System Involvement Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness: A Four Group Comparison of Those with No Involvement, Juvenile Justice Only, Foster Care Only, or Dual Status

Introduction:  Young adults experiencing homelessness (YAEH) have high rates of involvement in child-serving systems compared to their housed peers. Across studies, 35-50% report previous involvement with juvenile justice or foster care, though there is less research about the rates and characteristics of those exposed to both systems.  Risk indicators such as trauma exposure, current substance use and high-risk sex are known to be elevated among YAEH, but it is not clear whether exposure to different types of child-serving systems is associated with greater risk. This study examined subgroups of YAEH who have varied system exposure to characterize their risk profiles and examine the association of different system experiences with risk behaviors.

Methods: Data come from the Homeless Youth Risk and Resilience Survey (HYRRS), administered to YAEH, ages 18-26, in 7 cities (Houston, Los Angeles, Denver, Phoenix, New York City, St. Louis, San Jose; N=1424). Data were collected via tablet-administered surveys using standardized instruments including the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale for trauma, the Kessler-6 for psychological distress, and the CAGE for substance use. Foster care or juvenile justice exposure was assessed with items that asked participants whether they had been involved in each system (yes/no). A four-category variable was created to group those with no system involvement (n=617), foster care only (n=292), juvenile justice only (n=254), or dual-system involvement (n=261). Bivariate analyses examined differences across subgroups on risk (e.g. trauma, substance use, trading sex, arrest) and resilience (e.g. high school completion, employment) indicators.  Multivariate logistic regression examined associations between participants’ system exposure and indicators of current risk.

Results: YAEH without system involvement had significantly lower mean trauma scores (F=22.8, df=3, p<.001; M=3.9, SD=2.9) compared to all three system involved groups (M=4.8-5.6; SD=2.8).  All system-involved groups reported higher rates of prior mental health diagnoses than those not exposed (X²=66.3, df=3, p<.001). YAEH with histories of dual-system involvement were more likely to have spent the prior night on the streets (X²=10.8, df=3, p<.05) and less likely to have graduated from high school (X²=26.8, df=3, p<.001) or worked in the past year (X²=10.4, df=3, p<.05). Those with dual systems or juvenile justice only involvement had higher odds of being arrested after age 18 (OR=3.1, CI=2.2, 4.4; OR=3.1, CI=2.2, 4.3).  Juvenile justice only had higher odds of problematic substance use (OR=2.0, CI=1.4, 2.9) and dually-involved had higher odds of trading sex (OR=1.6, CI=1.1, 2.4).

Conclusions/Implications: Results suggest YAEH with prior involvement in child systems have unique risk profiles that vary by type of system involvement, with dual-system involved youth at particularly high risk. These findings highlight the need for foster care and juvenile justice systems to provide preventive interventions prior to system exit that utilize trauma informed approaches and to coordinate efforts specifically to support youth involved in both systems.  Substance abuse treatment may be particularly important for those who encounter the juvenile justice system. Service providers for YAEH can also screen for history of dual system involvement as an indicator of heightened risk, which could be targeted with comprehensive supportive interventions.