Earlier this year, True Colors Fund and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty released the State Index on Youth Homelessness. This resource provides a snapshot of some of the legal, systemic, and environmental barriers and complex challenges youth experiencing homelessness face across the nation.
Below are a few highlights from the State Index:
![Teachable Tuesday: State Index on Youth Homelessness. 1 ALL states have at least some cities that criminally punish youth and young adults for life-sustaining behaviors conducted in public like sleeping.](http://cdn.1800runaway.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/000-1-1024x417.png)
![Teachable Tuesday: State Index on Youth Homelessness. 2 48 states do not promote safe and inclusive environments in their RHY programs by providing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity](http://cdn.1800runaway.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/001-1-1024x495.png)
![Teachable Tuesday: State Index on Youth Homelessness. 3 Only 6 states have regulations that assist youth experiencing homelessness in accessing higher education](http://cdn.1800runaway.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/002-1-1024x534.png)
![Teachable Tuesday: State Index on Youth Homelessness. 4 43 states do not address housing needs after a justice-involved youth is discharged.](http://cdn.1800runaway.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/003-1-1024x438.png)
More Highlights:
- Only 17 states met over half of the Index’s criteria and recommendations
- Six states failed to meet even 1/3 of the criteria (Alabama, South Carolina, Idaho, Arkansas, Utah, and Wyoming
- Many states have a lack of appropriate recognition of homeless youth in laws, policies and regulations:
- 41 states do not have a specific definition of the term “youth”
- 32 states do not define the term “runaway”
- 28 states lack explicit definitions of the terms “homeless child”, “homeless youth”, “homeless minor”, and “homeless student”
- 40 states do not subsidize childcare for eligible minor parents when employment or school is required under TANF