May 11, 2023 The Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee

The Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee

May 11, 2023

10:00am to 11:30am

Agenda:

  1. Open & Introductions
  2. Co-chair Past, Present, and Future Research on Youth Homelessness at Chapin Hall
  3. Chapin Hall at UChicago Questions & Answers
  4. Systems of Care Gap Analysis
  5. CSH Questions & Answers
  6. Request from Systems of Care, Debrief from April's meeting
  7. Next Meeting Expectations
  8. Public Comment
  9. Closing

Presentation:

Past, Present, and Future Research on Youth Homelessness at Chapin Hall

Gap Analysis

Meeting Recording:

Meeting Recording

Meeting Minutes:

  1. Opening & Introductions 
    1. Welcome by Johnna Lowe 
    2. Role Call by Nicholas Johnson: Name title and what you plan to get out of today's meeting. 
      1. Nicholas Johnson, Co-chair Youth Representative 
      2. Johnna Lowe, CSH 
      3. Ann Baker, Midwest Youth Services 
      4. Valerie Tawrel, 360 Youth Services 
      5. Amy Dworsky, Chapin Hall Researcher 
      6. Sarah Berger Gonzalez, Chapin Hall Policy Analyst 
      7. Ashley Bae, DHS, Division of Mental Health 
      8. Isabella Hurtado, Governor's Office Representative 
      9. Susan Renya, Covenant House Illinois 
      10. Kalynn Lane, Youth Representative 
      11. Teresa Parks, Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission 
      12. Niya Kelly, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless 
      13. Arloa Sutter, DHS 
      14. Julie Nelson, CSH 
      15. Melishia Bansa, Department of Healthcare and Family Services 
      16. Latonia Byrd-Williamson, Department of Juvenile Justice 
      17. Marc Smith, Department of Children and Family Services 
      18. Sandy Godinez, The Harbor 
      19. Briana Payton, Juvenile Justice Commission 
  2. Co-chair Past, Present, and Future Research on Youth Homelessness at Chapin Hall presentation by Amy Dworsky and Sarah Berger Gonzalez 

    1. Will discuss four different projects: 

      1. Voices of Youth Count 
      2. Youth Homelessness Data Solutions Project 
      3. System Assessment 
      4. Direct Cash Transfers 

