? ?
>>> THE TRANSITION FROM HAVING A
HOME TO NEAR HOMELESS, THAT'S,
LIKE, IT'S WAY MORE THAN, LIKE,
ANYONE CAN IMAGINE.
IT'S, LIKE, ONE DAY, YOU'RE
WAKING UP, YOU'RE IN A HOME, AND
THE NEXT MINUTE, YOU WAKE UP,
AND YOU'RE ON THE STREETS.
>>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG, ON
TONIGHT'S PROGRAM, A SPECIAL
EDITION OF "HEAR & NOW" ON AN
IMPORTANT SUBJECT, YOUTH
HOMELESSNESS, AND HEAR THE STORY
OF A WISCONSIN TEENAGER HOMELESS
DURING HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEARS,
AND WE'LL TALK WITH A LEADING
EXPERT ABOUT HOW STATE AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY
MEMBERS CAN HELP CHANGE THESE
SITUATIONS FOR THE BETTER.
IT'S "HEAR & NOW" FOR DECEMBER
28th.
? ?
>>> FUNDING FOR "HEAR & NOW" IS
PROVIDED IN PART BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
? ?
>>> ON AVERAGE, BETWEEN 15 AND
19,000 HOMELESS STUDENTS WERE
ENROLLED STATEWIDE IN THE PAST
FIVE SCHOOL YEARS.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION.
WITH THOSE SOBERING NUMBERS AS A
JUMPING OFF POINT, WE BEGIN
TONIGHT WITH A STORY OF JEVANTE
DAVIS, SHARING HIS EXPERIENCE IN
THIS SHORT FILM DEVELOPED BY AN
ARTS MEMBER AND MEMBER OF THE
STUDIO CREW HERE AT WPTV, MITCH
DEETS.
>> I ALWAYS SAY, ENJOY WHAT YOU
HAVE WHILE YOU HAVE IT NOW, AND
IF IT'S GONE, TRY TO GET IT
BACK.
LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, I LOST MY
HOUSE.
I LOST, LIKE, MULTIPLE HOUSES.
ONE DAY, IT WAS THERE, THE NEXT
DAY, IT WAS GONE.
YOU GET THAT FEELING, LIKE, THIS
CAN'T BE RIGHT.
I'M DREAMING.
I HAVE TO BE DREAMING.
? ?
>> IF IT WASN'T FOR SPORTS, I
DON'T KNOW WHERE I'D BE, TO BE
HONEST.
I STARTED PLAYING BASKETBALL
ONCE I GAME TO MADISON, AND IT
PLAYS A HUGE ROLE BECAUSE IT'S,
LIKE, A, IT KEEPS ME -- IT KEEPS
ME FOCUSED ON SOMETHING ELSE.
WHILE BEING HOMELESS, IT HELPED
MY GAME A LOT BECAUSE IT WAS,
LIKE, I TENDED TO PROTECT THE
BASKET MORE, LIKE, MORE
AGGRESSIVE, TO THE POINT PEOPLE
WERE, LIKE, GET OUT THIS KID'S
WAY.
WHEN I'M ON THE COURT, I'M
THINKING, THIS IS MY TIME, MY
TIME TO SHINE.
I WANT TO BE THE NEXT LEBRON.
I WANT TO BE THE NEXT JORDAN,
AND IN ORDER TO BE THE BEST, YOU
HAVE TO HAVE A CLEAR MIND AND
MIND OPENED UP TO THE GAME SO
WHEN I STEP BETWEEN THOSE LINES,
EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF ME, WHERE
I WAS HOMELESS OR EVEN IF I
DIDN'T EAT THAT DAY, ALL THAT,
MY HEAD WAS GONE, IT WAS EMPTY.
JUST ME AND MY PASSION, THE
BASKETBALL, AND THAT BASKET.
PRETTY MUCH, IT WAS MY SECOND
HOME, AND I KNEW I CAN'T GO HOME
IF I HAVE NOWHERE TO GO THAT
NIGHT, I KNOW FOR A FACT I WAS
JUST SHOOTING BASKETS ALL DAY
UNTIL I FOUND SOMEWHERE TO GO.
