May 19 at 10:00 a.m.

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Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
May 19 at 1000 a.m. Presented by the John
Burton Foundation California Coalition for
Youth Call-in phone number for live audio
916-233-3088 Access code 480-861-210
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Webinar Technical Details

• Call-in phone number for live audio
• 916-233-3088
• Access code 480-861-210
• To submit live questions, click on the
  Questions panel on your screen, type your
  question, and click Send

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Outline of Presentation

• Introduction to the Runaway and Homeless Youth
  Act
• Creating and Operating Basic Center and Street
  Outreach programs
• RHYA Application process and whats new this year
• Q and A

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Todays Presenters

• Debbie Raucher, John Burton Foundation
• Liz Gomez, Youth Program Consultant
• Sylvia Lamalfa, Covenant House California
• Frank Lopez, South Bay Community Services, Inc.

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RHYA History

• Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
  passed in 1974 to fund emergency shelters (Basic
  Centers)
• Transitional Living Program (TLP) added 1988
• Street Outreach Program added 1994
• Collectively these programs are known as the
  Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA)

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Program Administration

• Administered by U.S. Department of Health and
  Human Services (HHS)
• Funding for RHYA managed by the Family and Youth
  Services Bureau (FYSB) a program of the
  Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
• FY 2010 funding is 115.7 million nationwide
• Basic Center and Shelter Outreach Grants
  allocated as 3-year contracts

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Street Outreach Program (SOP)

• Purpose is to help young people get off the
  streets and avoid sexual abuse or exploitation
• Services include
• Street-based education and outreach
• Access to emergency shelter
• Survival aid
• Treatment and counseling
• Information and referrals
• Crisis intervention
• Follow-up support

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Street Outreach (cont.)

• Must have 24-hour access to the shelter in order
  to maintain interaction with youth while they are
  in placement (can be by referral)
• Program goal By FY 2012, 95 percent of the youth
  served enter safe and appropriate settings after
  exiting ACF-funded RHY services.

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Basic Center Programs (BCP)

• Emergency Shelter for youth up to age 18
• Can provide up to 21 days of shelter for up to 20
  youth
• Focus on reunification with family or locating
  alternative placements
• Must be licensed under local licensing standards
• Program goal 90 percent of youth living in safe
  and appropriate settings after exiting BCP

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Basic Center Services

• Food, clothing, medical care and other services
  that youth need (offered either directly or by
  referral)
• Individual, group and family counseling
• Recreation programs
• Outreach to youth who may need assistance as well
  as to public and private agencies that work with
  youth and families
• Aftercare services for youth after they leave the
  shelter

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Liz Gomez, LG Consulting
Program Considerations
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Positive Youth Development

• Both Basic Center and Street Outreach programs
  must include elements of the Positive Youth
  Development approach
• Help young people achieve their full potential
• Give young people the chance to exercise
  leadership, build skills and become involved in
  their communities.
• www.rhyttac.ou.edu/images/stories/PYD/
  resources/PYD toolkit 2008.pdf

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Shelter Licensing Requirements

• BCPs must be in compliance with State and local
  licensing requirements
• In California licensing overseen by the
  Department of Social Services Community Care
  Licensing Division (CCLD)
• Efforts are underway to modify licensing
  regulations to be more appropriate for emergency
  shelter settings

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Integration with Continuum of Care

• The Federal Youth Services Bureau focuses on how
  well the grantee integrates the continuum of care
  of all RHY programs if funding is received.

Street Outreach
Basic Center
Transitional Living Program
Family Reunification
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Family Intervention

• Family Intervention is new from last year where
  RHY grantees are allowed/shall provide family
  conflict resolution services to ensure family
  reunification as an outcome.

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Other Requirements

• Outcome data must be entered into a centralized
  Management Information System (RHYMIS)

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Sylvia LaMalfa, Covenant House California
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Program Staffing

• Street Outreach Supervisor
• 2 Full time Street Outreach Workers
• Part Time Street Outreach Worker
• 1 Per Diem Street Outreach Worker
• 1 Day Outreach Case Manager
• 1 PT Outreach Peer Intern
• Evening Outreach Case Manager

Note Funding for positions includes sources
other than RHYA
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Program Design

• Vans go out 7 nights from 4-12 pm to areas where
  youth are known to be congregating
• Staffed by 2 outreach workers plus peer intern
• Target youth in danger of sexual exploitation
• Approximately 5,000 unduplicated youth served
  each year in over 11,000 contacts
• Youth offered bag lunches and water, blankets,
  jackets, hygiene kits, crisis counseling,
  educational materials aimed at prevention of
  sexual abuse and exploitation
• Referrals for shelter, services and transportation

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Program Design (cont.)

