PA: Disrupting the Pipeline That Channels Youth in Foster Care to Homelessness
Next City – July 26, 2021
The foster care system’s role as a primary driver in youth homelessness is well understood. Valley Youth House found in a 2020 survey of its clients that 36% of them had been in foster care. Covenant House, which also serves young people, stated in its 2020 annual report that 46% of its clientele had spent time in the foster care system. Philly OHS data from 2017 to 2020, released to Next City, shows that 11% to 17% of those accessing homeless services between 18 and 29 years old had a past foster care placement. “If we solved that problem,” says Shani Meacham, Senior Vice President of programs at VYH, “it would alleviate a huge portion of our caseload.” This story is part of the “Our Kids” reporting project, which examines the challenges and opportunities facing Philadelphia’s foster care system.
Also: Our Kids Project: https://nextcity.org/daily/tags/tag/our+kids
Also: Fiscal Year 2020 Impact Report: Providing Housing and Supportive Services to Youth Facing Homelessness: https://www.covenanthousepa.org/uploads/attachments/ckkh6h07z05r6jbmtk1watpe5-fy20-chpa-impact-report.pdf

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