Celebrating 50 Years of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

Throughout this month, we celebrate the 50^th anniversary and the many successes of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) as well as the national movement dedicated to preventing youth homelessness and empowering young lives. 

RHYA authorizes the Family and Youth Services Bureau’s (FYSB), Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program. Prior to 1974, young people experiencing homelessness were usually encountered by law enforcement, sent to restrictive settings, and at risk of criminal activity. Youth in need of services such as stable housing, family and individual counseling, or support with education and employment—often left the criminal justice system with even greater struggles than before they entered.

NATIONAL YOUTH HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH, PREVENTION, AND EDUCATION MONTH

Since 2001, November has been recognized as National Runaway Prevention Month (NRPM). Starting this year, however, it will be recognized as National Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month. This name change emphasizes the need for person-first language, acknowledging an individual should not be defined by their current circumstance. Labeling an individual as a “runaway” is not person-centered because it describes a circumstance, not one’s identity. This context also applies to the term “homeless youth.” Instead, the field has moved to referring to young people who have voluntarily left home, were kicked out, or are experiencing homelessness as a “youth or young person who is experiencing homelessness or housing instability.” 

This November, during National Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education Month, or Youth HOPE Month, we would like to reflect on the many accomplishments of community-based organizations in serving young people experiencing homelessness and/or housing instability.

GRANT PROGRAMS

Basic Center Program Grants

RHYA authorizes the provision of shelter and comprehensive supportive services for youth and young adults who have run away, have been asked to leave their home, or are experiencing homelessness or housing instability. In fiscal year (FY) 2024, FYSB’s RHY program awarded 59 Basic Center Program (BCP) grants totaling more than $13.1 million. BCPs  fund community-based organizations that provide emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling, and health care referrals to homeless youth under 18. They offer street-outreach and home-based services for families with youth at risk of running away or experiencing homelessness; and when appropriate, assist with family reunification. 

Transitional Living Program

In 1988, the Transitional Living Program (TLP) was established. The program supports projects that provide longer-term residential services to young people between the ages of 16 and under 22 years experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Shelter accommodations may include maternity group homes, host homes, or scattered-site apartments owned by the program or rented in the community. In FY 2024, FYSB awarded 75 TLP grants totaling over $18.1 million. 

Street Outreach Program

The Street Outreach Program (SOP) was created in 1994. SOPs focus on developing relationships between outreach workers and young people that allow them to rebuild connections with caring adults. The goal of the SOP is to prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of youth who are living on the streets.  In FY 2025, FYSB awarded 42 grants totaling over $6.1 million.

Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center (RHYTTAC) was launched in 2008 to assist organizations in developing and implementing effective approaches to serving young people who have run away and/or are impacted by homelessness. RHYTTAC offers a comprehensive array of technical assistance resources and training to build capacity of grant recipients to meet the needs of youth and young adults served by the RHY program. It was this purpose which sparked the name change to become the Runaway and Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Center in 2023. 

Runaway and Homeless Youth Homeless Management Information System

In 2015, RHY began capturing data on youth experiencing homelessness via the Runaway and Homeless Youth Homeless Management Information System (RHY-HMIS), a web-based repository used by RHY grant-funded organizations to upload de-identified client data. These data on youth homelessness originate in central systems at local Continuums of Care funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. HMIS also captures information from individuals and households receiving homelessness services provided by the Veterans Administration and HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This confluence of data is analyzed to produce metrics, identify trends, and find ways to better serve our populations. 

Maternity Group Homes 

In 2019, the Maternity Group Home (MGH) Program was established as a separately funded program. The MGH program is a transitional living program which supports young people between the ages of 16 and under 22 who are pregnant and/or parenting and their dependent children experiencing homelessness. In FY 2024, FYSB awarded 24 grants totaling nearly $6 million. 

YOUTH VOICE

The history of meaningful youth engagement in youth serving sectors is rooted in the recognition of young people as valuable contributors to society and social change. The ideas of “youth voice” and “nothing about us without us” capture the importance of listening to young people’s perspectives and including them in matters concerning the trajectory of their lives. RHY has continued a longstanding commitment to promoting the leadership of youth and young adults with lived experience, recognizing it as an important component of leading in partnership with youth and young adults. In February  2024, FYSB published an information memorandum entitled, “Leading in Partnership with Youth and Young Adults with Lived Experience (PDF),” to provide guidance to grant recipients on how to meaningfully and authentically partner and collaborate with youth and young adults who have lived experience and subject matter expertise. 

PREVENTION

In September 2023, FYSB launched the RHY Prevention Demonstration Program (RHY-PDP), a new program to better understand what leads youth to become homeless while also designing and testing new prevention measures. We recognize that a shelter is not homelessness prevention, and when a young person is encountered by our partners, their homeless experience has already begun. Therefore, by investing in early intervention and family-based solutions, we stop youth homelessness before it starts, ensuring every young person has the support they need to succeed.

Through this expansion of RHY programming, and since FY 2023 the RHY-PDP has provided funding to two cohorts with a total of 21 organizations to design and deliver community-based supports with the goal of making the instance of youth homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.  Notably, this includes the provision of Flexible Cash Assistance (FCA) and individualized case management services. Grant recipients engage with community partners, youth leaders, and additional resources to provide direct support to youth and families to assist in the prevention of homelessness. The FCA concept is youth-informed, recognizing that youth and families are more likely to avoid experiencing homelessness when they have access to immediate, individualized, and flexible resources. In FY 2024, FYSB awarded 10 grants totaling $3.4 million. 

A chief goal of the RHY Program is to keep young people out of the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. By offering preventive services and comprehensive supports, the RHY Program has created a vital path for youth to achieve stability, safety, and avoid the juvenile justice system.