    2. Voices of Youth Count 

      1. A national initiative launched in 2015 by Chapin Hall to better understand youth homelessness across the United States. 
      2. Designed to address critical gaps in our knowledge on homeless youth. 
        1. Inform federal, state, and local policy. 
        2. Improve the provision of services. 
        3. Build a foundation for future research. 
        4. Contribute to efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness. 
      3. The project was funded by private funders and the US department of Housing and Urban Development. 
      4. The project included multiple components: 
        1. Point-in-time counts 
        2. Youth, household, service provider, and CoC surveys 
        3. Youth interviews 
        4. Policy analysis 
      5. They partnered with 22 counties across the US including Cook County. Will discuss today the findings around Cook County. 
      6. They developed a broad definition of homelessness 
        1. Sheltered 
        2. Unsheltered 
        3. Unstably housed 
      7. Cook County Brief Youth Survey Results
      8. Vast majority of youth surveyed were in Chicago. 
      9. Sample: 
        1. Surveyed 689 youth ages 13 to 25 
        2. 89% age 18 and older 
      10. They found that males, black youth, and LGBTQ youth were overrepresented groups. 
        1. This was not unique to Cook County. The three groups were in general overrepresented in all the counties. 
      11. 1/3 of the young women were either pregnant or young parents. 
      12. Half of the homeless youth in Cook County reported prior child welfare or justice system involvement. 
      13. System Involvement: 
        1. 26% of the young people reported having spent time in detention, jail, or prison. 
        2. 10 % reported spending time in foster care. 
        3. 14% reported spending time in both systems. 
      14. Cook Country In-Depth Interview Results 
        1. Conducted in-depth interviews with over 200 young people across 5 different counties. 
        2. Sample: 
          1. Interviewed roughly 40 youth in Cook County. 
          2. 90% age 18 and older. 
        3. Saw the same overrepresented groups 
          1. Male Youth 
          2. Black Youth 
          3. LGBTQ Youth, was even higher 
        4. Saw a substantial number of youths had experiences with foster care of the justice system.
        5. Young people who spent time in foster care 
          1. Reported a history of instability that preceded their experiences with homelessness 
          2. Experienced abuse and neglect 
          3. Have parents with a mental illness or drug abuse 
          4. Lived in poverty 
          5. Their families had experienced homelessness 
          6. Experienced family separation 
          7. Bounced around in foster care placement
        6. The pathways from foster care into homelessness was not what we typically think of. 
          1. Half of them had actually been reunified or adopted. 
      15. Youth Homelessness Data Solutions Project
        1. Project funded by HUD to develop innovative methods for using linked administrative data from South Carolina 
          1. To produce counts of homeless youth 
          2. Estimate the prevalence and incidence of youth homelessness 
          3. To describe the characteristics of the homeless youth population 
          4. Analyze pathways into homelessness form youth-serving systems 
            1. Including child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health 
          5. Identify predictors of youth homeless through those different pathways 
        2. Chapin Hall has data from multiple agencies in South Carolina's 
          1. Four Continuums of Care 
          2. Department of Education 
          3. Department of Social Services 
          4. Department of Juvenile Justice 
          5. Department of Mental Health 
            1. Will look at the data around the youth in those systems who are experiencing homelessness and predictors of homelessness for youths leaving those systems. 
        3. System Assessment 
          1. Carried out a system assessment in New York 
          2. Youth people experiencing homelessness need a youth centered homelessness system that is responsive to their needs 
            1. Developmentally appropriate 
            2. To gain a better understanding of how youth want to engage with homeless services providers
        4. Systems assessment takes several approaches including understanding the current system. 
          1. What programs and services are available to young people experiencing homelessness? 
          2. How many young people are being served by those and what are their characteristics? 
          3. What is the system's capacity to serve those young people? 
          4. What are the experiences of young people with the system? 
        5. Understanding of the factors young people consider when accessing services 
          1. What are the factors young people are thinking about? 
          2. Does the environment seem safe in the way that the particular person identifies with? 
          3. Is it accepting of that young person? 
          4. Is there trust in a nonjudgmental environment? 
          5. How might their identity affect the treatment or services that they are receiving? 
        6. New York City reached out to Chapin Hall back in 2017/2018 to request a youth homelessness assessment. 
          1. Some of the main findings is that there are huge gaps in the types of services, housing, and lack of flexibility around that provided to young people. 
          2. This assessment helped to lay a foundation for New York City's CoCs and service providers throughout the city to think more critically around taking a holistic approach to meeting the needs of young people. 
        7. Mixed methods approach to this systems assessment 
          1. Agency data review 
          2. Online survey of community-based organizations
          3. Youth focus groups
          4. Stakeholder focus groups & interviews 
      16. Direct Cash Transfers: Pathways + Trust Youth 
        1. National study 
        2. Second mixed methods analysis with youth and stakeholders on what this cash transfer intervention could look like. 
        3. They worked with New York City youth action board, government partners, practitioners, service providers to land on what the cash plus model could look like. 
          1. Unconditional direct cash transfers as a housing tool 
            1. Amount large enough to support young people to exit homelessness and be securely housed. 
            2. Youth expressed having many non-financial barriers: navigating housing, credit building, financial coaching, and social emotional care. 
