Addressing youth homelessness

In Prince George’s County, Maryland at least 1,600 young people are experiencing homelessness and as many as 42,000 may be at risk. The county has worked to address this challenge by implementing a youth-driven, community-based response targeting young people facing homelessness. To this end, the county established a Youth Action Board, a decision-making and advocacy body comprised entirely of local youth and young adults with lived experience of homelessness or housing instability.

The Youth Action Board co-authored the County’s Coordinated Community Plan to address youth homelessness and evaluated and approved all projects funded in response to that plan. As part of this effort, to continue to address homelessness and other community issues, the county also established a Children and Youth Cabinet with a working group focusing on newly arrived children. Two young people were key members of the working group and provided insights on how the county can ensure that newly arrived children, migrant youth, and refugees are able to access services and resources.