1. Capital Region Youth Homeless Advisory Board
Capital Region Youth Count
October 13, 2017

2. Today’s Presenters
Mary Campagna, Co-Chair – Community Maternity Services
Andy Gilpin, Co-Chair – CAPTAIN, Youth and Family Services
Melanie Puorto-Conte – SAFE Inc.
Samantha Winzenried – CARES Inc.

3. History of Youth Counts and Point in Time Counts
Why Is Collecting Data Important?
Strengths & Weaknesses of the HUD Point In Time Count
Challenges of counting Homeless Youth?

4. Our Response
Formation of a Capital Region Homeless Youth Advisory Board
Consists of Local Providers, State Agencies and Other Stakeholders
Mission and Purpose
Vision statement: To provide accurate data that leads to strong, effective solutions that will end youth homelessness in the Capital Region.
Mission statement: The mission is to provide leadership, develop, advocate, and coordinate community strategies to accurately count homeless youth.

5. Voices of the Youth Count: Chapin Hall
Voices Of Youth Count, Chapin Hall, Chicago
The Result:  2016 First Annual Homeless Youth Count

6. Review of the Data Sets Youth Surveys HMIS Data
Data from Homeless Liaisons

7. Youth Surveys
On the street surveys of youth within the demographic range who may be struggling with housing issues.
Using the survey to understand the scope of homelessness in communities within the catchment area.
First hand knowledge of the youth homelessness issue and housing instability.
Effective tool to understanding demographics and underlying issues.
Local leads responsible for coordinating surveying.

8. HMIS Data
CARES, Inc. will be coordinating the collection of HMIS data from the system.
Basic Demographics
Length of Stay
Prior Residence
Unaccompanied/Parenting Youth
Data will be collecting from those youth in homeless services on the night of October 12th day of October 13th.
Data will be analyzed and broken down by demographics.

9. Homeless Liaison Data
Laura French, New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA), will be coordinating the collection of data from Capital Region Homeless Liaisons.
The Youth Count utilizes the McKinney-Vento Act definition of homeless, which allows for all school districts to report on homeless students.
Asking Districts to report the total number of homeless students 13 – 21 years of age and then of those, how many are considered unaccompanied (without a parent or guardian).

10. Understanding the Youth Survey
Question by question review of the Youth Survey.
Understanding what questions we are asking and why.
Survey is completely voluntary and youth don’t need to answer if they don’t want to or feel uncomfortable.
Please have survey in front of you to review.
Note: Survey can be found on the CARES website for easy review.

11. How to Interact with Youth on the Streets during Youth Survey
Homeless youth, those at-risk of homeless, trafficked youth, and/or street-involved youth are very skeptical and don’t easily trust.
The Youth Survey is intended to be voluntary and as non-intrusive as possible.
Remind youth of voluntary nature and the data we are collecting is completely anonymous. We are using the information purely for research and data collection.
Asking youth to be a partner in the process and how much their opinion/information will help is a great way to get them to take the survey.

12. How to Interact with Youth on the Streets during Youth Survey cont.
Your safety is paramount. Please be aware of your surroundings when approaching youth and their state (physically, mentally, and behaviorally; ie drug and alcohol use).
Do not approach youth if you feel uncomfortable with any situations that puts your safety jeopardy.
Avoid large groups of youth who may be involved in questionable activities.
When approaching youth, start with friendly greeting and ask for their help with the survey.
For youth who appear timid or unsure of taking survey, try to have interactions with just one person and have partner hang back.
The goal is to gather as much data as possible, but not to upset the youth.

13. Review of Local Street Survey Teams and County Leads
Columbia-Greene Counties: Kai Hillman Rensselaer County: Matt Vertefuille Schenectady County: Melanie Puorto-Conte & Cassie Walker Albany County: Lisanne Forgione & Nicole Ward Saratoga County: Andy Gilpin

14. Review of Local Street Survey Teams
Reference the Developing a Point in Time Plan for Unsheltered Youth sheet.
Developing a Game Plan for the day of the Youth Count.

15. Data Collection Leads bring surveys to CARES on MONDAY 10/16
If you need an additional arrangements please
If you’re a LEAD and purchased Gift Cards, receipts and extra gift cards must be returned to CARES on MONDAY 10/16
If you used a gift card there must be a survey

16. Question and Answers Contact Us
Andy Gilpin, Associate Executive Director, CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services
Co-Chair of Capital Region Youth Homeless Advisory Board
Mary Campagna, Community Maternity Services
Samantha Winzenried, CoC Unit Coordinator, CARES Inc.