VIII. SHELTERS AND
FOOD KITCHENS
One modification of its questionnaire was made to capture homeless
youth 18-21 utilizing adult services. Because of the issue of
duplication we will at this time have to wait to see how this data
will be handled. At a minimum we will use these data as a benchmark
to compare our count of the homeless youth population.
IX. INSTITUTIONS
This methodology is designed to include youth that are
institutionalized. The data being sought from each of these
institutions is outlined. It requires having a close working
relationship with key players involved with each of these
institutions. Confidentiality remains an absolute requirement.
Police Records
Organizations should partner with their local law enforcement
agencies in looking at those arrested during the one month period
who are under the age of 21. This data collection effort will:
-
Collect arrest
records on a weekly basis for the month
-
Define identifiers
for each individual
-
Select only those
with no permanent address when arrested or
-
Those with no
permanent address when released
-
Where possible
conduct interviews with a select numbers
Foster Care
The New Jersey Department of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) offers
a variety of foster care services in all communities. Any count must
include homeless youth in all of the different dimensions of this
system.
-
Foster care
-
Group Home care
-
Residential
-
Para/kinship care
-
Shelter care
-
Treatment Home
care
-
Non-DYFS Public
Institutions
-
Independent Living
-
Aging Out.
DYFS provides a count of the number of youth aging out by
county. This definition includes those between the ages of
16-21.
-
Homeless Youth
Basic Centers and Transitional Living
. State and federally funded programs specifically funded for
short term crisis and long term non-DYFS homeless youth.
Juvenile Justice System
The juvenile justice system represents a source of homeless youth.
However any count of youth in the juvenile justice system requires
development of a good working relationship with the New Jersey
Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC), or the equivalent in your state.
Identification of the different components of the Juvenile Justice
Commission programs and how data is gathered is a requirement for
counting homeless youth within this system.
Below are suggestions for key sources and institutions within the
juvenile justice system, which may be used for developing the count
in each city.
A. Institutionalized
youth in the juvenile justice system. These data are gathered
regularly by the juvenile justice system. These youth must meet the
following criteria:
B. Juvenile Justice
System. We view all these data as confidential and do not want the
names or social security numbers of the individuals. We will however
for planning purposes require the following data for each individual
meeting the above screen
-
Date of birth
-
If previously in
foster care system
-
Grade Completed
-
Destination upon
release (i.e. would the individual now return to home, a
half-way house, don't know, etc.)
-
Was the individual
homeless before entering?
Note: a separate form will be developed for the reporting
of this information.
C. Residential Programs
-
Be under the age of
21.
-
Be eligible for
release within the next 12 months
-
Destination upon
release (i.e. would the individual now return to home, a
half-way house, don't know, etc.)
D. Family Court
-
Date of birth
-
If previously in
foster care system
-
Grade Completed
-
Destination upon
release (i.e. would the individual now return to home, a
half-way house, don't know, etc.)
E. Shelter through Family Court. The shelter through family court
(describe since it helps when we train folks)
F. Data Elements from the shelter though Family Court:
-
Date of birth
-
If previously in
foster care system -Yes/No
-
Grade Completed
-
Destination upon
release (i.e. would the individual now return to home, a
half-way house, don't know, etc.)
G. Adult Prison System
Organizations should partner with their local law enforcement
agencies in looking at those arrested during the one month period
who are 18 years of age or older. This data collection effort will:
-
Collect arrest
records on a weekly basis for the month
-
Define identifiers
for each individual
-
Select only those
with no permanent address when arrested or
-
Those with no
permanent address when released
-
Where possible
conduct interviews with a select numbers
H. School System
One technique, which has been used successfully, is to identify
homeless youth still in school and hire them to survey other
homeless youth in the school. We acknowledge the limitations of this
approach, however, find it startling how there is a network of
youth who know of each others homelessness.
