The Administration for Children and Families and Raikes Foundation Launch the National Prevention Learning Collaborative on Youth Homelessness

Recently, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with The Raikes Foundation launched the National Prevention Learning Collaborative on Youth Homelessness.

"We know that to effectively end youth homelessness we must intentionally invest in prevention," said ACF Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, performing the delegable duties of the assistant secretary for children and families Jeff Hild. "Early intervention can make a significant impact, and we are directing resources toward preventing homelessness and instability before it begins."

The Family Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) within ACF supports organizations that work to promote youth well-being, prevent and end youth homelessness, and support a holistic adolescent approach by fostering collaborative partnerships across communities; leads in partnership with youth and young adults; promotes diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; and supports data-driven practices.

The Raikes Foundation is a philanthropic organization that supports diverse organizations working to create a better world for young people. The Foundation makes grants in the areas of education, housing stability for youth, racial equity and democracy.

"We are excited to support the launch of the new National Prevention Learning Collaborative on Youth Homelessness, "saidAssociate Commissioner of the Family and Youth Services Bureau Kimberly Waller."Together, we will pursue our shared goal of preventing youth homelessness.The National Prevention Learning Collaborative brings together partners and youth leaders to contribute their expertise and passion to the prevention discussion. We recognize by working together wecan achieve more than what we could accomplish individually."

The National Prevention Learning Collaborative will bring together organizations and individuals from across the country who have expertise in youth homelessness prevention, housing stability, education, employment, well-being, health care and human services. It aims to identify best practices for enhancing youth homelessness prevention programs, as well as to learn from both new and existing homelessness prevention programs and research. The collaborative seeks to co-design this work alongside youth and young adults who have lived experience.

Youth homelessness is a national crisis. The latest U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data showed that on a single night in January 2023, 650,100 people were in shelters, temporary housing and in unsheltered settings, a 12 percent increase from 2022. Of that total, more than 34,700 were under the age of 25 and unaccompanied by any guardians, an increase of 15 percent from 2022. The data also showed a 16 percent increase in families experiencing homelessness compared to 2022, with 186,100 families with children reporting homelessness.

"Half of the adults who experience homelessness experience it first as a young person. If we want to end homelessness for people in our communities, we need to ensure young people never experience it in the first place," said Tricia Raikes, co-founder of The Raikes Foundation. "Preventing homelessness is possible, and it also helps support many other outcomes we all want for our families: graduation, employment, physical and mental health. This public-private partnership will dramatically improve our collective efforts to prevent youth homelessness across the country."

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra currently serves as Chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), which works with the White House, 19 federal agencies and communities to set and coordinate the nation's homelessness strategy. The upcoming USICH meeting will focus on high school youth experiencing homelessness and supports available as they seek to attend college.

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