Home Illinois: Youth Homeless Systems Improvement Assistance grant

Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee Meeting

August 22, 2024

YHSI Illinois Prevention Pilot Overview

  • The Youth Homeless Systems Improvement (YHSI) Illinois Prevention Pilot (IPP) is a HUD grant DHS and partners have received.
  • This grant will directly advance the goals of the Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee.
  • The grant is expected to start October 1, 2024and run for 30 months, including a 6 monthplanning period.
  • Key activities include:
    • Establishing data matching between Illinois CoCs and state agencies including DCFS and DJJ to better understand experiences of homelessness for youth after they exit State systems of care and
    • Establishing a youth internship program in the Director's offices of DJJ, DCFS and/or OPEH to support youth leadership in directing the YHSI IPP and other state policies/programs

Partners

This program is a strategic partnership between:

  • the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS),
  • the Illinois Department of JuvenileJustice (DJJ),
  • the Illinois Department of Human Services Homeless Youth Bureau,
  • the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH),
  • the Youth Homeless Prevention Subcommittee,
  • the Night Ministry, and
  • the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health.

Overarching goal

The initiative seeks to:

  • increase youth and young adult (YYA) voices instate government and
  • understand how to reduce experiences of homelessness for YYA by improving discharge planning and supports for YYA leaving state systems of care.

Grant Commitments -Establish the Steering Committee

  • The YHSI IPP will seek to amplify youth voice within state systems by:
    • Creating a state-level Steering Committee.
      • Leaders from within the Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee can volunteer to form this Steering Committee. Your participation is key.
      • This Steering Committee will provide leadership to the YHSI IPP project, helping to guide the project and make strategic decisions.
      • Members will include youth leaders, Continuum of Care representatives and representatives of State agencies.

If interested in volunteering, please email Anna (anna.spreitzer@illinois.gov).

There is also an optional upcoming foundational workshop for the HUD TA available to YHSI awardees on August 29 and a link will be sent out to those interested.