A Spectrum Of Youth HousingA Spectrum Of Youth Housing:

Services and Models that Work for YouthServices and Models that Work for Youth

Presented by:• Mark J Kroner LISW

Director, Lighthouse Training InstituteLighthouse Youth Services Inc.

Cincinnati, Ohio 45206513-487-7130

mkroner@lys.org

Lighthouse Youth Services

• Foster Care• Group Homes• Youth Crisis Shelter• Family Services• Youth Outreach Services• Independent Living• Transitional Living• In-home/Wrap-around services• Correctional Services• Help Me Grow for high-risk infants and toddlers• Charter school

Youth are homeless due to:1. Family realities (such as extreme poverty, loss of

parents, parental loss of employment, parental mental illness/chemical dependency/criminality).

2. Personal issues of the youth (such as refusal to follow rules of family, mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependency, criminality).

3. Community/economic realities (such as high crime, the lack of affordable housing and available jobs for both parents and youth in a community).

• Preventing youth,16-19, in the child welfare system from becoming homeless (started in 1981)

=Independent Living

• Preventing young adults 18-24 from remaining homeless (started in 1990)

=Transitional Living

Why the Need for Youth Housing?

• The child welfare system exists to protect children and youth but struggles with how to transition youth out of the system in a planned way.

• Liability issues prevent many communities from giving older youth a chance to live without 24 hour supervision. The result is that youth end up trying to learn to live independently without any adult support or they live in supervised settings which do not resemble where they will be post-discharge.

• Efforts to connect youth with adoptive or relative families should continue but these situations do not always work out over the long term. Some of these youth will return to previous care givers in need of emergency and long term housing.

Why the Need for Youth Housing? Cont’d

• While the number of children and youth in foster care nationally is going down, the number of youth aging out of foster care is going up. Older youth are making up a larger percentage of child welfare rolls than in the past. The latest number on youth aging out annually is over 30,000. There are many possible reasons for this increase.

• A significant number of youth have chronic mental health issues and have difficulty living with others, especially older adults. They will need assistance for the rest of their lives and we need to connect them to existing services or create them.

• Housing first models have shown promise for many.

Why the Need for Youth Housing? Cont’d• Many youth are entering the child welfare system for first time at

a later age (15-17.5). There is not always enough time (or assigned staff) to find foster or adoptive homes. Most states still are under pressure to discharge youth soon after they turn 18.

• Communities are finding it harder to find adoptive/foster parents for older youth. When they do, these situations don’t always work out.

• Some older youth do not want to be adopted or stay in a foster or other home. They already have bio families they are involved with and care about but can’t live with them-often due to their parents’ chronic problems.

• Some homeless youth have already been adopted but it didn’t work out when they became teens. They are not as willing to give another adoption a try.

Why the Need for Youth Housing? Cont’d

• Non-biological “Forever families” aren’t always forever. However, separate housing can often help sustain permanent connections with caring adults by taking away the pressures of living together.

• New legislation will hopefully extend foster care to 21 in all states. Many youth will not want to stay in their current group/foster homes until they are 21. These youth will need other housing options.

• Many successfully discharged youth from the foster care and homeless adult systems return later needing housing-as is the case for “normal” American youth.

The Lighthouse Youth Services Transition System

Self-sufficiency training Youth Crisis Center

Youth Outreach Program Independent Living

Transitional Youth Program Emancipated Youth Program

Transitional Living Program Shelter Plus Care

Re-Entry Program Community-management

In-home/ Wrap-around services Work Appreciation for Youth

Housing Options• Scattered-site apartments (private & subsidized)• Shared-homes• Supervised apartments• Host/relative homes• Boarding homes• Adult roommate apartments• Trailers• Dorms• Shelters *Other?

Definitions of Common Independent Living Housing Options

• Supervised Apartments- a cluster or complex of apartments occupied by a group of youth preparing for Independent Living usually with a staff person living in one of the units or using a unit as an office. 24-hour coverage is often provided.

• Specialized Family foster homes- a situation in which a youth is placed with a

community family specially licensed to provide care and sometimes specifically trained to provide independent living services.

• Shelters- a facility whose purpose is to provide short-term emergency housing to

teens in crisis. • Live-in Roommates- a situation in which a youth shares an apartment with an

adult or student who serves as a mentor or role model. The apartment can be rented or owned by either the adult or the agency.

• Host homes- a situation in which a youth rents a room in a family or single adult's

home, sharing basic facilities and agreeing to basic rules while being largely responsible for his/her own life.

