November is homeless youth awareness month, so let’s talk about it!
In the U.S., 4.2 million youth experience homelessness every year. Around 700,000 of those youth are unaccompanied, meaning they are not in the care of their parents and caregivers. In Minnesota, over 13,000 unaccompanied young people experience homelessness in a year. That’s a lot of kids without safe shelter!
What do these youth experience while they are unhoused?
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Higher risk of being a victim of human trafficking: Having no safe shelter to go puts homeless youth at a higher risk for exploitation and human trafficking. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in three teenagers who leave or run away from home will be lured into sex work within just 48 hours. When youths have nothing but clothes on their back, they find they need to trade something for food, clothing, and other necessities. As anyone can imagine, this puts them in an extremely vulnerable position. Another more devastating fact is that youth who become sex trafficking victims are often lured or coerced into it by an acquaintance or someone they already have a relationship with.
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Increased Risk of Trauma Exposure: Youth who experience homelessness and trafficking have an increased risk of trauma exposures which can lead to worsening mental health symptoms like post-traumatic stress disorder, a higher risk for chronic homelessness in adulthood, and increased risk of physical health conditions. When youth are recovering from homelessness, they need to be connected to specialized services and support to address their experiences, especially if they were a victim of trafficking.
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Disruption of Physical, Mental, Educational, and Emotional Development: Not having a safe place to sleep at night, especially for youth who are still growing and developing, as well as a lack of transportation and a place for a bus to stop, makes going to school extremely difficult, if not impossible. Poor nutrition, or a complete lack of it, impacts youth’s physical growth, but can also worsen mental health symptoms.
- Increased Risk of Drug and Substance Abuse: Youth who are experiencing homelessness are at a higher risk of turning to drugs and other substances than peers who have a home. This can happen for many reasons – using drugs and substances as a coping mechanism to escape emotional pain or manage mental health symptoms, to stay awake in unsafe environments, or fit in with street culture.
So, how can you help?
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Many homeless youth have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE); being traumatically informed in your approach to helping them in recovery is the best way to build rapport, establish safe boundaries, and teach them what safe adults should look like. Their experience of homelessness may have taught them that relationships are transactional. Check into resources near you to help your recovering youth process their experiences.
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Build on their confidence. By helping young people recognize their capability and build on their interests you can increase protective factors which help against any recurring feelings of believing they are better off back on the streets. The more protective factors you can build on, the better. Connect them to group support with others who have similar experiences and engage in the community to build a support system.
- Talk about safe internet use and safe romantic partners. The more seemingly uncomfortable conversations you have about these topics, the safer youth will be as they navigate the world around them. By keeping our youth safe, informed, and confident, we can encourage them to make safe choices and recover from the effects of homelessness. Focus your conversations on exploitation and what that could look like, whether it be a job opportunity that seems too good to be true or an online relationship that raises trafficking red flags.
Often, even in rural areas, there is an advocate or victim services center available to help get you started, and policy makers are available to talk to you about your concerns with community access to housing and services for homeless youth. No matter if you are a foster parent, staff member, relative, biological parent, or a friend to a homeless youth, or whether you offer your home or a phone number to call, you can make a difference in someone’s experience with homelessness.
This blog was contributed by Maggie Taylor, a Crisis Responder for the Southeast Regional Crisis Center.
Nexus Family Healing is a national nonprofit mental health organization that restores hope for thousands of children, families, and adults each year through services in community mental health, crisis and stabilization, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment. For over 50 years, we’ve used innovative, personalized approaches to heal trauma, break cycles of harm, and reshape futures. We believe every child is worth it — and every family matters. Access more resources at nexusfamilyhealing.org/resources.