Service Needs of Homeless Youth Formerly in Foster Care

Background: Research finds that youth exiting the foster care system through emancipation or running away are at an increased risk of homelessness and adverse mental health, educational and employment outcomes. However, because former foster youth are difficult to locate once homeless, few studies have examined their street experiences, related social service needs, and how these experiences and needs differ depending on the length of time a youth is homeless. This study of a large, multi-site sample of homeless, former-foster youth describes their: 1a) homeless contexts (living arrangements, transience, peer networks, and safety) and 1b) social service needs (mental health, substance use, employment, and education), and 2) identifies factors associated with greater time homeless.  

Methods: Data were collected from quantitative interviews conducted in a multisite study of youth (N=601), ages 18-24, seeking homeless services in Denver (n=201), Austin (n=200) and Los Angeles (n=200). A subsample of all youth, who self-reported having been in foster care, was used in this analysis (n=221). A retrospective interview, utilizing standardized and researcher-developed measures, sought information on demographics, childhood abuse (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), homelessness history, income generation, street victimization (Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire), and mental health (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview). Descriptive analyses characterized youths’ homeless contexts (primary living situations, time homeless, transience, peer substance use and victimization experiences) as well as youths’ social service needs (employment, education, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorder). Linear multiple regression was used to identify factors associated with greater time homeless.

Results: The majority of our sample lived on the streets or in temporary shelter (50.4%) or in houses/apartments with adult friends (20.6%), parents/guardians (9%), or other relatives (6.2%). On average, youth had been precariously housed for 3.25 years (SD=2.97) and experienced 3.6 (SD=3.5) inter-city moves since becoming homeless. The majority reported having experienced direct (82.8%) and indirect street victimization (75.1%) and having peer groups where most friends used substances (74.7%). Youth generated income most often from informal sources (74.7%; panhandling, selling possessions), some from formal sources (55.7; full, part-time, temporary work), and a smaller group from assistance (19.5%; friends, family, public welfare). Less than half (45.2%) had earned a GED or high school degree. Substantial percentages of youth met diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder (69.4%), depression (36.2%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (25.9%). Multivariate regression analyses, controlling for city (F[22]=6.7, p<.001), indicated age (B=.48, p<.001), having experienced childhood physical neglect (B=.28, p<.001), primary living situation (B=.13, p<.05), and more inter-city moves (B=.30, p<.001) were associated with greater time homeless.

Conclusions: Findings indicate former-foster care youth are living in extremely unstable homeless contexts that involve great risk and high social service needs. These results support the need for research and services focused on preventing homelessness among foster care youth. Considering need-levels, educational, employment and housing programs that employ harm-reduction and trauma-sensitive approaches should be tested for their ability to prevent foster care youth from entering, or enable exit from, extremely high-risk homeless situations.