By Faith Evanson ⎸ email@example.com
A “hidden population”— this is how many describe the community of homeless youth in Connecticut. While all adults who are experiencing homelessness enter the system through the 2-1-1 referral service, many minors and young adults enter the system through a variety of channels — whether that be via a school referral, Department of Children and Families (DCF), or other service agencies. These numerous pathways make it difficult to account for how many youth are homeless and what services are needed where. Homeless youth may also enter the system with their families, as runaways, abandoned youth, or unaccompanied migrants. Initiatives like Youth Count host a couple hundred volunteers who go out into the community to conduct thousands of surveys in order to estimate a proper number of youth. Amidst the pandemic, new challenges faced both homeless youth and their service providers. Many organizations and state agencies took alternative measures to ensure homeless youth had access to adequate education, health services, and housing.
Mitigating Barriers to Education
Homeless youth are guaranteed their rights to education and transportation under the “Mckinney Vento Act.” Every school district has a Mckinney Vento liaison, who is responsible for ensuring that all eligible students receive their school choice with immediate enrollment and provided transportation.The “Mckinney Vento Act” expands the definition of homelessness to encompass a wider range of circumstances. Not only does it include students who lack a fixed and stable residence but also migratory students and students who are between homes or “couch-surfing.” This definition allows for schools and districts to account for more of the “hidden population.”
For much of 2020, Connecticut’s schools, like other states, operated in a virtual format in accordance with state and federal laws and recommendations. For a homeless student, the transition to virtual learning might have meant a lack of access to food, WiFi, ideal study spaces, and other essentials to online learning. Carl Asikainen, project manager at the Connecticut Coalition of the Homeless (CCH), recalls that “more than one-fourth” of students never returned to classes following the March 2020 shutdown. Districts across the state have tried mitigating the concerns of online schooling by attempting to maximize attendance through the distribution of portable WiFi routers, computers, school supplies, and meals.
New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) operated remotely for the first half of the 2021 school year and slowly began opening schools back up for in-person instruction. Daniel Diaz, NHPS coordinator of parent engagement, acknowledged that the traditional means to identify homeless students by recognizing their specific transportation needs was not an accurate measure while school was online. Students could not request a change in their transportation needs due to homelessness because classes were completely virtual. As students began to return to in-person school, the number of Mckinney Vento students increased.
Diaz emphasized the extra pressure the pandemic brought on towards the effort of preventing homelessness, “some families were homeless, which we're working with, but some of them were just on the verge.” In response to this pressure, the district made extra efforts in assisting families with meals and technology. The Mckinney Vento Program within NHPS adapted its approaches this year by dropping off food for students whose family members have tested positive for COVID. The program also connected families with community collaborators, who helped secure groceries for families in need. Even outside the school year, NHPS has a wide range of summer programs for both homeless and non-homeless families. The ultimate challenge for school districts was maintaining the safety of delivery workers, students, and families.
The homeless community was one of the most at risk of infection for COVID-19. Many homeless youth cannot always effectively social distance, and they frequently utilize public transportation, which increases their risk. Free COVID-testing sites that did not require insurance, an appointment, and an address, unlike other pharmacies across the state, have opened up. An additional concern with testing is getting the necessary health care in the case of a positive result.
Basic center programs like Youth Continuum offered help in obtaining health insurance. Children and youth up to age 19 can also qualify for the free or low-cost Husky B Health Insurance. Although this is a solution for a portion of homeless youth, there has been an increase in the number of unaccompanied minors residing in Connecticut. Under the Affordable Care Act, unaccompanied minors do not qualify for this insurance unless they hold an eligible immigration status. Supposing extended stays at hospitals are needed for COVID treatment, this could lead to large sums of debt that may increase their period of homelessness.
Free vaccination sites have also begun setting up across the state and have been welcoming homeless youth. The harder step was disseminating the information out to sheltered and unsheltered youth. However, for youth 18 and under, it is unlikely that they will be able to receive the vaccine without parental or legal guardian permission in Connecticut. This leaves isolated or unaccompanied youth without many options and most vulnerable.
Resource Availability and Shelter Capacity
Decreased capacities in shelters due to health or safety concerns was one of the most concerning issues brought on by the pandemic. Shelters and crisis response centers operated at 50 percent occupancy, which left many homeless unsheltered. Ryan Beach, director of development and communications at CCH, discussed the temporary hoteling of the homeless partially funded by FEMA grants as a response to the outstanding number of unhoused people. Beach adds “hoteling was funded to some degree by FEMA, but across the board, I did not think there is a shelter or homeless service provider in the state didn't feel the effects of the pandemic.” Another response was the opening of additional temporary shelters. This led to an increased cost to run shelters as more staff was needed to operate the second shelters and delegate hoteling.