            3. Created this process to boost housing in a simple approach. 
        4. Pathways Study: 
          1. 30-month longitudinal study 
            1. New York City has already implemented, and we have about 6 other sites across the country 
              1. Minnesota, two sites 
              2. Boston 
              3. San Francisco 
              4. Oakland 
              5. LA County 
              6. Baltimore 
            2. New York City is in the process of 2nd phase expansion 
            3. Want to create a national picture of what young people's pathways are through and out of homelessness. 
          2. Data sharing 
        5. Trust Youth Initiative: 
          1. Cash + Program 
          2. Cash + optional supportive services 
          3. Implementation, process, and outcomes evaluation 
        6. Early Findings 
          1. A lot of young people participating in the pilot are 
            1. Saving money and building a safety net 
            2. Leveraging funds to pursue goals and explore career options
            3. More food secure and able to focus on education and employment goals once housed 
            4. No negative consequences reported 
          2. A year into the cash transfers
        7. Multisite Initiative 
          1. Setting up an evidence model that can be adapted throughout the country.
  3. Chapin Hall at UChicago Questions & Answers 
    1. Question: Have you had an opportunity to do participatory research with youth who have experience and if so, are there any examples that you all could provide us on that? 
      1. Yes. The systems assessment and with the direct cash transfer intervention we had over 50 young people with lived experience participate in the co-design of this intervention. From the benefit protection to the wording of how it's presented; through the recruitment process, thinking through different pieces of supportive program. Large groups of youth in the adaptation consultations who are participating. 
      2. Chapin Hall contracts young adult consultant researchers to be apart of this ongoing. It is not just an intervention at the start, but it is an ongoing thought process. 
      3. The voice of youth count project, we had trained young people in the varies counties to collect the survey data. 
    2. Question: Did the youth help to develop the survey and develop the questions or provide feedback? 
      1. Yes. We drafted the survey and shared it with the young people in the sites so they could provide feedback. We made revisions based on their feedback. Also, for the pathways study as well. 
    3. Question: Were there any questions or data gathering around the youth and the possibility of having disabilities? 
      1. We didn't. We had to keep the survey extremely short as we were doing counts. It is a very important question though. 
      2. In our long surveys in the baseline, we do ask. We would want to know upfront from a policy perspective as we think about direct cash transfers and its impact on in particular Medicaid. 
    4. Question: What would it take for Illinois to replicate it here? 
      1. It would depend on which of the initiatives you are talking about. We talked about 3 different things. The project in South Carolina, would require getting the respective agencies on board and allow us to link their administrative data. And getting their CoC's to share their data to make that happen. 
      2. Would suggest that in order of operations it is always best to do a systems assessment before landing on direct cash transfers. Having a great understanding of where the disconnect can be important for informing the support of programming that accompany the cash transfers and how we think about this. 
      3. Happy to speak more if helpful. 
    5. Question: What happens now? This is great work being discussed, but what are the options and what happens next? 
      1. The goal is to provide those recommendations on how to support youth and systems or care to enter into housing stability. The idea of bringing research, experiencing, looking at a deeper understanding of what's happening in other committees is really the goal.
        1. It will funnel up into those state agencies to then decide how they can implement, incorporate, duplicate, etc. things that are helping in other locations. Our goal is to provide those recommendations.
    6. Comment: I feel like we are operating in the dark and have an absence of really knowing what we are looking at. What are the young people needs in Illinois? Getting a really good pulse of who we're talking about and what can really work here is important. Now is the time to figure out who we are talking about and how we can best respond to their needs with all the amazing things that are going on throughout the country. And how do we bring it here?
    7. Comment: I appreciate all the research and development that is happening; and the presentation on that. Being active in grant writing processes as a state entity at that does provide homeless services to kids, we heavily rely on that data and research. 
      1. Really nice to know the back history on how it comes about. And where it is collected from. And that it is designed by kids for kids, it makes the process of grant writing much more worth it. I appreciate the education behind it. 
    8. Comment: To the point of where we go now, I want to make sure people are aware of all of the good things that are happening. A lot of this is coming from the federal government. 
      1. One thing is the family unification program NOFA is out now. Families involved with DCFS as well as youth or aging out of care, we emailed housing authorities throughout the state who might want to apply. Most of the vouchers we want to use for families and the reason is because we have so many foster youths into independence vouchers. 
      2. Competitive FYI vouchers available. Almost at a point where almost every youth in Cook County aging out of care may soon be offered a voucher if they want it. The vouchers require a great deal of services. DCFS is willing to provide these services and follow up with the youth until the age of 23. 
        1. We provide cash assistance for security deposits, moving fees, utilities, beds, tables, household items. Sometimes we can help the parenting youth beyond the age of 23. 
      3. Can share the various resources available to this group. It is public information on our website https://dcfs.illinois.gov/ 
        1. Will also share information around the voucher services throughout the state.
  4. Systems of Care Gap Analysis 
