Massachusetts State Legislature
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
Testimony re: H. 1892
An Act Providing Housing and Support Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
July 19, 2011
Homelessness among the transition age youth (17-24 year olds) in Worcester is a significant concern. In August of 2009, a Point in Time Survey targeting this population identified 142 homeless youth in the city. A follow up survey in October of 2010 identified 201 youth. One in ten high school students in the Worcester Public Schools are homeless.
Some of these youth have been involved with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF). When they “age out,” these youth often reject the system and choose to live independently or attempt to reunite with their family. Other youth escape from untenable family situations or are simply “put out”. They typically do not have the life skills, education or resources to make it on their own. In addition, affordable and stable, age-appropriate housing situations are limited. Shelter or housing, employment, education, health care and case management services are poorly linked and difficult to navigate.
The Compass Project, with funding from The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, has been established to develop a model system of care to improve this situation. Building on the work of the Worcester Task Force on Teen Housing, the project represents a collaboration of more than 20 local and state agencies, as well as non-profit social service agencies, in the Worcester area. LUK, Inc. is the lead agency. These partners are committed to designing a strengthened social safety net for young people in the target population and making systemic and sustainable change to prevent and end homelessness among transition age youth in Worcester.
Since January 2011 the project has focused its efforts to identify the root causes of homelessness among this population, spearhead an in-depth analysis of resources in the city, and develop a specific set of promising strategies that will be implemented as a pilot project in 2012. Working with a Steering Committee of key stakeholders, and an Advisory Council with broad community and state agency participation, and a Youth Advisory Group with insight from their experience, the project is developing a pilot project for 2012 that will apply rigorous evaluation to document the efficacy of the promising strategies. . Based on a successful pilot, the project will be fully implemented in the following two to three years, while we advocate with our for changes in public policy in order to create a system that will continue to serve this population after funding from The Health Foundation ends.
Preventing and ending youth homelessness is an emergent issue and a challenge for our communities, our state, and our country. Developing well research and evidenced-based practices will require state leadership and resources. Thus,
The Steering Committee of the Compass Project fully supports and endorses House Bill #1862, An Act Providing Housing and Support Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Act).
Respectfully submitted by:
Gordon L. Benson, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
L.U.K. Crisis Center, Inc.
545 Westminster Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
(978) 345-0685
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
Testimony re: H. 1892
An Act Providing Housing and Support Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
July 19, 2011
Homelessness among the transition age youth (17-24 year olds) in Worcester is a significant concern. In August of 2009, a Point in Time Survey targeting this population identified 142 homeless youth in the city. A follow up survey in October of 2010 identified 201 youth. One in ten high school students in the Worcester Public Schools are homeless.
Some of these youth have been involved with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF). When they “age out,” these youth often reject the system and choose to live independently or attempt to reunite with their family. Other youth escape from untenable family situations or are simply “put out”. They typically do not have the life skills, education or resources to make it on their own. In addition, affordable and stable, age-appropriate housing situations are limited. Shelter or housing, employment, education, health care and case management services are poorly linked and difficult to navigate.
The Compass Project, with funding from The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, has been established to develop a model system of care to improve this situation. Building on the work of the Worcester Task Force on Teen Housing, the project represents a collaboration of more than 20 local and state agencies, as well as non-profit social service agencies, in the Worcester area. LUK, Inc. is the lead agency. These partners are committed to designing a strengthened social safety net for young people in the target population and making systemic and sustainable change to prevent and end homelessness among transition age youth in Worcester.
Since January 2011 the project has focused its efforts to identify the root causes of homelessness among this population, spearhead an in-depth analysis of resources in the city, and develop a specific set of promising strategies that will be implemented as a pilot project in 2012. Working with a Steering Committee of key stakeholders, and an Advisory Council with broad community and state agency participation, and a Youth Advisory Group with insight from their experience, the project is developing a pilot project for 2012 that will apply rigorous evaluation to document the efficacy of the promising strategies. . Based on a successful pilot, the project will be fully implemented in the following two to three years, while we advocate with our for changes in public policy in order to create a system that will continue to serve this population after funding from The Health Foundation ends.
Preventing and ending youth homelessness is an emergent issue and a challenge for our communities, our state, and our country. Developing well research and evidenced-based practices will require state leadership and resources. Thus,
The Steering Committee of the Compass Project fully supports and endorses House Bill #1862, An Act Providing Housing and Support Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Act).
Respectfully submitted by:
Gordon L. Benson, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
L.U.K. Crisis Center, Inc.
545 Westminster Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
(978) 345-0685
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