These efforts were not always successful as highlighted by Chris Venable, a homeless youth liaison for the Journey Home organization. “[Hoteling] didn't change the number of youth that were sheltered, although some... decided that they did not want to be in shelters because of the pandemic, so they actually opted to stay in their car,” Venable said. It is clear that many homeless youth are being forced to choose between their health and adequate shelter. Venable added landlords have been ever more reluctant to lease out units to low income individuals due to the eviction moratorium.
For runaway youth, some of the best resources they can utilize are basic centers, transitional living, and street outreach programs, according to Carline Charmelus, the collective impact & equity manager at the Partnership for Stronger Communities. Basic centers offer a range of services including shelter, medical care, food services, family and mental health counseling, and afterschool programs. Transitional living programs offer some of the same services but focus on older youth and emphasize job and career readiness. Street outreach programs have mentors and social workers who support street youth through granting access to emergency shelter, providing survival aid and tactics, as well as treatment and counseling. All of these programs have been “decompressed” by reducing the number of in-person interactions per day.
Some of these services like mental health counseling have been done remotely. Other mental health services have been hotlines for general help, people of color youth, LGBTQ+ youth, sexual assault or harassment victims, and more. There are also Telehealth virtual meetings for youth, who need to speak with a clinician or psychiatrist. Venable noticed a decline in missed appointments because clients or patients can more readily access resources. Unfortunately, other programs like food services and street outreach cannot be utilized virtually.
The efforts to get homeless youth off the streets and into stable homes was not put on pause because of the pandemic but was definitely slowed. Social distancing and “decompressment” mandates have pushed the states and providers to abandon traditional approaches to their service. These challenges have helped shine a light on non-traditional or virtual initiatives like the Shelter app, the Cara App and the DreamKit app. Created by Mariana Marmolejo, Yale MPH ‘24, the Dream Kit app is designed to pair youth in New Haven, Connecticut under the age of 25 with resources such as mentorship and employment opportunities. They are also rewarded with points that translate into currency they can use at physical locations.
Unfortunately, the scale at which the pandemic has impacted homeless youth is unclear because it is so difficult to account for all the youth who need these services. Although surveys are still being conducted, as local and state collaborators buckle down for the 2021-22 school year, concerns of the Delta variant and its potential impact on the state’s progress brew.
I wrote this article because I’ve always been passionate about solving the issue of chronic and episodic homelessness. I did some work with non-profit organizations on homelessness prevention and service back home in Kentucky, so I was curious to see how the systems in other states operate and how they differ. Throughout my research and interviewing, I found that the state is very responsive to changes and the needs of the homeless. These needs can range from food services to employment to domestic dispute resolution. It’s just the matter of figuring out what those needs are for each individual and how to effectively solve them. My source material came mostly from organizations involved in the advocacy and policy making towards the eradication of homelessness who collected data, such as, the Connecticut Coalition for the Homeless, Journey Home, and Partnership for Stronger Communities. Some of my other sources were government agencies and school districts webpages which aided me in understanding some of the law present and relevant practices by schools. My source material came mostly from organizations involved in the advocacy and policy making towards the eradication of homelessness who collected data, such as, the Connecticut Coalition for the Homeless, Journey Home, and Partnership for Stronger Communities. Some of my other sources were government agencies and school districts webpages which aided me in understanding some of the law present and relevant practices by schools. Many of the organizations I interviewed worked in the Greater New Haven Area. I think as a Yale Student it is easy to forget about the community that surrounds campus, and the way we impact their lives as well as the way they impact ours, and I hope this article is a subtle reminder.
