Breadcrumb
- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
Administration for Children and Families/Family and Youth Services Bureau Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
Eligibility: Youth aged 16 to 22 who are unable to return to their homes
Focus: Life skills training
Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs that serve transition-age youth include the Transitional Living Program and the Maternity Group Homes Program.
The Transitional Living Program for Older Homeless Youth promotes the independence of youth between 16 and 22 years old who are unable to return to their homes. Grantees provide housing and a range of services, including life skills training, financial literacy instruction, and education and employment services. Youth might live in group homes or in their own apartments, depending on the program and each young person's independent living skills.
The Maternity Group Homes Program, part of the Transitional Living Program, supports homeless pregnant and/or parenting young people between the ages of 16 and 22, as well as their dependent children. Services are provided for up to 21 months.
Children's Bureau
The Children's Bureau (CB) is one of two bureaus within the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families, of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Children's Bureau seeks to improve the safety, permanency and well-being of children through leadership, support for necessary services, and productive partnerships with states, tribes, and communities. It has the primary responsibility for administering federal programs that support state child welfare services.
Don't Call Them Dropouts
A report from America’s Promise Alliance encourages readers to think differently about youth who have left school, suggesting a change in terminology, from “dropouts” to “nongraduates” or students who have had “interrupted enrollment.” As this article explains, youth voices are featured prominently in the report, which also highlights factors that influence students to leave school and the supports that can help them to return to and remain in school.
Getting Staff Buy-in for a “Low-Barrier” Approach at a Youth Shelter
The Department of Health and Human Services’ National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth is featuring information on its website for individuals who work in youth shelters who want to help other staff get used to a “low-barrier” approach, meaning young people are not turned away because they have been drinking or using drugs.
National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth (NCFY)
NCFY is a free information service for Community, organizations, and individuals interested in developing new and effective strategies for supporting young people and their families. Their website includes youth development resources, funding announcements for FYSB's programs, free publications, and a calendar of conferences and trainings.
National Youth in Transition Database
The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) will collect case-level information on youth in care including the services paid for or provided by the State agencies that administer the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP), as well as the outcome information on youth who are in or who have aged out of foster care.
Protecting Student Privacy While Using Online Educational Services: Model Terms of Service
This Model Terms of Service (PDF, 9 pages) document is intended to assist schools and school districts in implementing the PTAC-issued guidance, Protecting Student Privacy While Using Online Educational Services: Requirements and Best Practices (PDF, 14 pages). The Model Terms of Service helps school officials evaluate terms of service agreements from providers of online educational services and mobile applications.
Read the Key Lessons of the RPG Program
“The Final Synthesis and Summary Report: Grantee Interviews” (PDF, 35 pages) captures lessons learned and stories from the Regional Partnership Grant (RPG) Program. The RPG is the broadest federal program ever launched to assist states, tribes, and communities across the nation to improve the well-being, permanency, and safety outcomes of children who are in, or at-risk of, out-of-home placement as a result of a parent's or caregiver's methamphetamine or other substance abuse.
Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Centers - Community of Practice
This site is a meeting place that provides members of the RHYTTAC CoP with opportunities to participate in discussion forums, member profiles, photo gallery, file storage, and more.
Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Centers
This resource provides technical assistance to runaway and homeless youth programs.
5 Tips for Providing Trauma-Informed Sex Education
This article highlights the work of two researchers who are pioneering changes in sex education that bridge the gap between sex education and trauma-informed care by better understanding how sex education could be more sensitive to students’ traumatic experiences. This article also offers tips, based on this research, for implementing a trauma informed approach to sex education.
Guidance: Education Department Reiterates — Title I Funding Can Be Used to Serve Homeless Students
This article explains the guidance provided in a recent “Dear Colleague” letter (PDF, 4 pages) issued by the Department of Education which explains how school districts can use Title I funds to help children and youth experiencing homelessness. Some examples of ways districts can use the funds are to transport homeless students to and from school, pay the salaries of staff who work with homeless youth, and to generally meet the needs of these students.
John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood
The John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (the Chafee program) provides funding to support youth/ young adults in or formerly in foster care in their transition to adulthood. The program is funded through formula grants awarded to child welfare agencies in States (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and participating Tribes. Chafee funds are used to assist youth/ young adults in a wide variety of areas designed to support a successful transition to adulthood. Activities and programs include, but are not limited to, help with education, employment, financial management, housing, emotional support and assured connections to caring adults. Specific services and supports are determined by the child welfare agency, vary by State, locality and agency, and are often based on the individual needs of the young person. Many State or local agencies contract with private organizations to deliver services to young people.
USDA 1890 National Scholars Program
The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program is aimed at bolstering educational and career opportunities for students from rural or underserved communities around the country. The scholarship provides recipients with full tuition, fees, books, and room and board to attend one of the 1890 land-grant universities and pursue degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines. The scholarship may also include work experience at USDA.
Computers for Learning
The CFL program's ambitious goal is to make modern computer technology an integral part of every classroom so that every child has the opportunity to be educated to his or her full potential.
Parents, Lock Up Your Drugs
While children and teens are home on winter break, parents are encouraged to hide or secure their medications to avoid accidental ingestion or abuse.
10 Tips To Get Ready for Back to School
Kids.gov developed 10 tips that can help parents make the transition back to school easier for students. Tips address topics like time management, back to school shopping, and talking with teachers.
Resource: Kids.gov Re-envisioned
This blog post describes the re-envisioning of Kids.gov, a project which aims to improve the site to better suit the public’s needs.
2013 Monitoring the Future Survey
The Monitoring the Future survey, conducted annually, measures the current drug use, and attitudes toward drugs, of students in grades 8, 10, and 12 across the country. Results included observed declines in the abuse of prescription opioids, alcohol, and cigarettes by teens, the use of synthetic marijuana, Vicodin, and salvia among twelfth graders, and the use of inhalants by eighth graders, but an increase in teens’ use of Adderall. The results also reveal that less than 40% of high school seniors believed that regular marijuana users risk harming themselves, meaning that the perception by seniors that regular marijuana may be dangerous is the lowest it has been since 1978.
Alcohol Policy Information System
The Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) provides detailed information on a wide variety of alcohol-related policies in the United States at both State and Federal levels.
Drug Addiction: Step-by-Step Guides for Seeking Help
NIDA has released new step-by-step guides both for those seeking help to overcome drug addiction and their loved ones. The guides are presented in a simple Q&A format with accompanying videos and are customized into four categories: (1) teens seeking help, (2) adults seeking help, (3) parents/guardians seeking help for their teen/young adult child, and (4) those trying to help an adult loved one.
E-Cigarette Use in College Tied to Other Risky Behaviors
A new study of more than 1,400 college students shows that students who use tobacco, marijuana, and/or binge drink are more likely to use electronic cigarettes. The survey results also show that students who considered e-cigarettes to be less harmful than traditional tobacco products were also more likely to use e-cigarettes.
Get Involved: NIDA's National Drug Facts Week
Get involved with NIDA’s fifth annual Drug Facts Week. Host or promote events for teens that help shatter the myths about drugs, and expose teens to facts about drugs and addiction from scientists and other experts. NIDA staff can recommend materials and activities, help organizations partner with one another, and highlight events on the official 2015 National Drug Facts Week map.
Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know
This resource provides parents with tips on how to spot marijuana use by their teen and how to raise the issue with them.
Marijuana: Facts for Teens
This resource for teens discusses the consequences and effects of marijuana use, as well as its risk for addiction and potential as a medicine.