Newly Homeless Youth Typically Return Home

• NCJ Number: 218993
• Journal: Journal of Adolescent Health Volume: 40 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2007 Pages: 574-576
• Author(s): Norweeta G. Milburn Ph.D.; Doreen Rosenthal Ph.D.; Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus Ph.D.; Shelley Mallett Ph.D.; Philip Batterham M.P.H; Eric Rice Ph.D.; Rosa Solorio M.D.
• Date Published: June 2007
• Length: 3 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1ROI MH49958-04; P30MH58107
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In exploring the perception that leaving home leads to chronic homelessness, this study examined the rate and timing of returning home over a 2 year period among newly homeless youth in California and Australia.

Abstract

More newly homeless youth in Los Angeles, CA returned home within 24 months compared with youth in Melbourne, Australia. However, fewer youth entered into homelessness in Australia relative to the United States, probably due to a superior set of social services available. Those youth that did become homeless in Australia were more engaged in risk behaviors and they were less likely to return home within 2 years. Over 2 years, many youth in each city returned home and remained home for long periods. Previous studies have documented the high rates of risky health behaviors and negative outcomes for homeless youth. Globally, there is a perception that leaving home leads to chronic homelessness. However, there are no longitudinal data to support or dispute this assumption. This study surveyed 261 newly homeless adolescents from Los Angeles, CA and 165 newly homeless adolescents from Melbourne, Australia and followed them for 2 years to examine the rate and timing of returning home. Figures, references