Lead Agency: HSN
In October 2017 with assistance from researchers from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, the Tri-County Youth Count was conducted and found on a single night, 268 youths experiencing homelessness.
Unaccompanied youth are between the ages of 13 – 24 and are seldom seen living on the streets, in their cars, on friends’ couches, and in abandoned buildings. They are alone and estranged from their immediate family and are too young of an age to fend for themselves.
Of the 268 youths found to be experiencing homelessness, 155 completed a survey and we found that 46 percent were sheltered, 21 percent were unsheltered. Additionally, 44% have spent time in the justice system and 30 percent have spent time in foster care.