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X. METHODOLOGY
The intent is that we survey as large a group as was possible in
your community that may be identified as youth who are homeless or
at risk of being homeless. This sampling methodology does not allow
us to generalize to the community as a whole. This however is not
our goal since HUD requires an actual count and not projections of
the homeless.
The street outreach infrastructure created by Horizon Health Center
to serve youth in Jersey City served as our model for outreach in
conducting this survey. Where ever possible organizations with staff
that have reached out to youth on the street, at night over a
sustained time period can serve as a good resource for conducting
this survey. The fieldwork for this survey also relies on your local
organizations knowledge of where there was a greater likelihood that
homeless youth and those at risk of being homeless would congregate.
The design should also allow the field interviews to be conducted
during the hours of 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. or even until 11 p.m. to
coincide with any street outreach activities.
The methodology incorporates the HUD definition of homeless. Under
HUD's definition a person is considered homeless only when she/he
resides in a place not meant for human habitation, in an emergency
shelter or in transitional or supportive housing. A person is also
considered homeless if they are living in any of the aforementioned
places but is spending a short time (up to 30 consecutive days) in a
hospital or other institution, being evicted in a week without
having a subsequent place to live or the resources to pay for a
place or is being released from an institution in which they have
been a resident for 30 consecutive days. Again in the latter
instances, the individual does not have the resources and support
networks to obtain housing (Supplement to Continuum of Care
Assistance & Application, 1999). Chart 1 summarizes the places
where if in the previous week a person slept or rested they would be
classified as homeless.
In order to comply with a point-in-time count the methodology
utilized a key day centered around a holiday (Easter, Columbus Day,
July 4th, Labor Day, etc.) in which it was thought an individual
would recall events in his/her life for the week that followed that
holiday or the week of the holiday. While data were collected for
that period we also obtained data for the previous week, that is the
week prior to the time period in which the interview was conducted
as a reference point. Thus over the two week period in which
interviews were conducted, the point in time for which the count was
being made was the week before and following Easter Sunday. If you
were in the field for a third week, one would ask about the week
before Easter and the last week..
Questionnaire design reflected previous studies that profiled
homeless youth. These studies relied on runaway histories, recent
living situations, household conflicts and dynamics, schooling and
education, health issues, involvement with the justice system and
employment. These indicators have all have all been shown to be
important in profiling homeless youth (Garden State Coalition,
1993). Limitations of the instrument included the absence of
psychological and socialization issues, sexual orientation and that
in a four to five minute interview being conducted on the street
there were severe limitations as to the depth in exploring any one
area.
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HUD
Places of Sleep or Rest
Categories
for Defining Homeless
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| Homeless
Categories: |
Someone
else’s house, apt or room
A place of business
An emergency shelter
An institution, detox, hospital
A car, bus, van or other vehicle |
A
Hotel or motel
A transportation site
An abandoned building
An emergency shelter
A program that offers permanent housing for homeless
people |
A
paid room by a voucher
Anywhere outside
A detention center, jail |
| Not
Homeless category: |
| Your
own house, apt or room |
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Interviews/
Questionnaires
The survey of homeless youth involves both a count of homeless youth
and an assessment of their needs. Two forms of questionnaires will
be used. The first (a short version) seeks to identify the immediate
needs that are most directly reflective of service gaps for which
funding is possible. The second is designed to meet the longer-term
needs of the population that will be reflected in the continuum of
care.
Duplication
The key issue on homeless surveys is duplication and double
counting. Given the issue of confidentiality and the possible
unwillingness to give one's name, three ID markers are requested
when conducting an interview, date of birth, county of birth and
mother's name. Once computerized, the odds of matches are limited.
Each individual will also have additional observational pieces as
markers that will assist us such as sex and race.
Length of Survey
The survey time period is for a minimum of seven consecutive days,
or up to one month.
Point in Time
The questionnaire focuses around a point in time reference, best
accomplished by using a very recent major holiday, to ensure
participants memory recall, ie. Thanksgiving.
Sources
The places for identifying the youth vary, including:
Street Outreach
Known Sites - Site should be determined by those individuals
working daily with youth on the streets (i.e. street outreach
workers, juvenile officers, or youth volunteers).
Shelters & Food Kitchens - Although these are not the
most fruitful sites, it is important to identify those youth, with
appropriate identification and under the age of 21, not a part of
a family unit.
Precincts - Arrest records should be obtained from the
precincts for those individuals under the age of 21, who show no
home address. Records should be obtained only for the dates during
the designated count. Again, use of identification markers, if
available, must be used to eliminate duplications.
Institutionalized - This population includes incarcerated
youth who will be turning 18, who will eligible for parole, or
those who will have reached completion of their time, in the next
three months.
Foster Care - All youth, under the age of 21, who will be
aging out of state foster in the next three months.
Other Local Institutions - these include local institutions
where youth go (i.e. health clinics, or drop-in centers), and
report no address, which also allows for the tracing of the
identification markers. Again, information must be gathered only
during the established time period.
School Survey - This is a source, which could yield major
results, but may be difficult to obtain information. This source
should be contacted last. It is suggested that the organization
conduct a survey among selected high school junior and seniors on
youth they personally know to be homeless, as this group often
provides informal support to homeless youth.
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