NCJ Number
124786
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Health Care Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: (1990) Pages: 159-165
Date Published
1990
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study assesses the number of runaway and homeless youth in contact with shelter and outreach services in Los Angeles County and documents their circumstances and what happens after their interactions with service delivery agencies.
Abstract
The data was collected over a one-year period from various agencies that provide services to youth; they are categorized by age, sex, ethnicity, legal residence, referral source, living situation after receiving services, and requests for services not fulfilled. The most complex category -- status at intake -- includes prerunaways, situational runaways, justifiable runaways, chronic runaways, chronic and abused runaways, homeless youth, and homeless and abused youth. The findings indicate that shelters serve nearly equal numbers of males and females, almost half of whom are 15 years old or younger. Minority youth accounted for over half the sheltered population. After interaction with service delivery agencies, 70 percent go on to live in stable environments. In contrast, the clientele of outreach agencies is mostly white male, aged 16 and older. Only 40 percent get off the streets. Although most of the adolescents have multiple, serious problems, the primary goals of most agencies is family reunification in some form. The next best step is foster care, and if both these options are not feasible, independent living is often the only option. More emergency shelters need to be opened and long-term, transitional living programs established. 3 tables, 7 notes. (Author abstract modified)