Including Youth in Your Community’s Point-in-Time Count, Part 1

A National Priority

Barbara Poppe, Executive Director, US Interagency Council on

Homelessness

A National Priority

Nan RomanPresident and CEO, National Alliance to End

Homelessness

What is a Point-in-Time Count?Part 1: Homeless Population

ShelteredUnsheltered Total

Emergency Transitional

Number of Families with Children (Family Households):

1. Number of Persons in Families with Children

2. Number of Single Individuals and Persons in Households without Children

(Add Lines Numbered 1 & 2)

Part 2: Homeless Subpopulations Sheltered Unsheltered Total

a. Chronically Homeless

b. Severely Mentally Ill

c. Chronic Substance Abuse

d. Veterans

e. Persons with HIV/AIDS

f. Victims of Domestic Violence

g. Unaccompanied Youth (Under 18)

The Youth Gap

CoC Number Sheltered Unsheltered Total

4 0 4

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

9 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

41 0 41

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

Why are Point-in-Time Counts Important?

Point in Time Data:

•Scale of homelessness

•Concentration of homelessness

•Measures effectiveness of programs and policies

Total amount of federal and local funds.

Distribution of federal and local funds

Program model decisions

Counting Homeless Youth in Your Community

NOW: Ensure the CoC’s PIT plan includes youth

Recruit organizations serving homeless youth and currently and formerly homeless youth to inform strategic planning.

Identify lead person or organization to develop and coordinate “youth-focused” strategy.

Develop materials to educate youth and community about purpose of PIT Count.

Modify existing planned data collection method or instrument if needed.

Step 2: Map out locations and sources of data collection.

Identify all stakeholders that may encounter or serve unaccompanied, homeless youth.

Identify locations where homeless youth who are not regularly receivi9ng services may congregate.

Recruit homeless education liaisons and/or others in the public school system, local police, and other public agencies that may serve or temporarily detain homeless youth.

Step 3: Facilitate collection of data.

Identify knowledgeable volunteers and practitioners to act as leads in collecting data.

Ensure volunteers collect data throughout day and evening.

Locations should be surveyed multiple times throughout the day.

Step 4: Promote the quality of data gathered.

Host a training on PIT survey protocols for volunteers.

Ensure consistent definitions of various living situations to record accurate responses.

Address mandated reporter issues for youth under the age of 18.

Step 5: Analyze data on youth homelessness.

Recruit skilled researchers and writers to assist with data analysis and report findings from the survey.

Step 6: USE PIT findings to educate policy makers and the public about youth homelessness in your community.

Resources

For all of the documents discussed on today’s webinar, visit:

http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/3502

Alliance Families and Youth Contacts

Samantha Batkosbatko@naeh.org

André Wadeawade@naeh.org

Sharon McDonaldsmcdonald@naeh.org

Counting Homeless Youth Webinar Series

November 17, 2010 @ 2 pm ET: Including Youth in Point-in-Time Counts, Part

2: A Case Study of San Jose, CARegister:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/487542858

Including Youth in Point-in-Time Counts Part 3: Community Lessons Learned

To be held shortly after Thanksgiving