CH PENNSYLVANIA UNDER - 21

Education and employment services:young people arrive at chpa with dreams that have been disrupted by homelessness. Advancing education and preparing for the world of work are key to a young person's prospects for leaving homelessness behind. At chpa, a basic assessment is provided to each youth who requests services. This assessment helps to determine if youth can work, receive vocational training, pursue high school or ged classes, or attend college. Once the assessment is complete, staff and youth work together to identify the appropriate service referrals.during fy24:- 158 youth engaged in job readiness and employment services.- 93 youth actively employed.- 39 youth enrolled in high school, college, or vocational programs.- 16 youth earned a high school diploma or equivalency.health and well-being:homelessness impacts young people's physical and mental well-being in many ways, and because youth are still developing cognitively, physically, psychologically, and emotionally, those impacts can have deep effects. This is even more the case for young black, indigenous and people of color (bipoc) and those who identify as lgbtq, who face unique challenges associated with racism and prejudice. In fy24 at chpa, at least 87% of youth who access residential services self-identify as bipoc, and 23% identify as lgbtq. Youth come to cpha with diverse lived experiences: 57% cope with mental health challenges, 40% have a history in foster care, and 27% are survivors of domestic violence. Chpa welcomes all young people facing homelessness with unconditional love and absolute respect and provides them access to a range of health and well-being services that they can use to heal and rediscover their potential. Our trauma-informed, resilience-focused programs and services range from medical care at our on-site health centers to yoga classes, music lessons, counseling, religious and spiritual services, and sports. In these activities, young people retake control over their lives, build on their strengths, and nourish their self-confidence. During fy24, 118 youth received mental health counseling, 391 medical visits provided through on-site services and there was a 30% increase in youth participation in wellness and resilience-building activities. Chpa ensures that mental and physical health remain a top priority for youth.- established a behavioral health department led by a psychiatrist to provide trauma-informed therapy and specialized mental health care.- strengthened on-site health services, offering preventive care, reproductive health support, and chronic disease management.- increased wellness programming, including yoga, mindfulness, and peer-led support groups.

Outreach and drop-in centers:in vans and on foot, chpa outreach workers in philadelphia and york go out to the neighborhoods, barrios, waterfronts, parks, and other places where youth facing homelessness often seek refuge. They offer food, water, essential supplies, counseling and invite them to come to chpa, where their immediate, basic needs can be met. Through relentless engagement, our outreach workers build trust with the young people, the first step toward encouraging them to come into chpa and connect to our services. Transportation is provided as needed to a chpa shelter or other services such as a hospital. Street outreach is conducted throughout philadelphia 5 nights a week. For many reasons, not all youth experiencing homelessness are ready or able to be housed. Often, there are not enough beds in the community to house them. Chpa's york program is a combination of emergency shelter and drop-in center where young people can rest during the day, shower, eat a nourishing meal, do laundry, and access the internet. They can also access day-programming, case management and referrals to additional services.

Permanent supportive housing:this program provides housing to youth and young families through scattered-site apartments, where they receive ongoing case management and behavioral health services. Covenant house helps youth by covering a portion of their rent, a portion that dwindles as their capacity for independence increases. Community apartments and rapid rehousing programs are emerging as an increasingly important part of covenant house's continuum of care.