Connecting Rural Minor Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Process Evaluation of the Qualified Minor Verification Tool

Background

Studies using homeless management information system data have shown that minor youth and youth in rural communities are waiting significantly longer amounts of time to access housing resources. Although many states allow minor unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) to sign up for housing and services, community providers have reported barriers establishing YEH’s qualifying minor status. Homeless service agencies in collaboration with the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care (MO BoS-CoC) have developed a provider-initiated qualified minor verification form (QMVF) that serves as a legal certification for minor emancipation status to assist YEH to participate in housing and other services. Specifically, the form walks providers through questions to discuss with YEH to establish their qualifying minor status. The form signed by a provider allows qualified minor YEH to legally sign up for housing, banking, and other services. The MO BoS-CoC has been promoting tool usage through training webinars targeting YEH-serving providers. This process evaluation study aimed to solicit feedback from providers on the perceived benefits, feasibility, and sustainability of the QMVF and its associated training program.

Method

Using a mixed-methods research design, with assistance from the MO BoS-CoC, a purposive sample of MO BoS-CoC providers (N=20) were recruited for this process evaluation. Eleven providers participated in semi-structured interviews via Zoom, while nine providers completed a survey. Survey questions and semi-structured interviews explored provider feedback on the tool and training; interviews explored providers’ practice experience implementing the tool with YEH. Two members of the research team coded interview transcripts line-by-line, and discussions for consensus informed the thematic analysis, while descriptive analysis was conducted on survey data.

Results

Participants were predominantly Caucasian and female with diverse professional backgrounds, including homeless education liaisons, housing providers, and legal aid providers. Survey and interview data indicated consensus from providers that the tool is needed and should address existing limitations in connecting YEH with services. Providers expressed appreciation for the form and the training and eagerness to adopt the form into daily systems/operations. Yet, current awareness and regular utilization of the form remain low according to participants; barriers include legal liability concerns and provider turnover. Providers offered recommendations for improvement, including expansion of the FAQs and more practice scenarios for application. There was strong support for wider publicization of the tool, particularly targeting decision-makers, such as school administrators.

Conclusion and Implications

Our process evaluation confirms great need for connecting minor YEH in rural communities to resources in a timely manner. Providers welcomed the QMVF as an important means to address existing difficulties serving YEH but noted challenges to consistent adoption and implementation. Study findings have immediate application for practice with YEH: providers’ recommendations for improvement are being incorporated by the MO BoS-CoC and collaborating agencies to modify the QMVF and its training program, including the option for both synchronous and on-demand training to better equip providers to serve YEH. A more rigorous outcome evaluation may be warranted to develop evidence of the QMVF’s utility for connecting minor YEH with resources such as housing.