent and growing issue in Maryland.

Unaccompanied homeless youth are extremely vulnerable and have unique needs that are not appropriately addressed by systems designed for adults. Although poverty, lack of affordable housing, unemployment, low education levels, and other factors that contribute to adult homelessness also play a role in the occurrence and duration of homelessness among young people, family breakdown and systems failure are the primary causes of homelessness for most unaccompanied youth. Many of these young people become homeless as a result of severe conflict in their homes; physical or sexual abuse; rejection by their families due to sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, or mental health issues; or because they have aged out of the foster care system without the skills and resources necessary to live independently. They need a range of housing options and supportive services that take into account their developmental stage, lack of experience living independently and permanent connections, and traumatic experiences before and during homelessness.

Homelessness has serious consequences for unaccompanied youth and society. While living in shelters or on the streets, unaccompanied homeless youth are disproportionately likely to become victims of crime, suffer from physical and mental health issues, commit suicide, engage in risky sexual behaviors, drop out of school, and turn to delinquency as a means of survival. Without access to housing and supportive services, homeless youth experience poor educational, health, and workforce outcomes, leaving them ill-equipped to transition to stable and self-sufficient adulthood.

Passage of SB 764/HB 823 is a critical step toward ensuring that unaccompanied youth have access to a comprehensive continuum of developmentally-appropriate housing and supportive services, the key to preventing and ending their homelessness. The task force created by the proposed legislation will bring together for the first time representatives from key executive agencies, service providers, advocates, and youth to study the housing and supportive services needs of unaccompanied homeless youth in Maryland. The task force’s recommendations regarding legislation, policy initiatives, and budget priorities to meet these needs will greatly improve outcomes for some of Maryland’s most vulnerable young people.

Serving MD’s Children: Support Meals for Achievement

Today we have another guest blog, this time from Lisa Klingenmeier at Maryland Hunger Solutions.

Even as the national economy slowly improves, many Maryland families still struggle to make ends meet. Maryland has the highest median household income in the country, yet statewide 14.8 percent of households had difficulty affording enough food to feed their family during the first 6 months of 2012. From December of 2011 to December of 2012, every county in Maryland had an increase in enrollment in the Food Supplement Program (known nationally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and formerly known as Food Stamps). At the same time, the USDA estimates that food costs will rise between 3 and 4 percent in 2013.  Reliable sources of healthy meals, through programs like the School Breakfast Program, are more important than ever.

Photo taken at Meade Middle School, an MMFA School

Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) allows participating schools to provide breakfast free to all students in the classroom, thereby increasing breakfast participation, while reducing stigma and other barriers to participation.  The program addresses the hunger and nutritional needs of students in schools where at least 40 percent of students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. The benefits of MMFA are clear – higher school breakfast participation has a positive impact on the educational performance, health, and behavior of Maryland’s children.

Unfortunately, during the 2012-2013 school year, only 271 schools of the 813 schools that are eligible for MMFA are actually participating because of budget limitations. As more families are struggling to make ends meet and put adequate food on their table, it is essential that eligible schools receive the resources they need to provide free school breakfast to all of their students through the MMFA program.

In his FY2014 budget proposal, Governor Martin O’Malley included an additional $1.8 million dollars in the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) – Aid to Education budget for MMFA, which would provide in-classroom breakfast to 57,000 more vulnerable children.

Maryland Meals for Achievement is only part of a statewide investment by community partners to help combat childhood hunger, but it is an important, proven, and cost-effective one.  As many Maryland families continue to struggle with food insecurity, Maryland Hunger Solutions and MBTPI strongly support MSDE’s Aid to Education budget as set by the Administration, including the additional funding for the Maryland Meals for Achievement program.

Letter to the State Superintendent - Kids learn better if they are not hungry

The Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute is one of 24 organizations to sign this letter asking the state Department of Education to embark on a multi-year commitment to provide free breakfast funding for all the schools that qualify.  Also see our "Monday Message" on school breakfast from the 2012 legislative session. The $1.8 million we are requesting for the upcoming budget amounts to 5/1000 of one percent of the state budget.