Press Conference on Homeless Children Survey 1-16

More than 1.6 million youths ages 12 to 17 run away and sleep on the streets every day throughout the country. The average age of the first homeless episode is 14.7 years. The most common causes of runaway and expelled youth are physical or sexual abuse at home. The second most common cause is substance dependency. These young children and teen agers are forced to fend for themselves at a time in their lives when they are least equipped to do so.

 

The Point in Time count (PIT) census has been in use since 1983 to count the homeless population throughout the nation. The census has focused primarily on adults and families. With the growing number of homeless youth, the same kind of information gathered on adults is also needed for the homeless, unaccompanied youths under 18 years of age so that effective intervention strategies can be developed to stop the cycle of homelessness for this vulnerable population. HUD added the Youth Count as a new piece of this important collection of data.

It is important to identify and quantify this invisible population so that effective intervention strategies can be developed to stop the cycle of homelessness for this vulnerable population.

A press conference to spread the importance of this count and details related to the surveying of these children will occur on: Thursday, January 16th @ 10 a.m. @ Church Under the Bridge, 724 Chesnut.     

Rachel A. Cavazos Director of Governmental Programs & Community Initiatives