Faith Evanson  email@example.com A  hidden population this is how many describe the community of homeless youth in Connecticut. Wakati watu wazima wote ambao wanakabiliwa na ukosefu wa makazi huingia katika mfumo kupitia huduma ya kuelekeza 2-1-1, watoto wadogo na vijana wengi huingia katika mfumo kupitia njia mbalimbali - iwe ni kupitia rufaa ya shule, Idara ya Watoto na Familia (DCF) au mashirika mengine ya huduma. Njia hizi nyingi hufanya iwe vigumu kuelezea ni vijana wangapi wasio na makazi na ni huduma zipi zinahitajika wapi. Vijana wasio na makao wanaweza pia kuingia katika mfumo na familia zao, kama wakimbizi, vijana walioachwa, au wahamiaji wasio na mwenzi. Shirika la Youth Count linafanya kazi na wajitoleaji wachache ambao hujiunga na jamii ya vijana na kufanya uchunguzi wa kutosha ili kuamua idadi ya vijana wanaohitajiwa. Wakati wa janga hilo, vijana wasio na makao na watoa huduma zao walikabiliwa na changamoto mpya. Mashirika mengi na mashirika ya serikali yalichukua hatua mbadala ili kuhakikisha vijana wasio na makao walikuwa na upatikanaji wa elimu ya kutosha, huduma za afya, na makazi. "Mkini, sheria ya ""Mckinney-Vento"" inahakikisha haki za vijana wasio na makazi kupata elimu na usafiri chini ya Sheria ya ""Mckinney-Vento"" na kila wilaya ya shule ina msaidizi wa ""Mckinney-Vento"" ambaye ana jukumu la kuhakikisha wanafunzi wote wanaostahili wanapata shule wanayochagua kwa kujiandikisha mara moja na kusafirisha." "Hii haijumuishi tu wanafunzi ambao hawana makazi ya kudumu na thabiti, lakini pia wanafunzi wahamiaji na wanafunzi ambao wako kati ya nyumba au ""kuzunguka sofa"" - ufafanuzi huu unaruhusu shule na wilaya kuwakilisha zaidi ya ""watu waliofichwa"" - kwa sehemu kubwa ya 2020, shule za Connecticut, kama majimbo mengine, zilifanya kazi katika muundo wa kawaida kulingana na sheria na mapendekezo ya serikali na shirikisho." Kwa mwanafunzi asiye na makazi, mabadiliko ya kujifunza kwa njia ya mtandao yanaweza kumaanisha ukosefu wa upatikanaji wa chakula, Wi-Fi, nafasi bora za masomo, na vitu vingine muhimu kwa kujifunza mtandaoni. Carl Asikainen, meneja wa mradi katika Muungano wa Connecticut wa wasio na makazi (CCH), anakumbuka kwamba zaidi ya robo ya wanafunzi hawakuwahi kurudi darasani baada ya kufungwa kwa Machi 2020. Wilaya kote jimbo zimejaribu kupunguza wasiwasi wa shule za mtandaoni kwa kujaribu kuongeza mahudhurio kupitia usambazaji wa router za Wi-Fi, kompyuta, vifaa vya shule, na chakula. Shule za Umma za New Haven (NHPS) zilifanya kazi kwa mbali kwa nusu ya kwanza ya mwaka wa shule ya 2021 na polepole zilianza kufungua shule tena kwa mafundisho ya kibinafsi. Daniel Diaz, mratibu wa ushiriki wa wazazi wa NHPS, alikiri kuwa njia ya jadi ya kutambua wanafunzi wasio na makazi kwa kutambua mahitaji yao maalum ya usafiri haikuwa kipimo sahihi wakati shule ilikuwa mtandaoni. Wanafunzi hawakuweza kuomba mabadiliko katika mahitaji yao ya usafiri kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa makazi kwa sababu madarasa yalikuwa halisi kabisa. Wanafunzi walipoanza kurudi shuleni, idadi ya wanafunzi wa McKinney Vento iliongezeka. Diaz alisisitiza shinikizo la ziada la janga hilo kwa juhudi za kuzuia ukosefu wa makazi, "familia zingine hazikuwa na makazi, ambayo tunafanya kazi nayo, lakini zingine zilikuwa karibu tu". Programu ya McKinney Vento ndani ya NHPS ilibadilisha mbinu zake mwaka huu kwa kuacha chakula kwa wanafunzi ambao wanafamilia wao wamejaribiwa kuwa na COVID-19. Programu hiyo pia iliunganisha familia na washirika wa jumuiya, ambao walisaidia kupata vyakula kwa ajili ya familia zilizokuwa na uhitaji. Hata nje ya mwaka wa shule, NHPS ina programu