How does your state stack up on ending youth homelessness?

The State Index on Youth Homelessness evaluates all 50 states and the District of Columbia on their efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness. Today, True Colors United and the National Homelessness Law Center have released their annual update to the State Index, including:

• 2021 data on state efforts to end youth homelessness

• State-specific policy recommendations for improvement

• Resources for state advocates on the ground

• A new easy-to-use report website

The State Index provides a snapshot of some of the legal, systemic, and environmental barriers that youth experiencing homelessness face. The State Index assigns all 50 states and the District of Columbia a score of up to 100 and provides concrete steps that states can take to protect the safety, development, health, and dignity of youth experiencing homelessness.

See how your state scored at: youthstateindex.com 

Back in The Office: From the Desk of Audi

Happy New Year! 

It is my first week back in the center. I have been working on preparing for the next housing fair that will be held in April. With so much in the works, there will be more to report for next week. I also had the opportunity to attend a training course on ACES, which stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences. A few things that I have learned is that children can experience all types of stressors. The same stressors can appear in boys and girls differently. The most interesting thing I learned is a way to build resilience for youth is to build their self-esteem, provide opportunities for learning, and learn their triggers and communication style. 

Where Do We Go Next?

The events of the 2020-21 school year—a global pandemic, calls for racial justice, and an unprecedented shift to remote school—have highlighted the challenges and inequities faced by many of America’s young people. To better understand young people’s experiences, America’s Promise Alliance and Research for Action conducted a wide-ranging, national survey of more than 2,400 high school students, providing one of the most comprehensive looks yet at the high school experience during a year of historic upheaval.

Overall, young people’s responses to this national survey suggest that:

Finding 1: High schoolers are struggling with a decreased sense of wellbeing—reporting declines in mental health and concerning levels of disconnection from peers and adults.

Finding 2: Opportunities to learn about race and racism in the classroom vary but are associated with higher levels of critical consciousness and social action.

Finding 3: COVID-19 has upended postsecondary planning, yet feelings of postsecondary readiness are highest among students who are most connected to teachers and peers, have opportunities to discuss race and racism in school, and feel academically interested and challenged.

These findings illuminate several recommendations for school and district leaders to act on in both the immediate recovery period and afterward:

Recommendation 1: Address student mental health, now and on an ongoing basis.

Recommendation 2: Teach a comprehensive and accurate history of race and racism in the United States.

Recommendation 3: Prioritize postsecondary success through relevant content and pathways planning.

Recommendation 4: Saturate young people’s environments with caring adult relationships.

Read the ENTIRE REPORT -> https://www.americaspromise.org/sites/default/files/d8/gradnation-062321.pdf