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Homeless Awareness Conference 2011

Homeless Awareness Conference 2011. MOLLY NORRIS MANKATO AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER MN Homelessness 101. DEFINITION OF KEYNOTE:. HOW MANY CHILDREN IN MANKATO SCHOOL DISTRICT WERE CONSIDERED HOMELESS IN 2010?.

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Homeless Awareness Conference 2011

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  1. Homeless Awareness Conference2011 MOLLY NORRIS MANKATO AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER MN Homelessness 101

  2. DEFINITION OF KEYNOTE:

  3. HOW MANY CHILDREN IN MANKATO SCHOOL DISTRICT WERE CONSIDERED HOMELESS IN 2010?

  4. HOW MANY CHILDREN IN MANKATO SCHOOL DISTRICT WERE CONSIDERED HOMELESS IN 2010? 75

  5. HOW MANY STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS HOMELESS AS OF OCTOBER 2011…..

  6. HOW MANY STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS HOMELESS AS OF OCTOBER 2011….. 60 Students/Families

  7. Youth In Minnesota 18-21 living in shelters 2009

  8. Youth In Minnesota 18-21 living in shelters 2009 987 Youth

  9. STUDENTS UTILIZING FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH IN DISTRICT 77 Qualified for: REDUCED LUNCH: 564 STUDENTS FREE LUNCH: 2210 IF 33% OF SCHOOL IS FREE AND REDUCED THEY QUALIFY FOR TITLE I FUNDING.

  10. Summary of Homeless Youth Discuss: How does this compare in your community schools? What experiences do you have to compare to this data?

  11. Why MUST we be more comprehensive and systematic?

  12. Mckinney Vento Act 1987 during the Reagan Administration was the first significant legislation addressing homelessness. Funds were allocated to shelters, housing, food shelves, health care, and educational support. This requires states and local education agencies to provide services that remove barriers to enrollment, attendance and educational success of the students.

  13. Qualifying for Assistance: PIF: 48 States Alaska Hawaii • 1 $10,890 $13,600 $12,540 • 2   14,710   18,380   16,930 • 3   18,530   23,160   21,320 • 4   22,350   27,940   25,710 • 5   26,170   32,720   30,100 • SOURCE:Federal Register, Vol. 76, No. 13, January 20, 2011, pp. 3637-3638

  14. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS YOUTH ? • Experiencing homelessness: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence:

  15. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS YOUTH ? • Experiencing homelessness: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence: • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason

  16. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS YOUTH ? • Experiencing homelessness: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence: • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations

  17. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS YOUTH ? • Experiencing homelessness: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence: • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters • .

  18. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS YOUTH ? • Experiencing homelessness: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence: • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters • Awaiting foster care placement

  19. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS YOUTH ? • Experiencing homelessness: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence: • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters • Awaiting foster care placement • Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live

  20. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS YOUTH ? • Experiencing homelessness: Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence: • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters • Awaiting foster care placement • Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live • Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, etc.

  21. Unaccompanied Youth That Are In Your Community? • Some children and youth are in unstable living situations due to parental incarceration, illness, hospitalization or death.

  22. Unaccompanied Youth That Are In Your Community? • Some children and youth are in unstable living situations due to parental incarceration, illness, hospitalization or death. • Some youth become homeless with their families, but end up on their own due to lack of space in temporary accommodations or shelter policies that prohibit adolescent boys.

  23. Unaccompanied Youth That Are In Your Community? • Some children and youth are in unstable living situations due to parental incarceration, illness, hospitalization or death. • Some youth become homeless with their families, but end up on their own due to lack of space in temporary accommodations or shelter policies that prohibit adolescent boys. • Many unaccompanied children and youth have fled abuse in the home: Studies have found that 20-40% of unaccompanied youth were sexually abused in their homes, while 40-60% were physically abused.

  24. Unaccompanied Youth That Are In Your Community? • Some children and youth are in unstable living situations due to parental incarceration, illness, hospitalization or death. • Some youth become homeless with their families, but end up on their own due to lack of space in temporary accommodations or shelter policies that prohibit adolescent boys. • Many unaccompanied children and youth have fled abuse in the home: Studies have found that 20-40% of unaccompanied youth were sexually abused in their homes, while 40-60% were physically abused. • Over two-thirds of callers to Runaway Hotline report that at least one of their parents abuses drugs or alcohol. (NCHE 2006)

