Statewide Homeless Youth Initiative

In March 2002, the 120th Legislature approved $375,000 for services for homeless children in all three regional cabinet regions of the State (the Homeless Children’s Initiative.) The Regional Children’s Cabinets supported two pieces of legislation to address the issue of homelessness among youth in their regions:

1) Partnership for Homeless Youth^[2] established a mandate for development of comprehensive community plans for youth who become homeless.

2) Youth in Need of Services (YINS)^[3]extended services by establishing a one-year pilot to provide outreach and intensive case management to youth 14 years and younger in need of assistance for securing stable housing.

In response to L.D. 2181, an Act to Homeless Young People Returning to home or Safe Living Situations, March 8, 2000, the three Regional Children’s Cabinet and their local partners made tremendous strides in collaboratively implementing creative ways to deliver services to youth who are homeless or may become homeless statewide. Funds increased in 2001/2002 from $75,000 to $125,000 in each region to continue the pilot programs for homeless youth conducted in Portland, Lewiston and Bangor. New pilot programs developed to support interagency response to the longer-term homeless in Regions I & II, with 78 youth served, while Region III kicked off their Rapid Response to first-time homeless youth, which served 64 youth this year.

[2] Resolve 55. LD 2181. Resolve, to Help Homeless Young People Return to Home or Safe Living Situations.” Effective June 9, 1999.

[3] Chapter 778, LD 1623, An Act to Provide Services for Children in Need of Supervision. Effective May 10, 2000.