Homeless Youth Essay

According to the statistical data provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Homeless Youth Act Biennial Report, it is estimated that up to 6000 unaccompanied youth may be experiencing homelessness in MN on any given night. This count can be further broken down into the following ages: 2500 minors under 17, and 3500 young adults ages 18-24, (Homeless Youth Act Biennial Report, 2017). Sixty percent of unaccompanied homeless youth live in the Twin Cities Metro area. Issues such as poor nutrition, substance abuse, mental health issues, sexual victimization and limited access to health care providers place this vulnerable population at a greater risk for poor health outcomes, (Abdul Rahman, Fidel Turner, & Elbedour, 2015). It …show more content…
Code § 11434a). In MN, The Homeless Youth Act defines unaccompanied homeless youth as “a person 24 years of age or younger who is unaccompanied by a parent or guardian and is without shelter where appropriate care and supervision are available, whose parent or legal guardian is unable or unwilling to provide shelter and care, or who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” (2017 Minnesota Statutes, n.d.). For purposes of this paper, unaccompanied homeless youth will be defined as youth who are under the age of 24, not living with a parent or guardian and who are without access to a safe, stable living environment. Productive, healthy young adults are the future of all our communities, homelessness threatens the ability to achieve at their fullest potential by providing less than optimal living conditions, emotional support, health, and educational outcomes. By understanding the issues that homeless youth encounter, community agencies can work collaboratively to provide services to meet the needs of this population through best practice research, resource allocation, and