Family Issues Remain Top Reason For Running From Home

CHICAGO (March 28, 2006) – It’s 1:45 a.m. on a chilly Tuesday morning and a lonely 16-year-old girl who ran 130 miles from home a week ago is out of money, has no where to stay for the night, and is scared. A front-line team member at the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) answers the phone when the girl calls from a phone booth looking for help. Within a half-hour, NRS has arranged for the girl to enter a youth shelter four blocks from where she is located.

NRS handled more than 102,000 calls in 2005. Nearly half of the calls, 45 percent, were with youth. And of all calls with youth, 55 percent were already on the street as a runaway, throwaway, or homeless youth.

"Our call volume statistics show that 35 percent of kids are reaching out to the National Runaway Switchboard because they are having a hard time dealing with family dynamic issues such as divorce, remarriage, custody, problems with siblings and extended family members, conflict with family rules, and death of a family member," said Maureen Blaha, NRS executive director. "No matter the issue, we’re here 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year to help link runaway and at-risk youth and their families to social service agencies, shelters, healthcare and help anywhere in the United States and its territories."

From January through December 2005, NRS front line team members of staff and volunteers handled a total of 102,144 calls – 76,515 incoming calls and 25,629 outgoing calls (such as to a local shelter or social service agency, or to mediate a conference call with family members). Calls were with runaway and at-risk youth, parents, relatives of runaways, adults (not parent/guardian) such as teachers, a friend of an at-risk youth, social service or youth agency, and police or law enforcement officer.

Reported age identified by the caller:

• 67 percent of youth callers were between 14 and 17 years old
• NRS handled calls with youth as young as 10 years old

Gender of the caller:

• 77 percent female
• 23 percent male

Youth’s situation at the time of the call:

• 55 percent were on the street as a runaway, throwaway or homeless youth
• 45 percent were dealing with a crisis situation or contemplating running from home

Time the youth has been away from home before calling NRS (on the street, with a friend, at a youth shelter):

• 70 percent were on the street 1-7 days
• 13 percent were on the street 1-4 weeks
• 12 percent were gone one to six months
• Nearly 5 percent were away from home more than six months

The longer a youth is away from home the chances of reunification with his or her family decrease considerably

Problems identified by callers:

• 35 percent – family dynamics such as divorce, remarriage, problems with siblings and extended family members
• 12 percent – peer or social concerns such as peer pressure, gang issues, dating, relationships and internet relationships
• 10 percent – youth services issues such as a relationship with a social worker, placement in alternative housing, involvement with state social services systems or alternate housing
• 9 percent – school or educational problems

Top five states where NRS handled crisis calls in 2005:

• Illinois – 17,045 calls
• California – 15,764 calls
• Texas – 10,376 calls
• Florida – 6,888 calls
• New York – 4,802 calls

NRS partnership with Greyhound Lines, Inc.:

• Throughout 2005, the NRS Home Free program, a partnership with Greyhound Lines, Inc., continued to help runaway youth. On average 37 bus tickets were issued per month
• 86 percent of the tickets issued were out of state tickets
• On average 23 females and 14 males utilized the Home Free program monthly

The National Runaway Switchboard, established in 1971, serves as the federally-designated national communication system for homeless and runaway youth. Recognized as the oldest hotline of its kind in the world, NRS, with the support of more than 150 volunteers, has handled more than 3 million calls in its 35-year history and handles an average of 100,000 calls annually. NRS provides crisis intervention, referrals to local resources, and education and prevention services to youth, families and community members throughout the country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Over 10,000 youth have been reunited with their families through NRS’ Home Free program done in collaboration with Greyhound Lines, Inc. The NRS crisis hotline is 1-800-RUNAWAY. For more information, visit www.1800runaway.org.