Runaway and Homeless Youth: Demographics, Programs, and Emerging Issues

Publication Date: January 2007

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Population and demographics; Social conditions

Type:

Abstract:

There is no single definition of the term "runaway youth" or "homeless youth." However, both groups of youth share the risk of not having adequate shelter and other provisions, and may engage in harmful behaviors while away from a permanent home. These two groups also include "thrownaway" youth who are asked to leave their homes, and may include other vulnerable youth populations, such as current and former foster youth and youth with mental health or other issues.

The precise number of homeless and runaway youth is unknown due to their residential mobility and overlap among the populations. Determining the number of these youth is further complicated by the lack of a standardized methodology for counting the population and inconsistent definitions of what it means to be homeless or a runaway. Estimates of the homeless youth population range from 52,000 to over one million. Estimates of runaway youth -- including "thrownaway" youth -- are between 1 million and 1.7 million.

From the early 20th century through the 1960s, the needs of a generally unspecified problem of runaway and homeless youth were handled locally through the child welfare agency, juvenile justice courts, or both. The 1970s marked a shift toward federal oversight of programs that help youth who had run afoul of the law, including those who committed status offenses (i.e., running away). In 1974, Congress passed the Runaway Youth Act of 1974 as Title III of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (P.L. 93-415) to assist runaways outside of the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. The scope of the act was expanded in 1977 to include homeless youth through the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (P.L. 93-415). The Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (RHYP) has since been reauthorized three times, most recently by the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act in 2003 (P.L. 108-96). The law currently authorizes federal funding for three programs -- the Basic Center Program, Transitional Living Program, and Street Outreach Program.

The Basic Center Program provides temporary shelter, counseling, and after care services to runaway and homeless youth under age 18 and their families, while the Transitional Living Program is targeted to older youth ages 16 to 21. Youth who use the TLP receive longer-term housing with supportive services, including counseling, educational and vocational training, and health care. The Street Outreach Program provides education, treatment, counseling, and referrals for runaway, homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to or are at risk of being subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation. Congress appropriated a total of $103.1 million for the three programs in FY2006.

Funding authorization for the RHYP is set to expire in the 110th Congress. Reauthorization issues may include changing personnel needs at grantee organizations, funding for the Maternity Group Homes component of the TLP, evaluation of youth outcomes, and the needs of "disconnected" youth. This report will be updated as relevant funding and legislative activities occur.