October 1, 2024, The Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee

The Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee

October 1, 2024

2:00PM to 3:30PM

Agenda:

  1. Open and Introductions
  2. August Meeting Recap
  3. Subcommittee Goals and Updates
    1. Improve discharge planning processes
    2. Establishing a system for tracking whether young people discharged from systems are stably housed
  4. Size of population of young people being discharged from systems
  5. Rethinking the approach for developing a tracking system
  6. Next Steps
  7. Public Comments
  8. Adjourn

Meeting Information:

Meeting Recording

Meeting Minutes:

Youth Homeless Prevention Subcommittee Minutes (approved on 4/1/25 by committee vote)

I. Open and Introductions by Tedd Peso

I. Tedd Peso, The Night Ministry

II. Jennifer Parrack, IDOC

III. Colleen Mahoney, OPEH

IV. Ann Baker, Midwest Youth Services

V. Barbara Hobrock

VI. Sandy Godinez, The Harbour

VII. Valerie Tawrel, 360 Youth Services

VIII. Latonia Byrd-Williamson, DJJ

IX. Jamie Mocker, DCFS

X. Sarah Berger Gonzalez, Chapin Hall

XI. Ashley Bae, Division of Mental Health

XII. Teresa Parks, Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission

XIII. Isabella Hurtado, Governor's Office

XIV. Chevelle Bailey, DCFS

XV. Amy Dworsky, Chapin Hall

XVI. Richard Rowe, OPEH/ IDOC

XVII. John Egan, DCFS

XVIII. Anna Spreitzer, OPEH

XIX. Karrie Rueter, DHS

XX. Kristen Marshall, DHS

XXI. Nikita Robinson, OPEH

b. Agenda review

II. Subcommittee Goals and Updates

a. Review the discharge planning, service plans, and discharge procedures for youth leaving the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, and the Department of Corrections to determine whether such discharge planning and procedures ensure housing stability for youth leaving State systems of care.

b. Collect data on the housing stability of youth for one year after they are released from the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, or the Department of Corrections.

c. Based on data collected under paragraph (2) regarding youth experiencing homelessness after leaving State systems of care, create a plan to improve discharge policies and procedures to ensure housing stability for youth leaving State systems of care.

d. Provide recommendations on community plans for sustainable housing; create education and employment plans for homeless youth; and create strategic collaborations between the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, and the Department of Corrections with respect to youth leaving State systems of care.

III. August Meeting Recap

a. We received clarification on the age range under this legislation and we can confirm that the ages are 18 - 24. We are also waiting on clarification from the general counsel around the data match project under the Youth Homeless Systems Improvement Grant.

b. Our focus today is on the size of the population of youth discharged from the systems. Also, want to discuss other potential approaches to collect data. Each system was asked to bring the number of young people who exit the systems of care each to the meeting today.

IV. Size of population of young people being discharged from systems

I. DJJ: In FY23 (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024) total of 129 youth were discharged from DJJ. This data captures youth between the ages of 15 - 21. There were 7 youth that needed continued services post discharge. One was for housing and the other 6 were for continued services. We implemented a code for tracking as of April 2024 and the following information is capturing information from April to June so data may be low. For FY24 we had 37 youth discharged and 2 needed additional services, not for housing. We do not follow up with youth after they are discharged.

II. DCFS: Generally, estimate up to 500 youth being discharged from DCFS, with over 300 being located in Cook County. Housing advocates are supposed to follow the youth for 24 months after they turn 21. DCFS does a lot of outreach to case management teams to get the youth connected with YHAP and FYI before they age out. Have 2 populations, one that is around 500 youth who age out right before their 21st birthday. We have less than 100 who age out right before turning 25.5. They are the hardest to keep track of. We would like every youth that ages out of our system to have a housing voucher.

III. DMH: The data was prepared back in April 2023, and we think they are pretty similar for FY24. In FY22 about 2,823 people were discharged and out of that around 631 (23%) were 18 - 25 years of age. Approximately under %25 of our population fit in the youth category. Majority of discharge is from Madden, and they have a short length of stay, which makes it difficult to look at housing. They go back home to friends, homeless shelters, or various locations upon being discharged. No follow up takes place with the individuals upon being discharged other than the aftercare appointments.

IV. DCC: We have just under 800 people under the age of 22 in our custody. Overall, we have about 14000 who exit each year, but not specific to that age group. We are able to pull that information. We do track everywhere they are discharged to.

V. Rethinking the approach for developing a tracking system

a. Previously with CSH we had discussed building out a system for tracking across systems. Chapin Hall proposed an alternative method.

b. The alternate approach would be doing some primary data collection where we would reach out to the young people at various points during that year after they leave. This would require us having information on how to contact the youth and the youth would have to provide permission. We have some experience with this. Wanted to get some feedback from the agencies on this proposed idea?

I. When it has been done in the past, how often did you reach out to the youth?

I. Some projects were once a month, another is every 3 months, another is 6 months. We could determine what the appropriate timeline would be for this group. You wouldn't want to be too much time but also don't want to do it too often.

II. We have had a lot of success with monthly surveys and the youth are paid $20 for quick 10-minute surveys. We have a good retention rate.

II. For DMH the proposal sounds wonderful and feasible.

III. This would not be a survey with a lot of questions it would just be a handful of questions to meet the mandate of the legislation.

IV. If they did indicate housing instability, would they be connected to the appropriate services?

I. We could build that into it.

V. With DJJ youth, a potential barrier would be gaining trust of the youth.

I. That is one of the benefits it that Chapin Hall is not connected to any of the systems. We know they won't know this, but we can prove that we are not misusing their data.

VI. We have youth with lived expertise that review our questions prior so we can assure that we are not asking questions in a manner would not be received.

VI. Next Steps

a. Next steps would be individual meetings with each of the systems to discuss how we can implement this in their discharge process. Chapin Hall should be able to schedule these meetings before the next Youth Subcommittee Meeting on December 3rd.

VII. Public Comments

a. N/A

VIII. Adjourn