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The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore homeless young adults' perceptions of the systemic, situational, and intrapersonal barriers they encounter across multiple systems in trying to exit homelessness and the ways these barriers are interrelated. Thirty-one homeless young adults (ages 18–26) in Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona were recruited for in-depth interviews from two resource centers serving homeless youth. Template analysis was used to systematically analyze and code participants' verbatim transcripts from the interviews into a template (codebook). Characteristic quotes from the interviews are used to illustrate the emergent themes. Findings indicate that structural barriers faced by homeless youth include inadequate homeless resources, employment challenges, discrimination by law enforcement, hot climate, lack of transportation, and legal concerns. Situational barriers include interpersonal relationships, the street environment, and lack of personal resources. Intrapersonal barriers include behavioral, mental, and physical health challenges, reluctance to reach out for help, money management, and lack of desire for stable housing. Participants also outlined multiple ways in which these barriers interact to hinder their exiting homelessness. Findings support current literature applying ecological theory to the issue of homelessness while highlighting young people's own contextual descriptions of their lived experiences. Three approaches are recommended for improving homeless services with integrated housing, employment, and clinical interventions to help young adults successfully exit homeless. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrary to the perception that the business community can be hostile and exclusive toward individuals experiencing homelessness, local businesses can and do serve homeless populations at multiple levels. This article proposes a theoretical framework that links the versatile roles that local businesses can play in addressing various dimensions of human needs. This theoretical framework is illustrated through two models in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, which focus on the role of business improvement districts (BIDs) and a social enterprise intervention (SEI), respectively. These models demonstrate that the business community can meet not only physical needs but also the emotional and self-actualization goals of homeless individuals. This article suggests that social work education and field education curricula can benefit from engaging the business sector in addressing complex social issues, such as homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy between the Social Enterprise Intervention (SEI) and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) with homeless youth with mental illness to assess their impact on nonvocational outcomes. Method: Seventy-two homeless youth were recruited from one agency and randomized to the SEI (n = 36) or IPS (n = 36) conditions. Over 20 months, SEI participants received four SEI components, and IPS participants received eight IPS components. Data were collected on mental health, housing, and social support outcomes at baseline and one follow-up period. Results: Findings from mixed analysis of variance indicate that both SEI and IPS participants displayed statistically significant changes in their self-esteem, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) problems, inattention problems, living in a shelter, and living in a private residence. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate the comparative efficacy and short-term nonvocational outcomes of SEI and IPS with homeless youth with mental illness. Assessment of long-term outcomes of both interventions is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used the risk and resilience framework to examine predictors of formal and informal sources of income among homeless young adults. Formal sources of income generation consisted of full-time, part-time, or paid, temporary work. Informal sources included earning money from selling personal possessions, selling drugs, and theft. In all, 601 homeless young adults from three U.S. cities participated in semi-structured interviews. Structural equation modeling assessed whether demographic, homelessness history, mental health, problem behaviors, and resilience predicted income generation source. Income generation from formal sources was associated with being male, having a greater number of problem behaviors, and reporting higher levels of resilience. Informal income generation was associated with younger age, being transient, and reporting a greater number of problem behaviors. Findings underscore the need to address homelessness risk factors to support homeless young adults in securing stable, formal employment as an alternative to informal survival behaviors to earn income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined gender differences among homeless young adults' coping strategies and homelessness stressors as they relate to legal (e.g., full-time employment, selling personal possessions, selling blood/plasma) and illegal economic activity (e.g., selling drugs, theft, prostitution). A sample of 601 homeless young adults was recruited from 3 cities (Los Angeles, CA [ n = 200], Austin, TX [ n = 200], and Denver, CO [ n = 201]) to participate in semi-structured interviews from March 2010 to July 2011. Risk and resilience correlates of legal and illegal economic activity were analyzed using six Ordinary Least Squares regression models with the full sample and with the female and male sub-samples. In the full sample, three variables (i.e., avoidant coping , problem-focused coping , and mania ) were associated with legal income generation whereas eight variables (i.e., social coping, age, arrest history, transience, peer substance use, antisocial personality disorder [ASPD], substance use disorder [SUD], and major depressive episode [MDE] ) were associated with illegal economic activity. In the female sub-sample, three variables (i.e., problem-focused coping , race / ethnicity , and transience ) were correlated with legal income generation whereas six variables (i.e., problem-focused coping , social coping , age , arrest history , peer substance use , and ASPD ) were correlated with illegal economic activity. Among males, the model depicting legal income generation was not significant yet seven variables (i.e., social coping , age , transience , peer substance use , ASPD , SUD , and MDE ) were associated with illegal economic activity. Understanding gender differences in coping strategies and economic activity might help customize interventions aimed at safe and legal income generation for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mixed-methods study identified correlates of unemployment among homeless young adults in five cities. Two hundred thirty-eight homeless young people from Los Angeles (n = 50), Austin (n = 50), Denver (n = 50), New Orleans (n = 50), and St. Louis (n = 38) were recruited using comparable sampling strategies. Multivariate logistic regression results indicate that homeless young adults were more likely to be unemployed if they had been on the streets longer, currently lived on the streets, earned an income from panhandling, and were addicted to drugs. Quantitative findings are expanded on with focus-group data from a group of homeless young people in Los Angeles regarding their challenges in locating and maintaining employment. Employment-related barriers for this population include prior homelessness, geographic transience, previous felonies, mental illness, and addiction. Findings suggest that homeless young adults’ employment status and use of specific income-generating activities may be influenced by demographic, environmental, and geographic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Expectant or parenting youth (EPY) with foster care histories are often in need of a range of services yet experience barriers to accessing and utilizing those services. This exploratory qualitative study was informed by ecological systems theory and utilized interviews and focus groups with EPY (n = 11) and service providers (n = 28) to identify factors that facilitate service utilization for EPY. We found characteristics at the service provider, agency, and system levels that act as facilitators. Service provider characteristics that facilitate service use include empathy and trustworthiness, supportive navigation, and youth-centeredness. Agency facilitators included representative diversity and inclusivity, trauma-informed training and practice, and availability of tangible supports. System facilitators included having a variety of service providers, systems integration, and co-location. Findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the facilitators that contribute to EPY's service utilization. Future research is warranted to examine how these youth- and provider-identified drivers of service use influence health, mental health, parenting, education, relationships, employment, and housing outcomes for EPY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportunity youth, 16- to 24-year-olds who are neither in school nor working, are a population that is difficult to engage and retain in services. Population-level data and local data from coalitions play a critical role in helping human service organizations effectively plan, deliver and evaluate their programs. This case study of the Opportunities for Youth Coalition illustrates how a network of youth-serving organizations have been coordinating their service planning, delivery and evaluation since 2016 using annual data from both the American Community Survey (ACS) and local coalition as well as a collective impact approach. The authors propose strategies for administrators to replicate these data-driven, service-delivery approaches in other geographic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]