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Greater Portland now has a single community plan for homeless youth. A model of care known as Pilot Project for Homeless Youth was developed by Portland Partnership for Homeless Youth (30 agencies and individuals serving youth) to transition homeless teens off the street and into stable, safe housing and return to their families when appropriate. With funding from DHS and BDS, the Partnership developed a model of strategies aimed at rapid and effective intervention with homeless youths who are street involved or at risk of becoming street involved. Opportunities for meaningful engagement of youth were increased through expansion of hours at the Teen Center; development of a new service approach addressing employment, physical health, mental health, substance abuse, housing, and education; improved linkages between providers, state agencies and community, and availability of wraparound funds to be used to engage and support youth. Evaluation of the pilot found he following improvements:
· Youth are safer with faster service delivery and access to services seven days a week.
· There are tighter linkages between the participating state agencies.
· A greater number of youth obtained housing, employment and education leading to improved outcomes.
At the same time, services have been significantly enhanced for youth 14 years and younger living in Region I who are at risk of becoming homeless or already homeless (YINS). The YINS program delivers rapid, assertive and intensive case management services designed to reengage youth with their families (whenever appropriate) and support youth returning to school. Working with families, schools, treatment services, and state agencies, YINS services resulted in 43 out of 44 youth returned home or assisted in finding stable placement; and 80% returned to schools. Pre and post measures show that youth were less at risk in all areas measured after a three-month period.
Similar efforts of coordination and enhancement of homeless youth services is ongoing in Saco, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach through the work of York County Homeless Youth Partnership.
The Region II Children’s Cabinet Homeless Youth initiative began more recently in 2003 and provides leadership and oversight of this project, and has convened a Stakeholder Group who will work to create services that are innovative, creative, collaborative and youth-driven.
The project will develop services that:
· Expand and strengthen traditional approaches that provide low barrier access for homeless and runaway youth to basic services such as meals, clothes and emergency night shelter;
· Provide casework and outreach services where youth are located to ensure that they have access to available resources that will increase the likelihood of their achieving stability in their lives;
· Increase housing for youth who are 12 years of age to 17 years of age by providing a low-barrier transitional home that offers a broad array of services that are needed by the youth;
· Expand educational programs for youth who are homeless, with particular attention to youth in middle school, and increase educational services that are coupled with vocational training;
· Develop and implement an evaluation mechanism that ensures the potential to replicate the project in other sites.
The Regional Children’s Cabinet is providing the structure and guidance that is needed to create an environment where the community providers want to work collaboratively, and are open to new, innovative approaches to old problems. It was decided that the Stakeholder Group would have a presentation from the Region III/Bangor project on Rapid Response to gain from their experience and to avoid duplication.
Region III continued to lead the implementation of the Region III’s Rapid Response program, coordinating monthly meetings of the Youth Who Are Homeless Stakeholders’ Group, representing 40 area agencies. At the end of the fiscal year, the meetings of the Stakeholders’ Group were shifted to quarterly. Dr. Cary Jenson, University of Maine School of Social Work, initiated an empirical research of the impact of the Rapid Response program, comparing the results of the program’s youth with a comparison group of 250 youth with similar demographics served before the implementation of Rapid Response. Results for Rapid Response youth were significantly more positive. The research results were released at a public forum in Bangor January 4. Over 50 legislators, then Congressman John Baldacci, social workers, agency staff, parents, educators, media representatives, and former homeless youth attended the session. Activities in 2002 include:
· The Stakeholders’ Group spent time this fiscal year planning an expansion of the Rapid Response program for all homeless youth aged 10-17, effective October 1, 2002.
· Eight youth who were homeless for the first time were served through the Rapid Response program during FY02. Youth served to date totals 30.
· Permission was given to carryover $75,000 to sustain the program, including the expansion for all youth who are homeless, during FY03. The additional leftover amounts were diverted to Region I’s Youth Alternatives contract.
· During the first five months of FY03, 7 new referrals have been receiving services and served 22 youth struggling with long-term homelessness.