Several Philadelphia-area researchers are helping to answer that question.
A scientific journal recently published their manuscript - Youth Homelessness: Prevalence and Mental Health Correlates - to be used by practitioners and policy makers to support youth who experience homelessness.
National data suggests that the rate of youth homelessness has been increasing over the last several years. However, estimates of the true prevalence of youth homelessness vary greatly based on counting method and definitions of homelessness.
The purpose of the study is to demonstrate how the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) could be used to understand the prevalence of youth homelessness. Specifically, the characteristics of homelessness experiences, and how these experiences relate to mental health problems among youth are examined.
Findings demonstrate the number of youth identified as homeless by the YRBS are considerably higher than the number identified by traditional counting methods. Furthermore, youth experiencing homelessness reported disproportionately higher rates of mental health problems than their housed peers. Implications for practice, policy and future research are discussed.
The manuscript authors are Staci Perlman (University of Delaware), Janette E. Herbers (Villanova University), J.J. Cutuli (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), Karin M. Eyrich Garg (Temple University), and Joe Willard (People's Emergency Center).
Download the manuscript at Dr. Perlman's website here:
http://works.bepress.com/staci_perlman/16/
