Transitional Living Program (TLP)
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) serves runaway and homeless youth by funding the following grant programs: the Basic Center Program, the Transitional Living Program, the Maternal Group Home Program, the Street Outreach Program, and the National Runaway Switchboard. Ninety percent of RHYA funding goes to programs providing housing, emergency shelter, and homelessness prevention projects and the remaining 10 percent funds supportive service providers.
Transitional Living Programs support projects that provide long-term residential services to homeless youth. The program accepts youth ages 16-21. Exceptions are granted which allow youth to remain in the program until they reach the age of 18, even if that time exceeds the 21-month limitation.
The services offered are designed to help young people who are homeless make a successful transition to self-sufficient living. Transitional living programs are required to provide youth with stable and safe living accommodations and services that help them develop the skills necessary to become independent. Living accommodations may include host-family homes, group homes, maternity group homes, or supervised apartments owned by the program or rented in the community.
Transitional Living Program grantees are required to offer the following services, either directly or by referral:
- Safe, stable living accommodations
- Basic life-skill building including: consumer education and instruction in budgeting; the use of credit; housekeeping; menu planning and food preparation; and parenting skills
- Interpersonal skill building, including enhancing young people’s abilities to establish positive relationships with peers and adults, and to make decisions and manage stress
- Educational opportunities, such as GED preparation, post-secondary training, and vocational education
- Assistance in job preparation and attainment, such as career counseling and job placement
- Education, information and counseling to prevent, treat and reduce substance abuse
- Mental health care, including individual and group counseling
- Physical health care, including routine physicals, health assessments, and emergency treatment
Target Audience:
Transitional Living Programs target young people between the ages of 16 – 21 who are considered homeless or in a situation where family reunification is neither possible nor appropriate.
Eligible Applicants:
Public and non-profit private entities, Tribal Governments and combinations of such entities are typically considered eligible applicants. In addition to other eligible applicants, current TLP grantees with project periods ending on or before the next fiscal year’s funding date may also apply for a new competitive grant. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for or receive TLP funding awards. Additional information on eligibility may be found in the TLP funding opportunity announcement.
Funding Mechanism:
Funding for this program is discretionary and subject to the availability of federal funds. Grantees are also required to meet a non-federal share of the project cost, in accordance with RHY Act requirements at 42 U.S.C. 5716, which equals 10 percent of the total approved project cost.