mbalimbali za majira ya joto kwa ajili ya wote wasio na makazi na wasio na makazi familia. Changamoto kubwa kwa wilaya za shule ilikuwa kudumisha usalama wa wafanyakazi wa utoaji, wanafunzi, na familia. Watu wasio na makazi ni miongoni mwa watu walio hatarini zaidi kuambukizwa COVID-19. Vijana wengi wasio na makazi hawawezi daima kwa ufanisi umbali wa kijamii, na mara nyingi hutumia usafiri wa umma, ambayo huongeza hatari yao. Vituo vya bure vya kupima COVID ambavyo havihitaji bima, miadi, na anwani, tofauti na maduka mengine ya dawa kote jimbo, vimefunguliwa. Hangaiko jingine la kupima ni kupata huduma ya afya inayohitajika katika kesi ya matokeo mazuri. Programu za msingi za kituo kama vile Youth Continuum zilitoa msaada katika kupata bima ya afya. Watoto na vijana hadi umri wa miaka 19 wanaweza pia kufuzu kwa bima ya afya ya bure au ya gharama nafuu ya Husky B. Ingawa hii ni suluhisho kwa sehemu ya vijana wasio na makazi, kumekuwa na ongezeko la idadi ya watoto wasio na mwenzi wanaoishi Connecticut. Chini ya Sheria ya Huduma ya Affordable, watoto wasio na mwenzi hawafai kwa bima hii isipokuwa kama wana hadhi ya uhamiaji inayostahili. Kwa mfano, ikiwa kukaa kwa muda mrefu katika hospitali kunahitajika kwa matibabu ya COVID-19, hii inaweza kusababisha kiasi kikubwa cha deni ambalo linaweza kuongeza kipindi cha kutokuwa na makazi. Vituo vya chanjo ya bure pia vimeanza kuanzishwa kote jimbo na vimekuwa vikikaribisha vijana wasio na makazi. Hatua ngumu zaidi ilikuwa kueneza habari kwa vijana waliolindwa na wasiohifadhiwa. Hata hivyo, kwa vijana wenye umri wa miaka 18 na chini, ni vigumu kwamba wataweza kupokea chanjo bila ruhusa ya wazazi au walezi wa kisheria huko Connecticut. Hii inaacha vijana waliotengwa au wasio na mwenzi bila chaguzi nyingi na walio hatarini zaidi. Upatikanaji wa rasilimali na uwezo wa makazi Kupungua kwa uwezo katika makazi kwa sababu ya wasiwasi wa afya au usalama ilikuwa moja ya masuala ya wasiwasi zaidi yaliyoletwa na janga hilo. Vituo vya makazi na vituo vya kukabiliana na mgogoro vilifanya kazi kwa kiwango cha 50% ya watu, na hivyo kusababisha watu wengi wasio na makao kuwa hawana makao. Ryan Beach, mkurugenzi wa maendeleo na mawasiliano katika CCH, alizungumzia hoteli ya muda ya watu wasio na makazi, inayofadhiliwa kwa sehemu na misaada ya FEMA, kama majibu kwa idadi kubwa ya watu wasio na makazi. "Bish anasema, ""Ujenzi wa hoteli ulifadhiliwa kwa kiwango fulani na FEMA, lakini kwa ujumla, sidhani kama kuna makazi au watoa huduma wa watu wasio na makazi katika jimbo hilo ambao hawakuona athari za janga hilo." Hii ilisababisha ongezeko la gharama za kuendesha makazi kwani wafanyakazi zaidi walihitajika kuendesha makazi ya pili na kuwakabidhi hoteli. "Hata hivyo, kwa mujibu wa Chris Venable, mkurugenzi wa shirika la ""Journey Home,"" ""haikuwa rahisi kwa vijana wasio na makao kuwa na uwezo wa kufanya kazi.""" "Hoteli hiyo haikubadili idadi ya vijana waliopelekwa kwenye makazi, ingawa baadhi yao waliamua kwamba hawataki kuwa katika makazi kwa sababu ya janga hilo, kwa hivyo walichagua kukaa ndani ya gari lao, ""Venable alisema." Ni wazi kwamba vijana wengi wasio na makao wanalazimika kuchagua kati ya afya yao na makazi ya kutosha. Wamiliki wa nyumba wameongeza kuwa wamekuwa wakijizuia kukodisha vitengo kwa watu wa mapato ya chini kwa sababu ya kusimamishwa kwa uhamisho. "Kwa vijana waliokimbia, baadhi ya rasilimali bora wanaweza kutumia ni vituo vya msingi, kuishi mpito, na mipango ya ufikiaji wa mitaani, kulingana na Carline Charmelus, meneja wa athari ya pamoja na usawa katika Ushirikiano wa Jumuiya Nguvu.""" Vituo vya msingi hutoa huduma mbalimbali ikiwa ni pamoja