Murkowski, Murray Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address Youth Homelessness

Murkowski, Murray Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address Youth Homelessness

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the bipartisan Preventing Youth Homelessness Demonstration Act. This legislation would authorize $105 million for HHS's Administration for Children and Families (ACF) aimed at tackling youth homelessness by investing in prevention strategies and community-based solutions. The funding would be used to create two new grant programs that would address the conditions that contribute to youth homelessness and provide effective resources and support for young people as well as upstream interventions that help reduce the likelihood that young people will experience homelessness in the first place- for example, a resource helpline, casework management, or support groups for youth or young adults and their families who are at risk of homelessness.

This legislation will build off the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program she helped establish in 2016-and has successfully fought to secure funding for every year since-by addressing the conditions that contribute to youth homelessness and providing effective resources and support for young people and families who need them most.

"Better equipping local leaders to take a comprehensive approach to addressing youth homelessness in Alaska and around the country must be a priority," said Senator Murkowksi. "The grant programs established through this legislation will give communities both the resources and the mechanisms to understand the root causes of youth homelessness and work upstream to identify and implement prevention measures to keep young people housed, safe, and supported."

"No one should be homeless in America but especially not our kids-this is an issue Republicans and Democrats can come together on to make sure all of our kids have a safe place to call home," said Senator Murray. "That's why I'm working across the aisle to create these new grant programs that address the root causes of youth homelessness head on. We know what works. If our communities have the resources they need, we can prevent youth homelessness. I will not stop fighting to make sure we have the resources we need to ensure every young person has a roof over their head."

"For 37 years Covenant House Alaska has been the safe haven for youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking due to systems failure, unfortunate family circumstances, and a host of other reasons that made the street their final attempt to escape what were unimaginable situations. For the past two and a half years and for the foreseeable future we, along with support from our federal delegation, our local provider partners and our amazingly dedicated staff, will be focused on preventing young people in Alaska from ever being or feeling afraid of being homeless and the horrible experiences that inevitably set in motion years of insecurity and disfunction. We aim to end youth homelessness as we know it and our first full attempt in the form of a demonstration project has shown us that this is possible," said Alison Kear, Chief Executive Officer, Covenant House Alaska.

"Youth homelessness is preventable, but only if communities have dedicated resources to identify young people at risk and connect them with effective support. SchoolHouse Connection is proud to endorse this legislation and thanks Senators Murray and Murkowski for their leadership on this critical issue. This bill reflects an important understanding: preventing youth homelessness requires targeted investment in upstream interventions, strong local partnerships, and a real federal commitment to helping young people and families achieve stability before they enter crisis," said Barbara Duffield, Executive Director, SchoolHouse Connection.

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