• Covenant House national toll free hotline
  referrals
• Youth encouraged to meet with Case Manager to
  talk further about services offered and to see
  the shelter.
• Youth interested in housing can be directly moved
  into the CHC Crisis Shelter
• Youth interested in Primary Health Care or Mental
  Health care can be seen at CHC Health Clinic or
  by Clinical Department
• Once youth enter the Crisis Shelter additional
  supportive services available to them

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Lessons Learned

• Long Engagement Process - consistency of staffing
  and interactions with street youth
• Consistency of 7 day per week program and
  engagement process
• Quality over quantity of youth contacts changed
  over the years
• Low Barrier to entrance with harm reduction
  approach to substance use
• Trauma informed service provision.

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Lessons Learned (cont.)

• Training in victims of human trafficking/sexually
  exploited youth
• Groups on transitioning youth off the streets
  into safe housing
• Need range of community supports for range of
  needs.

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Lessons Learned (cont.)

• Youth Development
• Efforts to assist youth in making healthier
  personal choices
• Provide for physical and emotional health,
  employment, educational supports
• Peer Youth Intern positions for youth in shelter
  to be part of Outreach team
• Youth Council and leadership training workshops
  and programming
• Creative Arts Programming

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Frank Lopez, South Bay Community Services, Inc.
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Casa Nuestra

• Funded under RHYA Basic Center program
• In operation since 1990
• Only youth shelter in S. Bay region of San Diego
  area.
• Referrals come from probation dept., school based
  services, CPS, other SBCS programs, other
  non-profit providers

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Facility Design

• 8-bed facility in 4-bedroom house
• (2 beds per room)
• Shared kitchen and bathroom facilities
• Capacity for 4 girls and 4 boys
• Original site acquisition funded through
  combination of City and County funds

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Program Design

• 24 hour staffing includes
• 2 full time Facility Mangers
• Program Lead
• Part-time and on-call staff for additional
  coverage
• Volunteer from Jesuit Volunteer Corps
• On-site MFT intern
• Each participant completes an assessment and has
  an individualized service plan
• Referral to other services offered as needed
  (e.g. substance abuse, job readiness, etc.)

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Success Factors

• On-site MFT intern
• Focus on reunification
• Follows up with clients after program exit
• Available to respond to needs immediately
• Service package adapted to needs of each client
  no cookie cutter approach
• Youth involved in creation of service plan
• Life skills training youth cook meals,
  participate in household chores, etc.

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Compliance with Licensing Guidelines

• Crucial to review Community Care Licensing
  guidelines in advance and ensure ability to
  comply
• Examples of adaptations made for compliance
• Incorporation of outcomes into services plan
• Checklist in each file to ensure all necessary
  paperwork obtained and maintained

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Application Information
Liz Gomez
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NOFA information

• Notices Of Funding Availability (NOFA) for BCP
  and SOP anticipated to be released soon
• No NOFA for TLP expected
• New minimum standards to be released
• Eligible applicants include non-profit
  organizations and public entities

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The Numbers

• BCP and SOP maximum funding per project
  200,000
• BCP average funding 150,000
• SOP average funding 100,000
• Non-federal match of 10 of total project
  required (can include in-kind contributions)
• Grant allocations for BCP and SOP are for 3-year
  contracts

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Anticipated Program Changes

• More stringent enforcement of licensing
  requirements for BCP
• More emphasis on cultural diversity
• Addition of kinship care and mediation to BCP

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Application Sections

• Forms (DUNS number required)
• Table of Contents
• Project summary (1 page maximum)
• Objectives and need for assistance
• Results or benefits expected
• Approach
• Staff and Position data

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Application Sections (cont.)

• Plan for project continuance beyond grant support
• Third party agreements
• Budget
• Budget Justification
• Certifications and assurances

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Application tips

• Do not exceed maximum page limit - Projects are
  evaluated on the basis of substance and
  measurable outcomes, not length
• Focus on outcomes
• Do not overdo number of objectives or projected
  service targets
• Read the instructions and respond to every
  section be especially careful if cutting and
  pasting from prior applications as sections may
  have changed

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Additional Information

• The Runaway and Homeless Youth Technical
  Assistance Collaborative (RHYTAC) will conduct a
  web seminar after the NOFA is released for
  prospective applicants.
• www.RHYTTAC.ou.edu

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Upcoming Trainings

• June 16th, 1000 am Webinar MHSA Housing
  program
• June 17th Regional Training What do
  Foundations Really Want, Riverside County
• July 8th Federal Youth Partners Training, San
  Francisco
• July 22nd HYCBP annual meeting, Los Angeles
• Individual Technical Assistance available for
  HYCBP members

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Questions or comments? Enter questions on your
screen now by clicking the Questions panel,
typing your question, and clicking Send. Or
direct later questions or comments to Debbie
Raucher John Burton Foundation (510)
593-8382 debbie_at_johnburtonfoundation.org www.cah
omelessyouth.org