Each year more than 1.3 million children are homeless during some point, and that number is increasing. Many homeless youth—in addition to losing their home, community, friends, and routines as well as their sense of stability and safety—may be victims of past trauma. While trying to survive on the streets, youth are exposed to countless dangers, with an increased likelihood of substance abuse, early parenthood, impulsivity, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and a vulnerability to being trafficked.

In support of National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) is providing resources to help communities, educators, families, policy makers, advocates, and mental health and child welfare professionals better understand and deal with homeless youth.

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Culture and Trauma Brief: Trauma Among Homeless Youth (PDF)
Discusses the challenges traumatized youth face when living on the street and offers suggestions for service providers who want to engage these young people.

Culture and Trauma Teleconference: Working with Homeless & Runaway Youth (Mediasite)
A presentation in NCTSN's culture and trauma teleconference series: Discusses in depth how to engage and provide services to homeless and runaway youth.

Facts on Trauma and Homeless Children (PDF)
Provides information and data about the prevalence of homelessness among American youth, the role of trauma in the youths' lives, adverse consequences of homelessness, and ways that programs and communities can help address the problem.

Psychological First Aid for Families Experiencing Homelessness (PDF)
Research suggests that may families facing homelessness—especially women and their children—have experienced traumatic events. By following the guidelines in this resource, shelter providers can help families in crisis feel safe and connect to services—the first step to long-term stability.

Psychological First Aid for Youth Experiencing Homelessness (PDF)
This manual provides a framework and a model for intervention by direct care staff working in drop-in centers, emergency and transitional shelters, and group homes so they can better understand and address the needs of homeless youth, who are often survivors of trauma. This product was developed by the agencies of the Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership, including the Community Trauma Treatment Center for Runaway and Homeless Youth, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, an NCTSN member.

National Alliance to End Homelessness

• Community Plans
  Provides details of plans for community-wide efforts to prevent, reduce, and end homelessness around the country.
• The Ten Essentials: What Your Community Needs To Do To End Youth Homelessness
  Helps communities identify "the minimum requirements for an effective permanent solution to prevent and end youth homelessness . . . drawing from over twenty years of research and experience with communities around the country."

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty

• Legal Tools to End Youth Homelessness (PDF)
  Provides information on federal laws that can help homeless/runaway youth; resources include websites and phone numbers for educators, advocates, and lawyers who can help.

The RE*GENERATION Movement

• Teen Homelessness
  A website that is part of a campaign and a call to action to end youth homelessness. Includes links to youth homelessness statistics, resources, and ways to volunteer.

StandUp For Kids
The organization's volunteers "go to the streets in order to find, stabilize and otherwise help homeless and street kids improve their lives." Other projects include programs in schools and via the Internet dealing with deterring homelessness and providing resources.

National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE)

• Support to Students Whose Families Have Lost Their Homes to Foreclosure (PDF)
  Offers resources for parents including questions to ask about services they can receive under the McKinney-Vento Act.
• What You Need to Know to Help Your Child in School: A Guide for Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers (PDF)
  Informs homeless parents about their children's rights to education under the McKinney-Vento Act. Includes a hotline and other NCHE resources, and Q&As about how parents can help ensure their children receive an education and who to contact for help.

The National Center on Family Homelessness

• Homeless Families and Trauma - Basic Facts (PDF)
  Lists statistics about homeless mothers, family violence, and homeless children.

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty

• Legal Tools to End Youth Homelessness (2004) (PDF)
  Provides information on federal laws that can help homeless/runaway youth; resources include websites and phone numbers for educators, advocates, and lawyers who can help.

National Network for Youth
Helps runaway, homeless, and other disconnected youth. Programs include street-based services; emergency shelter and transitional living programs; counseling; and social, health, educational, and job-related services to more than 2.5 million youth annually.

• Crisis
  Includes a 24-hour crisis line, a link to personal stories from homeless youth, and, coming soon, a youth blog.
  • Youth Referral and Information Resources Directory (PDF)
    Includes a youth referral and information resources directory, runaway services, and general youth services; resources on homelessness, adolescent reproductive & sexual health, LGB&T youth, health, foster care, abuse, violence, gangs, juvenile justice; issue briefs, public policy updates for 2008, and other publications.

Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless

• Classroom Curriculum
  Lesson plans for grades K-3, 4-6, and 7-9 about homelessness, its causes, and its impact. Includes information to help staff and students become more sensitive toward homeless children and ways to make school a welcoming and caring place for them.

National Alliance to End Homelessness

• Fact Sheets for Students: Homelessness
  Addresses causes and solutions to homelessness and offers ways for school-aged children to become a part of the solution.

National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)
A national grassroots membership association serving "as the voice and the social conscience for the education of children and youth in homeless situations. It connects educators, parents, advocates, researchers, and service providers to ensure school enrollment and attendance, and overall success for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by the lack of safe, permanent, and adequate housing."

National Center for Homeless Education at the SERVE Center

• Directory of State Contacts for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
  Provides the following links to each state's contact information: the state coordinator of Homeless Education, the state's Education of Homeless Children and Youth program, and other statewide resource on homelessness and homeless education.

The National Center on Family Homelessness
Provides facts sheets, trauma training, links to other resources, and a publications list.

National Coalition for the Homeless

• Directories
  Links to a Directory of National, Statewide and Local Advocacy Organizations, a Directory of National homeless and Housing Organizations and an Online Directory of Local Homeless Service Organizations.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

• Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth: An epidemic of homelessness (2007)
  Includes a link to the full report, and links to fact sheets on nine major US cities about homeless LGBT youth in those areas.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - Homelessness Resource Center

• HRC: Best Practices
  Links to nine papers and articles dealing with homelessness issues including affordable housing, long-term shelter, school-based alcohol and drug programs, and case management.

National Alliance to End Homelessness

• 2009 Policy Guide
  A policy guide "to the most important federal programs, policies, and legislation affecting homelessness." Topics covered include: McKinney-Vento homeless assistance programs, Section 8 housing choice vouchers, and housing programs for people with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

National Coalition for the Homeless

• Directories
  Links to a Directory of National, Statewide and Local Advocacy Organizations, a Directory of National Homeless and Housing Organizations and an Online Directory of Local Homeless Service Organizations.