Student Enrollment in the Pandemic

60 Minutes recently ran a story that followed Laura Tucker, a McKinney-Vento liaison, as she tried to track down the more than 7,000 students in Hillsborough County, Florida, who did not return to school this Fall. There are students who have fallen through the cracks - like Kiara, who is unstably housed and could only use her phone to complete assignments. This issue is not limited to Florida. According to SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, compared to last year, 420,000 fewer young people experiencing homelessness have been identified and enrolled in schools during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Liaisons are doing the best they can, but there are needs not being met across the board hindering young people from receiving an education during this time. To read SchoolHouse Connection’s report, which includes recommendations for Congress, state and local agencies, relief agencies, and philanthropy, click here.

Re-imagining the Youth Justice System

Los Angeles County is reimagining the youth justice system. The county’s probation department will no longer house young people in detention halls and facilities – instead, the county is creating the Department of Youth Development. The Department of Youth Development seeks to “…design a restorative, health-focused, care-first youth justice system.” The groundwork for this shift was outlined in an October report released by The Youth Justice Work Group of Los Angeles County which can be read here.  An article about the changing system can be accessed here.

National Runaway Prevention Month 2020

November is National Runaway Prevention Month (NRPM). Spearheaded each year by the National Runaway Safeline, NRPM is an awareness and prevention campaign that began in October 2002 when President George W. Bush’s hosted the landmark White House Conference on Exploited and Runaway Children where leaders from across the country convened to discuss challenges related to runaway youth that our nation must face today.

Support NRPM through the following national events:

• Facebook Profile Picture – November 1
• Education Week – November 2 – 6
• Twitter Chat and Resource Day – November 5at 3 PM ET
• Wear Green Day – November 10
• Light the Night Community Events – November 17
• Prevention Roundtable – November 23
• Youth Roundtable – November 30

For more information on NRPM, and to sign-up to become an NRPM partner, visit www.1800runaway.org.

Hope Squad National Conference

NSPN staff Michelle Hurley and Autumn Sandlin presented “Safe Place: Someplace to go. Someone to help.” at the first virtual Hope Squad Annual Conference on October 28th. The presentation provided an overview of Safe Place and TXT 4 Help, as well as how youth can identify the warning signs of familial violence. Hope Squad is a student-led suicide initiative that trains students, nominated by their peers, on peer-to-peer prevention, intervention, and postvention. For more information about Hope Squad, visit www.hopesquad.com.

Addressing Rural Youth Homelessness

Chapin Hall and National Network for Youth (NN4Y) have released a report exploring the challenges rural youth experiencing homelessness face and ways to strengthen the response to these needs. The report explores and makes recommendations for identifying youth, services and support, equity and inclusion, and collaboration. Access the report here.