The National Network for Youth administered a survey to learn more about the impact COVID has had on youth and young adults (YYA) experiencing homelessness, the needs of community-based youth homelessness service providers, and how programs and services have had to change in order to comply with CDC guidelines. The two major findings of the survey are:
- Many communities have less beds for youth experiencing homelessness due to decreasing the number of beds in order to comply with distance and other COVID requirements from the CDC. Specifically, we recorded a loss of 327 beds across only 63 communities. Additional resources are urgently needed so that communities are able to get these beds back.
- Community based providers urgently need flexible funding from the federal government and added flexibility in age and length of stay program requirements so they can most effectively respond and adapt to the needs of youth.
What Congress Must do to Support Our Young People
Get back to work on a stimulus deal and include the following:
- The Emergency Family Stabilization Act (EFSA), H.R.7950/S.3923 at $2 billion
- Runaway and Homeless Youth Act flexible funding for new and current grantees at $300 million
- Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act flexible funding to provide stability and support for students experiencing homelessness at $500 million