Notices

Youth Homelessness System Improvement Grant

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a $1.5 million award to the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) that will benefit youth and young adults (YYA) who live with homelessness and housing insecurity throughout Indiana.

The Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) Grant aims to create a seamless and coordinated system of care for youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness within the Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC) and in collaboration with the Indianapolis CoC. The grant will allow IHCDA to improve identification of youth in need and make it easier for youth to navigate available services. The grant will also make it possible to:

• Focus on systemic change by funding projects that create and build capacity for Youth Action Boards
• Collect and use data on at-risk youth and youth experiencing homelessness
• Develop strong leaders within a community and improve the coordination, communication, operation and administration of homeless assistance projects to better serve youth, including prevention and diversion strategies
• The grant application requested support for the following projects:
• Establishing viable local and state partnerships between youth focused and homelessness-focused organizations
• Improving capacity, effectiveness, and YYA leadership
• Improving the BoS CoC coordinated entry system (CES) to address youth-specific homelessness
• Improving data collection and coordination between organizations working with youth at-risk of and experiencing homelessness
• Assessing, addressing, and improving equity in youth homeless response systems

For more information, contact Kristin Garvey, Director of Homeless Services: Krigarvey@ihcda.in.gov

Homeless Youth Regional Program

In March 2022, the Indiana Department of Education entered a contract with Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) to support the work of the McKinney Vento Liaisons in providing wrap around services to youth and young adults who live with housing insecurity.  This program, the Homeless Youth Regional Program, (HYRP) was funded by the American Rescue Plan Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) grant.  As ARP-HCY funds wind down, so will this program.  HYRP will be sunset as of June 28, 2024.

Over the past 18 months,  Navigators have helped more than 650 youth and young adults between the ages of 5-24, as well as finding and vetting over 1700 resources throughout the state.  These resources will be housed on the IDOE Learning Lab platform.  If you have questions or concerns, please contact Jeanne Hidalgo, Youth Program Manager.

WHO: Cross Support Systems Navigators

WHAT: “Strengthen communities by identifying youth and young adults (YYA) who are living with housing insecurity, eliminate barriers to resource access, and bridge systems that promote safe and sustainable housing.”

WHY: Every YYA in Indiana deserves access to secure, stable and sustainable housing.

HOW: Navigators connect YYA with vital resources in the community of their choice.

Navigators have worked with the public school system, service providers and community partners to bring vital resources to youth and young adults living with housing insecurity.  If you are a youth or young adult who is experiencing homelessness or with housing insecurity, or have identified a youth or young adult who needs support, please contact the vetted resource list below.

*This program was made possible through American Rescue Plan-Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) federal grant funding, in collaboration with The Indiana Housing and Community Development Agency, (IHCDA) the Indiana department of Education (DOE) and the Indianapolis Continuum of Care.