The Runaway and Homeless Youth Program: Administration, Funding, and Legislative Actions

Publication Date: March 2006

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Social conditions

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Abstract:

The exact number of runaway and homeless youth in the nation is not known. Various sources estimate that at any given time, the number of such youth falls between 500,000 and 2.8 million. In the early 1970s, concern about runaway youth gained national prominence because of a noticeable increase in the number of such youth. At that time, it was reported that one million youth in the nation left home without parental or guardian permission. In January 1972, two-day congressional hearings began a process that eventually led to the passage of the 1974 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA, P.L. 93-415). As Title III of JJDPA, the Runaway Youth Act (RYA) encouraged states to improve local treatment of at-risk youth. Federal funding was provided to states that agreed to deinstitutionalize runaway youth and other status offenders (such as truants) and provide them with shelter, food, counseling and other necessities. Such emergency assistance, through what was termed the Basic Center Program (BCP), was delivered apart from the law enforcement, mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems.

In 1977, RYA was expanded to include homeless youth, and the name of the act changed to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA). Subsequently, two additional programs were created and funded through the act -- the Transitional Living Program (TLP) for older homeless youth, and the Street Outreach Program (SOP) to remove runaway and homeless youth from the streets and protect them from possible sexual abuse and exploitation.

On October 10, 2003, the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act (RHMCPA) was signed into law (P.L. 108-96) reauthorizing and amending RHYA and the Missing Children's Assistance Act (MCAA) for FY2004 through FY2008. RHMCPA authorized grants to local and private groups to create and operate local runaway and homeless youth shelters. Also, maternity group homes were added as an allowable activity under the TLP. For FY2004, $105 million was authorized for the Consolidated Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (RHYP), which combined BCP and TLP, and such sums as necessary for FY2005 through FY2008. SOP was authorized for such sums as necessary for FY2004 through FY2008. Congress appropriated, however, $89.4 million for RHYP for FY2004, and $15.3 million for SOP. For FY2005, Congress allocated $88.7 million for RHYP and $15.1 million for SOP. For FY2006, $87.8 million was appropriated for RHYP, and $15.0 million for SOP. The President requested the same funding levels for FY2007 that were enacted for FY2006 for both RHYP and SOP.

In the 109th Congress, three bills have been introduced that would amend RHYA to include provisions related to maternity group homes -- S. 6 (the Marriage, Opportunity, Relief, and Empowerment Act of 2005), H.R. 3908 (the Charitable Giving Act), and S. 1780 (the CARE Act of 2005). Each was referred to the appropriate Committee. No further action has occurred.

This report will be updated as warranted.