Question on Teen Parent Residential Programs

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation issue brief examines how two agencies, Alameda County, California and the Colorado Department of Human Services use continuous quality improvement (CQI) in implementing their programs that address youth at risk of homelessness. CQI is a process-oriented evaluation that supports the enhancement of programs and practices through ongoing collection analysis of real-time data to identify and test changes in program implementation. Key components of this brief look at the CQI process design features at these two agencies, how the CQI process affected the operation of the agency’s interventions to prevent homelessness among youth and young adults who have been involved in the child welfare system, and what advice the two agencies have for other entities that may use CQI in their program reviews.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has issued this guide to assist health care providers, health care systems, and community leaders who seek knowledge about strategies and approaches to prevent substance misuse among young adults, ages 18 to 25. The guide includes research findings, identifies emerging and best practices, and points out knowledge gaps and challenges to implementing these practices within communities. The guide also lists resources on how to monitor outcomes and conduct evaluations, and guidance on how to improve quality of existing practices.

This report examines county-wide approaches for addressing substance use among high school age youth. Approximately 30 percent of high school students report using alcohol, 20 percent of youth report binge drinking, 20 percent report marijuana use, and nearly 12 percent of high school students report using illicit or injectable drugs. The report notes that while overall alcohol, tobacco, and drug use have decreased among youth, the complexity of substance abuse requires increased emphasis on prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies at the county level.

This blogpost profiles Youth Support Partners, a program from the Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Department of Human Services, which intends to give a voice to youth who engaged in the child welfare system in their relationship with assigned caseworkers. This voluntary program allows participating youth to set the frequency of appointments and is a less structured approach for youth to set self-care and personal development goals. Youth Support Partners also promotes a collaborative communication process between caseworkers and youth in assessment.

This Annie E. Casey Foundation blogpost profiles A Place 4 Me, a community-based organization in Cleveland that improves outcomes for housing of youth transitioning out of foster care. The blogpost discusses the organization’s goals for ending youth homelessness and how it integrates support systems and services by offering young peer navigators who have transitioned out of foster care.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation report is a feasibility evaluation of the Bridges to Pathways (Bridges) program. The Bridges program addressed youth ages 17 to 21 exiting the criminal or juvenile justice system. Through the program, participants who did not have a high school diploma earned this credential. They also engaged in social-emotional learning workshops, and participated in a subsidized internship. The Bridges evaluation is included in OPRE’s Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration and assessed the Bridges program’s impact on 480 participants and their outcomes for employment, earnings, and decreased criminal activity.

This Urban Institute report examines the extension of foster care eligibility to age 21 and the extension of support services for foster care youth through 23 years old. The report looks at the challenges and practices of implementing extensions by child welfare agencies and supportive services providers. The report also covers recommendations for creating child welfare systems that are responsive for young adults.

This Administration for Children and Families (ACF) blogpost, published by the Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, describes activities associated with this year’s observance of National Runaway Prevention Month to raise awareness of the challenges that face homeless youth. This commemoration focuses on prevention services and promotes greater understanding of why young people are homeless; in many cases, youth are asked to leave home or do so because they see no other way to improve their situation. The Family and Youth Services Bureau is cited as a key player in the effort to end youth homelessness, domestic violence, and adolescent pregnancy.

This Child Trends report evaluates Nebraska’s Bridge to Independence (b2i) program for young adults who have recently exited from the foster care system. The program offers supportive services such as medical care, housing, and case management and assists participants as they attain education and employment in coordination with an assigned independence coordinator. This report’s assessment of qualitative and quantitative impacts of b2i are incorporated as part of the Nebraska Children’s Commission 2018-2019 Annual Report and will be used to set future priorities on the b2i program expansion.