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10 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2015 Homelessness among teens has become a rampant and widespread issue in our society. The statistics are staggering and not just in large urban areas where you envision homeless people living under the bridge loitering underground in the subway or lying on the sidewalks huddling under newspapers trying to keep warm. Rob Scichili Marketing and Communications Director of City House an organization that works with North Texas kids who are at risk for abuse neglect or homelessness states Homeless neglected and abused children used to be topics centered around urban life and its issues. Today nothing could be further from the truth. Suburban economic growth equals thousands of minimum wage jobs for those who can get to them. Many of these earners moved from the cities or poor- er areas to work and live below poverty here in Collin County and surrounding areas. Conversely work force reduction in white-collar positions resulted in job loss foreclosures and financial commitment struggles mak- ing it harder to maintain lifestyles and make ends meet. When hopelessness sets in people often turn to abusive behavior that plays out through alcoholism drug abuse aggression violence sexual and physical abuse and in some cases family abandonment. Teen homelessness is a huge problem right here the suburbs of North Texas Frisco Plano Lewisville Den- ton etc. and teens who are homeless face unique issues. They are still only teens after all and life as a teenager is complicated enough without having to worry about where you are going to sleep tonight or if you will have enough to eat. For most homeless youth finishing high school is the only way out of their plight. Fortunately federal law requires public schools to make certain that homeless youth have access to education transportation to and from school and even a hot breakfast andor lunch. However schools are not required to provide housing. Pursuant to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act school districts are required to have counselors or liaisons whose duties include identifying homeless youth helping them stay in school and connecting them with agencies that can see that their basic needs are met. Identifying homeless teens can be difficult because many of these teens are ashamed of and embarrassed by their situation and want to attempt to handle things on their own as long as they can. Its not unusual for a teen to be homeless for a significant period of time before a friend friends parent teacher coach or coun- selor makes the discovery. A 2014 report from Amer- icas Promise Alliance estimates that young people who experience homelessness are 87 percent more likely to stop going to school. In spite of the schools and social agencies best efforts to help these youth stay in school homeless teens can face obstacles to staying in school because of legal guardianship requirements residency requirements and lack of access to medical or educa- tion records. Consequently many homeless youth face severe challenges in supporting themselves financially and emotionally without a proper education. Because of their young age many of these teens have few legitimate opportunities to earn enough money to meet their basic needs. As a result many teens turn to survival sex or exchanging sex for food clothing or shelter. Covenant House New York CHNY is New York Citys largest provider of services for homeless youth ages 16 to 21. In 2013 CHNY conducted an ex- tensive study on the closely intertwined issues of human trafficking and teen homelessness. CHNY states they have always known that traffickers and other exploiters seek out vulnerable youth to recruit and victimize. Yet they say young people do not arrive at the doors of their shelter stating Help I have been trafficked. Instead they say Help I need food and a place to sleep. Their study reports that the number one commodity traded in return for sexual activity was shelter. Over 48 of the participants in the study almost half say they did it because they did not have a place to stay. These youth explained how traffickers hang out in areas where homeless youth are known to gather and then tell them that the shelters are full and offer them a place to stay instead of sleeping on the streets. The homeless youth also reported that other commodities often traded for sexual activity include food drugs clothing and mon- ey to support children or younger siblings. Many told of being kicked out of their homes off of their friends couch or out of a shelter and in a panicked state made the decision to find a sugar daddy an ex-boyfriend with whom they had a history of abuse or anyone who would let them stay in their home and off the street in exchange for sexual activity. No Place to Call Home by Melissa Chaiken Section Editor The National Coalition for the Homeless defines homeless youth as individuals under the age of eighteen who lack parental foster or institutional care. Homeless youth can also be referred to as unaccompanied youth. Many teens are homeless along with their families who have fallen on hard times but there are just as many if not more who are homeless on their own trying to make their way in the world without anyone looking out for their well-being. Continued on Page 12