1. Homeless Youth in Oklahoma Sydney Miller

2. Types of Homelessness in Oklahoma Couch Homelessness: no home of their own, often floating from family member’s houses, friends houses, and sometimes scattered. Cycle of Homelessness: usually begins with a loss of a job, heavy medical expenses, or other large financial losses. 1/3 of homeless population is employed; 1/3 in workforce are at risk for being bankrupt, losing their house, assets, etc. Children from homelessness do more poorly in schools, e.g. lower reading levels thus performing poorly on state tests, vocabularies, lower developed motor skills, contributed with chronic stress and hypervigilence (“Positive Tomorrows,” 2014-2016). Chronic Homeless: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “(1) an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless for a year or more, OR (2) an unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years (2007, p.3).”

3. Systems in Place in Oklahoma Be the Change: Helping homeless youth transition into housing, street outreach in collaboration with 14 other agencies providing referrals on the street to homeless youth, and an HIV support network. Has helped 300 people achieve permanent housing. Goal: End Chronic Homeless. (“Be The Change, n.d.) Positive Tomorrows: Oklahoma’s only elementary school for homeless children to fit their unique needs, and support for parents. Provided: 63 health check ups, 45 dental, 54 hearing screenings, 26,384 school meals. For families, 89% improved employment, 91% gained improvement in housing, and 94% had increased income. (“Positive Tomorrows,” 2014-2016) Crossroads Youth and Family Services: Emergency Shelter for Youth, Community At Risk Services, First Offender, Juvenile intervention, head start, etc. Sheltered 335 children in 2015. (Annual Management Report, FY 2015)

4. Systems in Oklahoma cont. Sisu Youth Center: day center for homeless youth 15-24. Goal: connect a crisis support network for homeless youth to never face crisis alone, and to be safe. OKC Youth United: for ages 14-20 of all genders and sexual orientations. City Rescue Mission, Homeless Alliance Youth, Bridges, One Vision One Voice, domestic violence shelters, salvation army, food and shelter, and more.

5. Wicked Problem of Homeless Youth Morse (2014) defines poverty as a wicked problem; it did not happen overnight, meaning fixing such a deep rooted issue is not easy (p.3). This will take generations of hard work, investments, and smarter ways to work. Oklahoma Metro identifies an estimate of 10,400 homeless teens (“OKCYU”, 2014). 85% eligible participating families on SNAP. 15% have one of more chronic conditions, 13% have asthma, 13% add/adhd. By 8 th grade, only 20% were profecient in reading, 15% proficient in math (The National Center on Family Homelessness, 2014). Minority races make up 42% of homeless population, though make up 19% of population (Sandefur & Tienda, 1988).

6. Figure 1. Subpopulation Trends. The state of homelessness in america. (2013). [Figure illustrating homelessness within different subpopulations]. Trends in Homelessness Groups. Retrieved April 11, 2016 from http://www.endhomelessness.org/page/-/files/2014_State_Of_Homelessness_final.pdf

7. Homeless Youth In Oklahoma Oklahoma is 46th in the nation for homeless children as of 2013. ¼ children are living in poverty. 41% of students were couch homeless 2012-2013, 43,643 children were homeless in Oklahoma. This is 10,259 more than 2010-2011. ¾ of these children were in couch homeless-- receiving aid of some temporary sort. 20% are homeless most of their lives (The National Center on Family Homelessness, 2014). As of 2013-2014 homeless youth in schools, 13,124 homeless children received services from the McKinney-Vento Subgrants, 11,990 were not served, (Children Adrift, Oklahoma Watch, 2014).

8. Wicked Problem of Homeless Youth Con. Norman: 15.8% of families in Cleveland County are living below the poverty line, and only 5.6% do not have children. 29.1% of those in poverty have no one in the labor market. Only 9% are white (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014). Minority Representation and Population At-Risk Youth Single teenage mothers

9. How Can Social Workers Build a Smarter Community? Theme within homeless youth centers are collaboration of strong partnering agencies working under a continuum of care. Collaborate volunteers, skills, groups, leaders, and resources to combat the multi-faceted issue of poverty (re-entry from prisons, education, financial assistance, housing, employment, healthcare, etc.) Norman has began observing, researching, and taking action. Best Practice: Housing First  huge reduction for homeless, money spent on emergency medical services, detentions and jails, and rehabs crisis centers.

10. One Vision One Voice- Tackling a Wicked Problem in a Smart Community Norman’s social service partners started the continuum of care. Research was conducted on the homeless in 2009 with volunteer citizens, creating one vision one voice goals and research. Goal is to service all chronic homeless with skills and resources to continue to live out of homelessness. 2015: Housed 21 chronic homeless, and 12 of the 15 veterans who are homeless in Norman. 2016 Goal: To end homelessness for 85 chronic homeless, and 15 chronic homeless veterans. (Oklahoma’s Progress Towards Ending Veteran & Chronic Homelessness, 2015)

11. One Vision One Voice- Tackling a Wicked Problem in a Smart Community PARTNERS: Bridges -- Central Oklahoma Community Mental Health Center-- Food and Shelter --- HOPE Community Services --- Norman Housing Authority --- Oklahoma Department of Human Services ---Progressive Independence --- Salvation Army --- Sanctuary Women’s Development Center --- Thunderbird Clubhouse --- United Way of Norman --- Variety Care --- Department of Veterans Affairs ---Women’s Resource Center --- CITIZENS. Providing housing first to stabilize resources.

12. One Vision One Voice GOALS: “Raise awareness of the growing number of people experiencing homelessness in Norman Dispel myths about the factors that contribute to homelessness Educate our citizens that homelessness is expensive and it is better to invest in solutions Eliminate the stigma experienced by the homeless Discuss solutions for homelessness Create a dignified vision for addressing homelessness (One Vision One Voice, n.d.).”

13. References Children Adrift. (2014). Oklahoma Watch. Retrieved from http://oklahomawatch.org/2014/11/17/oklahoma-ranks- fifth-worst-in-child-homelessness/ Oklahoma’s Progress Towards Ending Veteran & Chronic Homelessness. (2015). Oklahoma's zero: 2016 progress in 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://mhaok.org/oklahomas-progress-towards-ending-veteran-chronic- homelessness/ OKCYU. (2014). Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.okcyu.org/ One Vision One Voice. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.facebook.com/ovovnorman The National Center on Family Homelessness. (2014) Report card on child homelessness. Retrieved from http://homelesschildrenamerica.org/mediadocs/280.pdf Sandefur, G. D., & Tienda, M. (1988). Divided opportunities: Minorities, poverty and social policy. Springer Science & Business Media. U.S. Census Bureau. (2010-2014). Poverty Status in Past 12 Months: American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_14_5YR_S1702 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2007). Defining chronic homelessness: A technical guide for HUD programs. (Community Planning and Development Contract NYPH-001-0). Retrieved from: https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/DefiningChronicHomeless.pdf