rockin'robin
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Yesterday, a victory was scored for the homeless youth of Massachusetts when Governor Deval Patrick signed into law the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth bill.
The bill instructs the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to create programs that provide a continuum of housing and support services for unaccompanied youth ages 24 and below. The services goals are to improve the physic
al, mental and educational outcomes for homeless youth.
“This law will go a long way to ensure that this specific population had the necessary supports to make a healthy transition into adulthood. Once again, the Commonwealth is passing legislation that will set the standard for other states attempting to address unaccompanied youth homelessness.”
According to 2011 data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, as reported by Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, there are approximately 1.6 million unaccompanied youth across the nation who are homeless. In Massachusetts there are an estimated 5,853 students who are homeless and unaccompanied by an parent or legal guardian.
These numbers are heartbreaking, and, according to MassEquality, youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, make up nearly 40 percent of the unaccompanied homeless youth.
Massachusetts has marked a milestone in taking the right step to expand housing and services to a segment of the population that has been ignored by this nation for too long.
http://bluenationreview.com/victory-massachusetts-governor-taking-steps-help-homeless-youth/
The bill instructs the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to create programs that provide a continuum of housing and support services for unaccompanied youth ages 24 and below. The services goals are to improve the physic
al, mental and educational outcomes for homeless youth.
“This law will go a long way to ensure that this specific population had the necessary supports to make a healthy transition into adulthood. Once again, the Commonwealth is passing legislation that will set the standard for other states attempting to address unaccompanied youth homelessness.”
According to 2011 data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, as reported by Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, there are approximately 1.6 million unaccompanied youth across the nation who are homeless. In Massachusetts there are an estimated 5,853 students who are homeless and unaccompanied by an parent or legal guardian.
These numbers are heartbreaking, and, according to MassEquality, youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, make up nearly 40 percent of the unaccompanied homeless youth.
Massachusetts has marked a milestone in taking the right step to expand housing and services to a segment of the population that has been ignored by this nation for too long.
http://bluenationreview.com/victory-massachusetts-governor-taking-steps-help-homeless-youth/