    1. Most of this information comes from you all directly. If the subcommittee wants to really support the goal around housing stability then there are some things that we can pay attention to. 
    2. April's Meeting Revisit 
      1. Presentations on the service and discharge plans for the 4 Systems of Care 
        1. Department of Juvenile Justice 
        2. Department of Children and Family Services 
        3. Division of Mental Health 
        4. Department of Corrections 
        5. The recordings are on the state website if anyone wants to revisit the presentations or meeting. 
      2. Service and Discharge Plans 
        1. If we look at each system of care from arrival to discharge to aftercare it is really great things happening. 
          1. But for example, as we think about the Department of Justice, is there a data collection entity that could support us understanding how this work has been done?
          2. What outcomes, successes, and trends are for the youth long term? 
          3. Is it a statewide entity that can engage with one another to understand what is really happening? Not just from a point in time of our work but also looking long term. 
      3. The Juvenile Justice System does a great job of looking at and identifying whole sites or housing placements in their identified timeframe. If folks say that they don't have anywhere to go then they rely on the placement team that then relies on the community resources. We all know the relationship or demand versus stock that happens in the community around the state. 
        1. Often times our systems look at things from positive needs assessments so if you are not in that space, is 90 days enough time to find a community resource that is available for youth? Aftercare allows for folks to support the youth after leaving the system. 
        2. Some areas of concern, as we have the conversations around housing and homeless experts to understand the nuances in the work, what is happening, and what new resources are developing? 
        3. Also, staffing, and higher retention also affects the work that we do. 
      4. The Department of Children and Family Services: There is a collection entity, division of regulation and monitoring that will help with looking at the trends over time. 
        1. DCFS also serve and support from the service provision area the Casey life assessment, which also relies on the communities. 
        2. They have a focus on building and uses to become stable long term. 
        3. One hole from multiple system perspective is that you get out there and you get a job, and you will be able to sustain in the world. Looking at the data around finding affordable housing in the state and around the world, folks have to have certain earning levels which they aren't likely getting in an entry level position. Our economy doesn't level out for that. 
        4. The idea that the vouchers are a great resource, but it's a reliance for public housing authorities to apply for those. No guarantee that the vouchers are being applied for. 
        5. Being able to have the housing and homelessness specialist to understand the nuances happening in the local communities. 
        6. Building the relationships with the public housing authorities around the state. 
      5. Looking at the Division of Mental Health. Their focus is that the system was set up this way when thinking about the mental health stabilization of both civil youth patients and forensic patients. 
        1. The utilization of DMH funded residential programs relays on the availability within those programs, which goes back to the demand versus need. 
        2. The long term of those forensic patients are determined by the court systems. 
        3. Discharged planning can happen quickly and finding housing stability in such a short window is challenging since it can take months or years. 
        4. There are financial resources and a focus on the metal stability not necessarily rental assistance and things of that nature. Mental health stability is the primary focus. 
        5. They expressed concerns from emergency rooms using those DMH funded resources and other emergency spaces. 
    3. Areas for Growth 
      1. Statewide data collection entity 
        1. Cross-reference youth in various systems 
        2. Understanding of trends, nuisances, success 
      2. Access/Incorporation to coordinated entry systems/continuum of car resources 
        1. Staff time is primarily focused on direct services 
      3. Cross system working relationships 
        1. System integration team meetings 
        2. Learning about new and developing resources 
      4. Financial supports/rental assistance for youth 
        1. PHA applications for FUP and FYI vouchers 
          1. Cross reference with Systems of Care to see if a need to apply 
  5. CSH Questions & Answers 
    1. Thoughts or questions?
  6. Request from Systems of Care, Debrief from April's meeting 
    1. Homework assignment was to have those who presented in last month's meeting present their services and discharge plans to hear from you all internally around what do you think your department or division needs in order to support youth exiting or discharging towards housing stability? 
      1. DCFS: one thing that comes to mind is where are preparing young people who are graduating from high school to go to college, and beyond. We have been working to build stronger relationships with public institutions of higher education in the state of IL. We know that that is a point in time when our youths are often experiencing homelessness. If it was a box of resources, it would be built in housing for youth in care that are attending both community colleges and four-year institutions. For those periods of time when campus housing is not necessarily available to them. Some campuses are doing better than others, but that is a constant area we try to plan for our youth. 
      2. DMH: we need to overall increase the bed capacity in the funded residential program. We are unable to set aside the beds for youth, but we need to make sure we have the bed capacity. 
        1. Also strengthening the community relationships that we have. And to explore any barriers around the youth seeking out stable housing. 
      3. DJJ: we tend to struggle with youth that no longer have a relationship with our department. Once released we have to scramble to find resources outside our funding. Ability to offer additional support post DJJ. 
  7.  Next Meeting Expectations 
    1. Thursday, June 8th at 10am 
    2. Needs assessment for systems of care 
    3. Presentation from the State on the progress for the plan to end homelessness 
  8. Public Comment 
    1. None.
  9. Closing 
    1. Meeting adjourned at 11:19am CST