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Issue Background
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) was enacted as Title III of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA, P.L. 93-415). RHYA was last reauthorized as part of the Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children Protection Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-71), which will expire on September 30, 2003. The Family and Youth Services Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services administers RHYA programs.
The FY 2002 appropriations level for RHYA programs was $88.133 million for the consolidated runaway and homeless youth program account and $14.999 million for the runaway prevention (also know as street outreach) account.
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act Programs
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act Programs ensure safety and support to thousands of youth each year. The number of young people who are at risk of becoming homeless is rising. There has been a significant increase in the number of youth exiting the foster care and juvenile justice systems. These populations have the highest risk of becoming homeless. While the number of youth in high-risk situations is rising, the number of stable residential environments for youth who are unable to live safely with their families is decreasing. RHYA programs are able to serve only a fraction of young people in need of the opportunities and supports that the programs provide, due to limited public funding.
RHYA funds support a national runaway switchboard and regional training and technical assistance for RHYA grantees, youth workers, and other youth-serving agencies. The RHYA authorizes three main programs including the RHYA Basic Center program, the Transitional Living program, and the Street Outreach program.
The RHYA Basic Center program is critical to both the child welfare and juvenile justice
continuums of services. The program provides grants to community-based nonprofit and public organizations to support emergency shelter (not to exceed 15 days) for youth under age 18. In addition, the RHYA Basic Center program funds counseling services for youth and their families to assist them in reuniting with their families or connecting them to alternative supervised settings.
The Transitional Living program provides grants to community-based nonprofit and public organizations to support longer-term residential supports (up to 18 months) as well as independent living opportunities to youth ages 16-21 who are unable to return home safely.
The Street Outreach program (known as the Sexual Abuse Prevention Program or the Runaway Prevention Program) provides grants to community-based nonprofit and public organizations to support street-based outreach and education to runaway, homeless, and street youth who have been sexually abused or are at risk of sexual abuse, in order to provide these most vulnerable youth with services and a chance for a safe and healthy future. The National Network for Youth will be drafting specific recommendations for the reauthorization discussions during its annual conference February 9 -11, 2003.
Key Congressional Committee Information
Appropriations Subcommittees:
Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education
House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education
Authorizing Committees:
House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Subcommittee on Education Reform
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Subcommittee on Children and Families