This Is What You Need to Know about Youth Homelessness in America

The statistics regarding youth homelessness in the United States are heartbreaking. It is estimated that each year, more than 4 million children and young adults experience some form of homelessness. Around 700,000 of these individuals are unaccompanied minors, meaning under the age of 18 and without a parent or guardian.

Urban Peak is the only nonprofit organization in Denver that provides a full and comprehensive service to youth aged between 15 and 24 who are experiencing homelessness. As stated on the organization’s website, the primary goal of Urban Peak is to help young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness “overcome real life challenges and become self-sufficient adults."

This is achieved by providing five key services: overnight shelter, a daytime Drop-In Center, Street Outreach, Education and Employment programs, and supportive housing. All of Urban Peak’s programs are founded on the principles of trauma-informed care. This means the programs take into consideration the impact trauma has on all facets of human functioning—from physical, mental, and behavioral to social, spiritual and intellectual.

This is what you need to know about youth homelessness in America and the work of Urban Peak:

Statistics on Youth Homelessness in the United States

Of youth and young adults who experience homelessness in the United States, research has shown that approximately 69 percent have mental health issues, while 33 percent were once in the foster care system. The same study found 29 percent of this population have substance abuse problems, and 50 percent have once been in the juvenile justice system, jail, or detention.

A study by the Covenant House Institute reported that around 57 percent of children who are homeless spend at least one day every month without food. The same study also found that approximately 50 percent of all youth in shelters report “intense conflict or physical harm by a family member” as a key contributor to their homelessness.

Youth who are homeless are extremely vulnerable to exploitation. A study by the Voices of Youth Count found that 27 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth who are homeless exchanged sex for basic needs, while only 9 percent of non-LGBTQ youth reported doing so. Additionally, 62 percent of youth who were homeless and identified as LGBTQ as well as 47 percent of youth who were homeless but did not identify as LGBTQ reported being physically harmed while homeless.

The same study also found that the number one correlate for elevated risk of youth homelessness was the lack of a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED).

Cause and Consequences of Youth Homelessness

There are a number of factors that impact youth homelessness, both in the United States and around the world. A Congressional Research Service report from 2019 titled Runaway and Homeless Youth: Demographics and Programs found that “youth most often cite family conflict as the major reason for their homelessness or episodes of running away.”

Other major reasons cited include “a youth’s sexual orientation, sexual activity, school problems, and substance abuse.” For example, LGBTQ youth are reported to be twice as likely as heterosexual youth to be at risk of homelessness.

Also at grave risk of homelessness are children and young adults who are in, or have recently left, the foster care system. This can be due to a multitude of factors, the most common being the number of foster care placements, a youth’s history of running away, and time spent in a group home.

As well as circumstantial causes, human development has also proven to play a factor in youth homelessness. Difficulty with rational decision making, reasoning, planning, as well as inhibition and lack of life experience can lead young people to engage in high-risk behavior that can have negative consequences, like substance use and unsafe sex. For youth who do not have stable and safe homes and supportive adult figures who provide positive influences and safety nets, such decisions increase the risk of homelessness.

Urban Peak’s Programs and Services

To provide vital support and services to Denver’s homeless youth and young adults, Urban Peak tackles the issue in five ways:

1. Shelter

A 40-bed overnight shelter is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and offers a warm and safe environment to all and any youth regardless of circumstance, orientation or identity. As well as sleeping facilities, the shelter also offers a medical clinic, three meals per day, and group activities.

2. Drop-In Center and Outreach

The Drop-In Center is designed to be a refuge for homeless youth who can stop by for a temporary respite from the elements, receive a hot breakfast, use the lockers and laundry services, and have access to showers and first-aid supplies. There are also courses at the Center to educate youth on essential life skills, including healthy relationships, finances, sex education and many more.

Meanwhile, the Outreach team spends time on the streets of Denver to meet young people who are currently homeless. The team offers support and makes this population aware of the services available to them at Urban Peak.

3. Education

Urban Peak offers education programs that provide materials, resources, and support to help homeless youth re-enroll in high school, as well as college and prep assistance. This includes providing GED classes and help in enrolling in high school and college or trade school.

4. Employment

Urban Peak’s Employment and Training Services team is dedicated to providing young people who are homeless the skills and education they need to gain and retain gainful employment which will help them attain stability. This includes Job Readiness Training, job search assistance, and career training services. Urban Peak also offers training and certification programs in food handling and sales and customer service.

5. Housing

Urban Peak’s housing program consists of three apartment complexes comprising around 120 traditional housing units for youth in Denver. The housing programs offer a range of supportive services and vary based on individual needs and circumstances.

How to Get Involved with Urban Peak

Tackling the youth homeless crisis in Denver and throughout the United States has to be a collective effort. At Urban Peak, there are many ways to volunteer, including serving meals at the Drop-In Center, providing assistance at the apartment complexes, tutoring, and volunteering at Peak Thrift, the organization’s thrift shop.

Alternatively, Urban Peak accepts donations on their website in both one-time and monthly gifts.