na makazi, huduma za matibabu, huduma za chakula, ushauri wa familia na afya ya akili, na programu za baada ya shule. Programu za kuishi za mpito hutoa baadhi ya huduma sawa lakini huzingatia vijana wazee na kusisitiza kazi na utayari wa kazi. Programu za ufikiaji wa mitaani zina washauri na wafanyikazi wa kijamii ambao huunga mkono vijana wa mitaani kwa kutoa ufikiaji wa makazi ya dharura, kutoa msaada wa kuishi na mbinu, na matibabu na ushauri. Programu hizi zote zimepunguzwa kwa kupunguza idadi ya mwingiliano wa kibinafsi kwa siku. Baadhi ya huduma hizi kama ushauri wa afya ya akili zimefanywa kwa mbali. Huduma nyingine za afya ya akili zimekuwa hotlines kwa msaada wa jumla, watu wa vijana wa rangi, vijana wa LGBTQ +, wahasiriwa wa unyanyasaji wa kingono au unyanyasaji, na zaidi. Kuna pia mikutano ya Telehealth virtual kwa vijana, ambao wanahitaji kuzungumza na daktari au daktari wa akili. Venable aliona kupungua kwa miadi iliyopuuzwa kwa sababu wateja au wagonjwa wanaweza kupata rasilimali kwa urahisi zaidi. Kwa bahati mbaya, programu nyingine kama huduma za chakula na ufikiaji wa mitaani haziwezi kutumiwa kwa kweli. Jitihada za kuwaondoa vijana wasio na makazi barabarani na kuwapeleka katika nyumba thabiti hazikuwekwa kando kwa sababu ya janga hilo lakini kwa hakika zilipungua. Uwekaji umbali wa kijamii na amri za "kuondoa shinikizo" zimesukuma majimbo na watoa huduma kuacha mbinu za jadi za huduma yao. "Mfano wa programu hii ni ""Shelter"" na ""DreamKit.""" Iliundwa na Mariana Marmolejo, Yale MPH 24, programu ya DreamKit imeundwa kuunganisha vijana katika New Haven, Connecticut chini ya umri wa miaka 25 na rasilimali kama vile ushauri na fursa za ajira. Pia wanapewa zawadi ya pointi ambazo zinaweza kutumiwa katika maeneo ya kimwili. Kwa bahati mbaya, kiwango ambacho janga hilo limewasumbua vijana wasio na makazi haijulikani kwa sababu ni vigumu sana kuhesabu vijana wote wanaohitaji huduma hizi. Ingawa tafiti bado zinafanywa, wakati washirika wa ndani na wa serikali wanapojitahidi kwa mwaka wa shule wa 2021-22, wasiwasi wa lahaja ya Delta na athari yake ya uwezekano juu ya maendeleo ya jimbo la Marekani unazidi kuongezeka. Niliandika makala hii kwa sababu siku zote nimekuwa na shauku ya kutatua suala la ukosefu wa makazi ya muda mrefu na ya vipindi. Kwa kuwa kuna makundi yasiyo ya faida ambayo yanashughulikia ukosefu wa makazi, Kentucky ni mojawapo ya maeneo ambayo yanafanya kazi kwa bidii. Katika utafiti wangu na mahojiano, niligundua kuwa serikali inajibu sana mabadiliko na mahitaji ya watu wasio na makazi. Mahitaji hayo yanaweza kuanzia huduma za chakula hadi ajira hadi utatuzi wa migogoro ya nyumbani. Ni suala tu la kujua nini mahitaji hayo ni kwa kila mtu na jinsi ya kutatua kwa ufanisi. "Makampuni ya kimataifa ya utetezi wa ukosefu wa makazi na utetezi wa makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi.""" Baadhi ya vyanzo vyangu vya habari ni vyombo vya serikali na tovuti za wilaya za shule ambazo zilinisaidia kuelewa baadhi ya sheria zilizopo na mazoea yanayohusiana na shule. "Makampuni ya kimataifa ya utetezi wa ukosefu wa makazi na utetezi wa makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi ya makazi.""" Baadhi ya vyanzo vyangu vya habari ni vyombo vya serikali na tovuti za wilaya za shule ambazo zilinisaidia kuelewa baadhi ya sheria zilizopo na mazoea yanayohusiana na shule. Mashirika mengi niliyohoji yalifanya kazi katika Eneo la Greater New Haven. """Nadhani kama mwanafunzi wa Yale ni rahisi kusahau kuhusu jamii inayozunguka chuo kikuu na jinsi tunavyoathiri maisha yao na jinsi wanavyoathiri yetu, na natumaini makala hii ni kumbukumbu ya kipekee."