  25. District 77, Mankato Area Public Schools • In September 2009 our region had 425 people utilizing Section 8 housing resources. • Our region currently has 619 people on a waiting list to get into Section 8 housing. Applications are closed. • Homeless Shelters: Welcome Inn, Salvation Army Vouchers, Teresa House, CADA House • The Reach Drop In Center (Opened 2/2011)

  26. Barriers to Education for Youth • Lack of a parent or guardian • Lack of school records and other paperwork • Lack of stable housing • Emotional crisis / mental health issues • Employment - need to balance school and work • Lack of transportation • Lack of school supplies, clothing • Fatigue, poor health, hunger • Credit accrual policies, attendance policies • Concerns about being apprehended by authorities

  27. School District's Responsibility

  28. SCHOOL DISTRICT’S RESPONSIBILITY • Identify unaccompanied children and youth through school and community. • Get the student enrolled in school. • Inform them of rights to transportation to the school of origin and assist with arranging transportation. • Educate school personnel of requirements of the law and needs of unaccompanied children and youth.

  29. SCHOOL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN IDENTIFYING HOMELESS YOUTH • Provide awareness activities for school staff • Coordinate with community service agencies, such as shelters, food programs, drop-in centers, street outreach, child welfare, juvenile courts, law enforcement, teen parent programs, public assistance, mental health agencies… • Develop relationships with community resources, truancy officials and other attendance personnel. Many unaccompanied youth are out of school!

  30. SCHOOL CONSIDERATION WHEN IDENTIFYING HOMELESS YOUTH (cont.) • Provide outreach materials and posters where unaccompanied youth “hang out”. Consider including Laundromats, parks, campgrounds, skate parks, clubs/organizations…Salvation Army. • Enlist youth to help spread the word about available resources. Educating middle and high schools students to educate their peers. • Ensure discretion and confidentiality when working with youth; inform youth and or families up-front of the circumstances under which you may be required to report the youth to child welfare or law enforcement • Build trust with kids and families so they connect at school.

  31. SCHOOLS MUST ENROLL UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH IN SCHOOL … • If a student comes to school without their parent can we enroll the student? Audience: • If the school does not have the necessary enrollment documents, such as school records, immunizations, proof of residency, etc.? Can we enroll the student? • Audience: The McKinney-Vento Act requires immediate enrollment of homeless children and youth. Lack of a parent/guardian and/or enrollment documents cannot delay or prevent enrollment. School districts must eliminate barriers to youth’s enrollment in school.

  32. HOMELESS YOUTH MUST FEEL… • WELCOMED AT SCHOOL • CARED FOR- • PRODUCTIVE AND A PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT • HOW DO WE DO THAT EFFECTIVELY?

  33. SCHOOLS NEED TO…. • Offer a peer mentor to help the youth get used to the school rules and culture. • Provide a consistent adult mentor. This could be any adult in the school building. • Provide a “safe place” at school for unaccompanied youth to access as needed. • Stick with the youth, realizing that their life experience may lead them to test you. • IDENTIFY BASIC NEEDS AND PLUG INTO RESOURCES.

  34. CONNECT KIDS TO THEIR NEEDS SO THEY ARE PRODUCTIVE- • Help youth become involved in school sports, clubs, extra-curricular activities, and special classes, based on their interests and abilities. • SSW in Mankato utilize Connecting Kids, YMCA, YWCA, Mankato community education, all sports, theater, art and music programs, mental health resources • Deadlines and fees for participating in school programs, classes and extra-curricular activities CAN be waived for homeless children and youth.

  35. What is it like for a youth to be homeless?

  36. Activity: You are 16- Your parent(s) have lost their home to foreclosure. You have to decide what personal belongings you can carry to take with you. You have to leave the rest behind. You are moving to a shelter in your community. Tomorrow is Monday- School begins at 8:15. What are you thinking, feeling, how will others respond to you, who do you go to? What does your morning look like in a shelter getting ready?

  37. Continued: How do you wash your clothes? Personal hygiene items? What will you wear to school? Do you have to wear the same thing to school? Privacy? Is there any? No choice: breakfast, lunch or dinner Simple things that teenagers like to do- Talk to their friends, listen to music, etc. What else did you discuss?

  38. Why It Matters for Kids • Quote: • “When I have what I need it is easier to fit in” (6th grade student.) • “I am no longer a number I am a real person who is important” (Youth-The Reach Drop in Center) • “I can get lunch without a beep.” (4th Grade Student) • “There are many kids in need and they need to be sought out” (Youth- The Reach Drop in Center)

  39. Conclusion Homelessness in Our Area District’s Responsibility Experiences of a Homeless Youth

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