Youth Programs

Enacted in 1974 under the Runaway Youth Act, and subsequently expanded to include homeless youth, this program was created in response to widespread concern about the alarming number of runaways who cross state lines and are exposed to exploitation. Today an estimated 500,000 to 1.5 million young people run away from or are forced out of their homes, and an estimated 200,000 are homeless.

Grants to public and private agencies provide short-term shelter, crisis intervention, and family reunification services to runaway and homeless youth and their families. Each year, a network of 400 Basic Centers nationwide provides shelter, food, clothing, counseling, and other support services to approximately 80,000 young people age 11 to 18. In FY 1997, 66 percent of the youth receiving these services were reunited with their families or guardians while approximately one-third were placed in other appropriate living arrangements.

The national Runaway and Homeless Youth Program also encompasses the Transitional Living Program for Homeless Youth, which assists homeless youth aged 16 to 21 in making the transition to independent living. For FY 2000, a total of $64.1 million is available to support Basic Center and Transitional Living programs.