Definitions of Common Independent Living Arrangement Options cont’d*

• Boarding Homes- a facility that provides individual rooms for youth or young adults, often with shared facilities and minimal supervisory expectations.

• Shared Houses- a minimally supervised house shared by several young adults who take full responsibility for the house and personal affairs.

• Semi-Supervised Apartments (scattered site apartments)- a privately owned apartment rented by an agency or youth in which a youth functions independently with financial support, training and some monitoring.

• Single-Room Occupancy -A room for rent, often near a city center • Specialized Group Homes -Sometimes also referred to as semi-independent living

programs, these homes are usually staffed as a group home but house older teens and focus on developing self-sufficiency skills.

• Subsidized Housing- government supported low-income housing. *TLP definitions vary from region to region.

Scattered-site Apartments: advantages• Can be private or subsidized

• Youth can choose location

• Cuts down on “crowd control” problems

• Agency does not have to purchase/maintain property.

• The clients can keep the apartment and furnishings.

Scattered-site Apartments: advantages-cont’d

• Can be shut down quickly if needed• The living arrangement resembles where they

might actually live.• Youth is challenged to develop coping skills,

assertiveness skills and daily self-sufficiency skills due to necessity

• If one youth doesn’t work out the site can be re-used.

• Size of program is not limited to agency owned property

Scattered-site Apartments: disadvantages

• Labor intensive• Lots of travel time for staff• Can’t control neighbors/friends/family• Lot of unsupervised time• Liability issues/Risk of property damage• Loneliness issues• Less interaction with other people

Shared-homes: advantages

• More supervision• Social skills lessons from living with others• Chance for positive modeling from resident

manager• Agency can collect rents/gain equity• Property can be donated to agency• Program can take in higher-risk youth• Can be used as a back-up plan

Shared-homes: disadvantages

• Youth interactions might be negative• Problems with mix of youth• Can draw neighborhood attention• Can draw attention of other youth groups• Agency has to maintain property• Can’t be shut down easily• Hard to find/keep resident managers

Supervised Apartments: advantages

• More supervision• Social skills lessons from living with others• Chance for positive modeling from resident

manager• Agency can collect rents/gain equity• Property can be donated to agency• Program can take in higher-risk youth• Youth have separate apartments• Easier to find resident managers

Supervised Apartments: disadvantages

• Youth interactions might be negative• Problems with mix of youth• Can draw neighborhood attention• Can draw attention of other youth groups• Agency has to maintain property• Can’t be shut down easily• Hard to find/keep resident managers

Host/relative homes: advantages

• Can be in any location• More supervision• Positive role-modeling of adult host• Can be long-term living arrangement• Can provide more emotional support• Can be used as a back-up plan• Can be used for special needs youth

Host/relative homes: disadvantages

• Hard to find willing hosts• Hosts can be problematic• Less chance for youth to act independently• Risk of allegations• Risk of property damage

Boarding Homes: advantages

• Can be easy to access• Can have 24 hour awake staff• Can offer other services• Can be rented by the week or month• Can be back-up plan• Can be centrally located• Can be furnished with low deposit

Boarding Homes: disadvantages

• Might not be in good neighborhoods

• Other residents could have negative influence

• Liability issues

Roommate apartments: advantages

• Can be in any location• More supervision• Positive role-modeling of adult host• Can be long-term living arrangement• Can provide more emotional support• Can be used as a back-up plan• Can be used for special needs youth

Roommate apartments: disadvantages

• Hard to find willing roommates• Hosts can be problematic• Less chance for youth to act independently• Risk of allegations• Risk of property damage

Trailers: advantages

• Can be useful in rural communities

• Location can be flexible

• Trailer can be purchased

Trailers: disadvantages

• Other lot tenants can be problematic

• Less supervision

• Might attract other youth

• Youth might have to move again

Shelters: advantages

• Can be used as intake point and respite/back up

• Can be accessed immediately

Shelters: disadvantages

• Not a long term solution

• Exposure to other youth with issues

• Community might not have shelter

• Shelter might be managed by another agency

Other options?

The Continuum of IL/TL Housing Options

Institutions Residential treatmentGroup homes Foster HomesFamily home Relative homesShelters Boarding homesHost homes Adult roommatesShared homes Supervised Apts. Dormitories Scattered-site Apts.

Subsidized housing

• Desired Outcomes

Available housing/shelter throughout the transition process

Experience in living independently Knowledge of budgeting and money-

management issues - learned from classes and experience Knowledge of basic life skills information Increased sense of personal responsibility Connections to caring adults Connections to educational, employment and

health resources

Desired Outcomes-cont’d

A vision of a possible positive future Connections to adolescent and adult

community resources Time to grow up & opportunities to “fail

safely” Affordable housing at discharge A chance to keep all furnishings No need to move again at dischargeA chance to adjust to a new neighborhood

Things to be considered when considering housing option costs:

• Zoning rules• Licensing requirements/limitations• Time until start-up• Insurance• Required building safety upgrades• Staff coverage requirements• Neighborhood issues: NIMBY, Police awareness,

safety issues, convenience• School district issues• Location preferred by clients?• Accessibility

Things to be considered-continued

• Affordability/ “Keep-ability”• Referral source choice• Court support/choice• Length of time client can stay• Potential for and consequences of being closed by

agency/community• Client contribution toward rent?• Grant supported property/Grants to do rehab• Donated property• Staff back-up for supervised apts. -vacations, sick days, training days etc.• Site reputation• Re-usability of apt. by other clients

$ources of Funding for IL/TLPs• Per diem contracts • State, Federal or City grants or subsidies• Chafee Independent Living Funds• Grants from Foundations• Private donations of cash, property, gifts• Contributions of Civic/Faith based groups• Fundraising events• HUD/FUP• United Way• Merging with other agencies• Client contributions• Business donations of needed supplies• Medicaid

Why Landlords Like Us• We guarantee rent• Tighter rules than landlords • 24/7/365 On-call• Coverage of damages• We handle confrontations• We clean up messes• We evict if necessary• We limit visitors• We have a steady flow of renters• We monitor & supervise clients

L10

Housing Supervision and Monitoring Strategies

• Live-in peers• Daily visits by staff• Regularly scheduled visits/phone contact• Random visits• Youth meets staff at office• Visits by volunteers/mentors/students• Buddy system• Weekly group meetings• Clients call in daily• Contacts with neighbors/landlords• Electronic monitoring• Contracted surveillance• Global positioning earrings/dental implants

Needed Client-Related Policies Aftercare Account Keeping Appointments

Apartment Condition ● Keys

Budgeting Issues Lending/Borrowing Money

Care of Furnishings Medical Problems Cars Medication

Child Care Pets

Curfew Tenant Responsibilities

Disciplinary Measures Unauthorized Purchases

Education Requirements Use of Phones

Emergencies Use of Utilities

Grounds for Early Termination

Visitor Control

Harboring Runaways Weapons

Illegal Activities Work Requirements

Effective Ways to Minimize Risk• Effective Screening• Documentation• Clear Policies• Signed Agreements• Clear emergency procedures and 24/7/365 on call• Liability Insurance• Back-up living arrangements• Quick confrontation of problems• Mandatory counseling/AA, if necessary• Contracts• Daily contact with high-risk youth

Working with Youth with Special Needs in IL/TL Programs

• Youth with mental health issues• Youth with MRDD issues• Teen moms• Sex-offenders• Youth with criminal records• Youth from different cultural backgrounds• GLBTQ youth• Chemically dependent youth• Youth with chronic medical problems• Youth involved in gangs• Youth with developmental/physical disabilities

Lessons learned* The transition process for youth aging out of foster care rarely goes as planned.

* Many youth will not show much maturity when they are 18 or 21 but often do several years down the line (amazingly similar to their “live-at-home” cohorts!).

* Even youth who leave as planned “discharges” will probably need help in the future, just as youth from “normal” families do.

*Aftercare services can make a difference in stabilizing a youth’s housing, often for years after they leave our services. Even a small amount of financial support in an emergency can be the Difference between keeping a losing a place to stay.

Lessons learned-cont’d

* The age 18 is no longer the normal age at which youth are able move out from “normal” families of origin. * No one living arrangement works for all youth. Youth need to have multiple options.

* No one knows how a particular youth will do when first on his/her own. Giving a youth a second/third chance in a different location can often work out.

*Public housing people often do not want youth/young adults in their housing.

Useful Publications• “Housing Options for Independent Living Programs”

Available at or 202-662-4278 or www.CWLA.org

• “Moving In: Ten Successful IL/TL Program Models”Available at Northwest Media 800-777-6636 or www.northwestmedia.com

• “Transition to Adulthood: A Resource for Assisting Young People with Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties”

Brookes Publishing Co.

• “Uncertain Futures: Foster Youth in Transaction to Adulthood” www.CWLA.org

• CWLA “Standards of Excellence” – CWLA Standards of excellence for transition, independent living and self-sufficiency services. www.CWLA.org

For training/consulting info:

• Mark J Kroner LISWDirector, Lighthouse Training Institute

Lighthouse Youth Services Inc.Cincinnati, Ohio 45206

513-487-7130mkroner@lys.org