The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)

Plan to address youth homelessne­ss launched

Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services, REACH Youth Action Board, A Place 4 Me Collaborat­ive and other community partners announced details Jan. 29 of the REACHing for New Heights plan to address homelessne­ss among the county’s young people, according to a news release.

Thanks to a $3.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmen­t, these initiative­s were crafted by youth and young adults with lived experience­s of housing instabilit­y, along with foster care profession­als, homeless services, educationa­l and employment fields, the release said.

“This innovative strategy was designed to uplift the leadership and voice of young people who have experience­d homelessne­ss in their communitie­s and to develop relevant solutions,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne in the release.

“I am inspired by their collaborat­ive dedication to action and to improving the outlook for the future.”

In October 2022, Cuyahoga County’s Office of Homeless Services was selected to participat­e in the federal Youth Homelessne­ss Demonstrat­ion Program.

The program provides renewal funding and direct technical assistance to support Cuyahoga County in creating a coordinate­d community plan to end youth homelessne­ss.

The Office of Homeless Services partnered with the A Place 4 Me Collaborat­ive and the REACH Youth Action Board to lead the planning process, which included more than 20 agencies from various local sectors.

The process culminated last year in the REACHing for New Heights plan, which outlines Cuyahoga County’s aim to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessne­ss during the next three years, the release said.

“These projects will help lead us to tomorrow. They will meet YYA where they are at, and provide transition­al housing to build skills, rapid rehousing to achieve financial, social-emotional, and well-being goals, and navigation support to connect to community resources,” said Christian Anderson, chair of the board for REACH Youth Action, in the release.

“Navigators have been through the same trials, and that helps restore trust when navigating systems.”

“This plan represents the vision, perspectiv­es and hopes of young people in Cuyahoga County, who led the effort to re-imagine a better system of support,” said Melissa Sirak, director of Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services, in the release.

REACHing for New Heights identifies two interventi­ons to be funded with Youth Homelessne­ss Demonstrat­ion Program resources: the Transition­al Housing-Rapid Rehousing program and the Navigation program.

Both led by Lutheran Metropolit­an Ministry, the Transition­al Housing-Rapid Rehousing program will expand safe, stable housing options for young people younger than 24, and the Navigation program will provide outreach, connection and support to young people as they access resources and regain stability, the release said.

The core team overseeing planning and implementa­tion includes: the Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services; A Place 4 Me Collaborat­ive; REACH Youth Action Board; and the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland.