On Monday, August 1, 2022, the House and Senate released their spending bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. This post summarizes what was included in each bill relevant to NN4Ys work to prevent and end youth homelessness.
Don’t forget, that there is still a long way to go before FY23’s spending levels are finalized, and NN4Y will be at the forefront, ensuring policymakers are proactive in measures to end youth homelessness. Join NN4Y in taking action and send a strong message to your federal representatives today: https://nn4youth.org/policy/federal-policy-on-youth-homelessness/fy-23-federal-appropriations/
FY23 funding at a glance:
- HHS’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) program received a $10 million increase in the House bill and a $14 million increase in the Senate
- ED’s McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program received a $36 million increase in the Senate
- HUD’s Youth Homeless Demonstration Program (YHDP) and Youth Homelessness System Improvement Grants are flat-funded
- HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) grants received an $804 million increase in the House and a $24 million increase in the Senate
This table shows the current status of House and Senate FY 23 spending bills for the federal programs we track.
U.S. Senate Runaway and Homeless Youth Act Report Language
The Committee continues to support the ability of grantees to provide prevention services, such as counseling and case management, regardless of their enrollment in residential services. The Committee urges ACF to advise grantees that they are not required to enroll youth in shelter or residential services, nor require the young person to physically travel to the grantee’s location in order for an at-risk youth to receive prevention and supportive services. The Committee continues to encourage the program to notify applicants if grant applications are successful at least 30 days before the grant begins or no less than 30 days before an existing grant is set to end.
The Committee again strongly urges the program to ensure that service delivery and staff training comprehensively address the individual strengths and needs of youth, as well as language-appropriate, gender-appropriate interventions that are culturally sensitive and respectful of the complex social identities of youth.
The Committee strongly believes that no runaway youth or homeless youth should be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity funded in whole or in part under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, based on any of the conditions outlined in this paragraph.
National Communications System, National Runaway Safeline.
The Committee remains concerned with the amount of homeless children and youth and those at risk of homelessness and the ability of those youth and parents to access information that can help connect them with the needed services, resources, and support both at school and in the community. The Committee encourages ACF to coordinate with the Department of Education to increase outreach efforts at schools and community-based organizations that raise awareness of services and resources provided by the National Runaway Safeline.
Education and Prevention Grants To Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway Youth
The Committee recommendation includes $21,000,000 for Education and Prevention Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway and Homeless Youth. This program provides competitive grants for street-based outreach and education services for runaway and homeless youth who are subjected to, or are at risk of being subjected to, sexual abuse or exploitation.
U.S. Senate Housing and Urban Development Report Language
Provided further, That amounts made available for the Continuum of Care program under this paragraph and any remaining unobligated balances under this heading in prior Acts may be used to competitively or non-competitively renew or replace grants for youth homeless demonstration projects under the Continuum of Care program, notwithstanding any conflict with the requirements of the Continuum of Care program;
$107,000,000 shall be available to implement projects to demonstrate how a comprehensive approach to serving homeless youth, age 24 and under, in up to 25 communities with a priority for communities with substantial rural populations in up to eight locations, can dramatically reduce youth homelessness:
Provided, That of the amount made available under this paragraph, not less than $25,000,000 shall be for youth homelessness system improvement grants to support communities, including but not limited to the communities assisted under the matter preceding this proviso, in establishing and implementing a response system for youth homelessness, or for improving their existing system:
Provided further, That of the amount made available under this paragraph, up to $10,000,000 shall be to provide technical assistance to communities, including but not limited to the communities assisted in the preceding proviso and the matter preceding such proviso, on improving system responses to youth homelessness, and collection, analysis, use, and reporting of data and performance measures under the comprehensive approaches to serve homeless youth, in addition to and in coordination with other technical assistance funds provided under this title:
Provided further, That the Secretary may use up to 10 percent of the amount made available under the preceding proviso to build the capacity of current technical assistance providers or to train new technical assistance providers with verifiable prior experience with systems and programs for youth experiencing homelessness; and
Provided further, That youth aged 24 and under seeking 8 assistance under this heading shall not be required to provide third party documentation to establish their eligibility under subsection (a) or (b) of section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302) to receive services:
Provided further, That unaccompanied youth aged 24 and under or families headed by youth aged 24 and under who are living in unsafe situations may be served by youth-serving providers funded under this heading:
Provided further, That persons eligible under section 103(a)(5) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act may be served by any project funded under this heading to provide both transitional housing and rapid rehousing:
