Housing Resources for Transition Age Youth: What if we all had a home? Webinar Recap

Moderator: Danell McCoy-Vaughan, UNL Center on Children, Families, and the Law 

Speakers: Christina Lloyd, Cedars Youth Services; Krista Koch, Region V Systems 

This webinar featured speakers who are experts and administrators in the field of youth homelessness from across the state.  There are several organizations that share responsibility for providing housing to homeless and at-risk youth across the state and a variety of federal grants that help support these services.  Our speakers focus the programs they offer and how they use those funds. 

Danell McCoy-Vaughn of the UNL Center on Children, Families and the Law began the session with a discussion of the Youth Homeless Demonstration program, a special HUD grant that has provided housing to more than 200 youth through Coordinated Entry. Danell then spoke of the various types of homeless youth that are served, including the literal homeless, the imminent risk group, and those fleeing violence.  Programs that are offered include Joint Transitional Rapid Rehousing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Rapid Response. 

Christina LLoyd of Cedars Youth Services was next to speak about the programs offered by her organization, which provides permanent supportive housing in the Lincoln area.  Cedars has a grant from HUD for parental housing, as well as grant from Family Youth Services Bureau, DHHS and the Juvenile Probation program to provide youth housing.  Recently they have taken up a new program to provide housing to rural youths, which has come with many challenges but allows for youth to pick in which community they will live. 

Lastly, Krista Koch of Region V Systems spoke on the Host Homes program, which is a model for young adults that need support to prepare for living independently.  The program is non-institutional and covers the balance of state outside of Lincoln and Omaha.  Volunteer hosts help provide basic needs and home safety for the youth guests as they transition. 

nifa.org 

ccfl.unl.edu 

cedarskids.org 

region5systems.net