Commitments to Create a Plan to End Youth Homelessness and Value Youth Voices are Needed Now

Hello Chairperson Frumin and members of the Committee on Human Services. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Kawanza Billy, and I am reading testimony by my DC Action colleague, Rachel White, who is our Deputy Director of Youth Advocacy. At DC Action, we use research, data, and a racial equity lens to break down barriers that stand in the way of all kids reaching their full potential. 

Three critical areas require urgent attention from the Committee on Human Services, DHS, and the ICH.

1. An evaluation and data analysis of Solid Foundations to inform future planning
2. A commitment to maintaining a separate care system and strategic plan for youth experiencing homelessness that reflects their unique developmental stage and service needs
3. Preservation of youth voice in policymaking, particularly within ICH workgroups

Evaluate the effectiveness of Solid Foundations to inform next steps

The 2017 creation of Solid Foundations DC was an important step in establishing a data-driven roadmap to end youth homelessness in the District. However, it expired in 2022, and there has been no formal evaluation of its impact or gaps. Without this assessment, we are operating in the dark, repeating the same mistakes, and failing to build on what has worked.

The data is clear: we have not met the goal of ending youth homelessness.

• The 2016 Homeless Youth Count identified 537 youth experiencing housing instability or literal homelessness.
• The 2023 Homeless Youth Count reported 1,024 youth experiencing literal homelessness.
• DHS’s count of youth served through the youth system jumped from 461 in 2016 to 1,516 in 2023.

These numbers indicate that, rather than a reduction in youth homelessness, we have seen it increase. We also know that discrepancies in data collection methods and definitions of homelessness, along with youth utilization of non-youth system services, unfortunately suggest these figures are undercounts.

It is frustrating that we have had to ask multiple times at these oversight hearings for the ICH to evaluate the strategies and implementation shortcomings of Solid Foundations. Yet we continue to believe that without thorough analysis, any new plan will lack the necessary foundation to be effective, and we cannot afford to build a future strategy on an unexamined past. My written testimony elaborates on the components of a thorough evaluation ICH should undertake. 

• Comprehensive data analysis of youth homelessness trends over the past decade, using HMIS, Youth Census, and DHS data, accounting for all young people ages 18 to 26 (assuming services began prior to turning 25) who have received District services, regardless of which system they accessed.

• Examination of the effectiveness of housing services and intervention strategies and whether funded services aligned with the stated goals of Solid Foundations.

• Youth and community-driven analysis of gaps in the youth homelessness system, including housing supports and wraparound services for behavioral health, workforce development, financial literacy, education, and more.

• Analyses should include recurring strategic planning and plan evaluation processes for the youth homelessness system, similar to those required for the family and single adult systems in Homeward DC, including measurable goals and deadlines, interagency and cross-sector collaboration requirements, and periodic  progress reports to ensure the District is responding to the dynamic needs of young adults.

Commit to a separate, dedicated plan to address youth homelessness

Youth homelessness is fundamentally different from adult homelessness and requires a distinct, developmentally appropriate approach. Yet, in discussions about future strategic planning for the District’s homeless services, there has been no commitment from ICH to maintain a separate youth homelessness plan or system of DHS services.

We must remember that young people experiencing homelessness are in a critical developmental stage. Research shows that youth-onset homelessness is strongly linked to long-term housing instability and severe mental health challenges. Youth have unique opportunities to be successfully connected to opportunities for economic mobility, such as education and workforce supports. Their needs will not be served by simply folding them into the adult homelessness system.

My written testimony elaborates on some of the components that the District’s next  youth-focused strategic plan to end homelessness should include.

• Workforce training and development programs that create career pathways into fields that excite youth and offer opportunity for advancement. (Related: DC Fiscal Policy Institute Report on A Youth Job Guarantee) 

• Employment and education or credential opportunities for careers that would benefit from lived experience with homelessness, such as social work and other mental health careers, case management and outreach work, community organizing and conflict resolution, and more.

• Services and youth system staff who are culturally competent to engage and serve LGBTQ+ youth, Spanish-speaking youth, justice-involved youth, and youth who have experienced domestic or sexual violence.

• Behavioral health counseling and referral services beyond case management that are embedded on site into youth-serving housing programs so youth do not need to travel to have their mental health needs met, and so the District can reduce reliance on largely ineffective crisis intervention services.

• Stronger connections to completing or continuing education (high school and post-secondary) and financial literacy trainings to build long-term independence.

The District’s dedicated youth plan should be updated every five years, as is the case for the family and single adult homelessness systems. The District should require biennial or annual implementation progress reports to ensure accountability and system alignment.

Listen to youth voices in ICH work groups

Young people with lived experience must have a seat at the table in shaping policies that directly impact them. Unfortunately, we continue to observe that youth participation in ICH workgroups is sidelined, de-prioritized, or tokenized.

Youth experiencing homelessness are the experts on what works and what doesn’t in the system. They deserve:

• Full membership in ICH workgroups with a real decision-making role, not just occasional consultation.
• Compensation for their time and expertise. Youth should not be expected to share their experiences without fair compensation.
• Transparent communication about how their input is being used in policymaking.

If we are serious about ending youth homelessness, we need to listen to young people and ensure their voices shape the policies designed to support them.

Chairperson Frumin, DC cannot afford another year without a clear plan to address youth homelessness. ICH must take immediate action by:

1. Conducting a full evaluation of Solid Foundations to understand what has worked, what has failed, and where we go next.
2. Committing to a separate, dedicated youth homelessness plan that reflects the distinct needs and opportunities of young people.
3. Ensuring youth voices are meaningfully included in ICH decision-making and workgroups.

We cannot continue to let youth homelessness increase without a clear strategy, data-driven solutions, and youth leadership in policymaking. ICH must act now.

Thank you for your time, and I welcome your questions.