For Full Article, Click Here: 2017 Plan To End Young Adult Homelessness PRESS RELEASE
Louisville, KY (January 5, 2017) – The fastest rising group of the homeless population, both locally and nationwide, are young adults age 18-24. From 2008 to 2009, 2009 to 2010, and again from 2010 to 2011, the number of homeless young adults in Louisville doubled, reaching a peak of 562 in 2013. In 2015, 418 young adults age 18-24 were living in adult emergency shelter or on the streets, plus an additional 450 youth below the age of 18 were served by YMCA Safe Place Services of Louisville.
In response to this alarming data, the Coalition for the Homeless and a committee of nearly 50 local providers, community leaders and government members have launched a new Rx: Housing initiative to end homelessness among unaccompanied young adults by the end of 2020, if not sooner. The extensive plan focuses on intervention by providing housing and life-changing services, which are intended to lead to health benefits and self-sufficiency. Partners include the Family Scholar House, Home of the Innocents, YMCA Safe Place Services of Louisville, KentuckianaWorks, YouthBuild and Centerstone. The effort’s success will be gauged on nine measurable outcome goals, including housing all identified homeless young adults and shortening the length of time young adults are unsheltered to no more than 30 days.