OR I JUST GOT TIRED AND WOULD
FALL ASLEEP.
? ?
>> I HAVE BEEN DOING COMMUNITY
SOCIAL WORK FOR THE PAST 17
YEARS, AND, LATELY, I HAVE BEEN
SEEING THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE
GROWING RAPIDLY.
IT'S AMAZING WHEN I TALK TO
PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T THINK
HOMELESSNESS EXISTS, AND THEY,
YOU KNOW, LIVE IN THIS LITTLE
BUBBLE THAT EVERYTHING IS SO
GREAT AND SO NICE.
MANY TIMES, I WANT TO BRING THEM
WITH ME AND DO SOME HOME VISITS
AND SEE THE REALITY.
? ?
FOR EXAMPLE, I WORK WITH A
FAMILY FROM NIGERIA.
THEY RAN TO US 1,450, AND, YOU
KNOW, MORE THAN A MORTGAGE, SO I
DID A HOME VISIT, WENT TO THEIR
APARTMENT, AND IT WAS A THREE
BEDROOM APARTMENT IN THE
BASEMENT.
IT WAS CLOSE TO THE BUS STOP,
AND GROCERY STORES, HOWEVER,
THAT LEFT THE HOUSE, LIVE-IN MOM
WITH THREE KIDS, MOM, DID NOT
WORK.
SHE JUST CAME FROM NIGERIA, AS
THEY SAY, AND THE OLDEST KIDS
WERE TRYING TO GO TO SCHOOL AND
TRYING TO WORK, AND FOR SIX
MONTHS, I WORKED WITH A FAMILY,
TRYING TO STABILIZE THE
SITUATION, LANDLORDS WANTED
THEIR MONEY.
THERE'S NO MONEY FOR THIS
FAMILY, SO AT THE END, THEY GOT
EVICTED.
SO THEY END UP GOING TO THE
SHELTER, AND THEY COULDN'T BE
TOGETHER.
MOM AND THEN THE -- I THINK
9-YEAR-OLD -- STAY IN THE
SHELTER, AND AS I SAY IT, THIS
WOMAN CANNOT REALLY FIND A JOB,
HAS NO JOB HISTORY HERE, HER
ENGLISH IS VERY LIMITED.
OBVIOUSLY, THE CHILD IS HAVING A
LOT OF ISSUES AT THE SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE, JUST
GET OUT FROM SCHOOL, WHAT DO WE
WANT TO DO?
GO HOME, KICK BACK, WATCH TV,
SNACKS, ALL THAT IS NOT THERE
FOR THIS CHILD, RIGHT?
SO WHEN HE GOES TO SCHOOL,
OBVIOUSLY, HE WILL HAVE A LOT OF
ANXIETY, ANGER, AND ALL OF THAT.
THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE IN HOW,
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TONS OF
FAMILIES LIKE THIS.
>> ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY
IMPACTED POP POPULATIONS FROM
EVICTION OR DISPLACEMENT ARE
YOUTH AND CHILDREN, SO WE KNOW,
FOR EXAMPLE, STUDIES DONE IN THE
PAST, THAT DISPLACEMENT, LOSING
YOUR HOME CAN BE SIMILAR TO
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER,
AND BECAUSE THE HOUSE AND YOUR
IDENTITY IS SO INTERRELATED AND
TIED TOGETHER THAT LOSING YOUR
HOME CAN SOMETIME BE ONE OF
THESE ROOT SHOCKS, AS IT'S BEEN
CALLED, THAT REALLY AFFECTS YOUR
PSYCHE AND EMOTIONAL WELL BEING,
AND YOUTH QUITE A BIT.
GENERALLY, EVICTION IS RELATED
TO HOMELESSNESS, BUT IN SOME
AREAS, IT'S MORE SO.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF SORT OF WHAT
IS HAPPENING HERE IN THE HOUSING
MARKET IN MADISON AND THIS
COUNTY IS BECAUSE IT'S SO TIGHT
AND SO FEW OPTIONS FOR FOLKS,
THAT, ONE, THE SORT OF POTENTIAL
TO BE EVICTED AND END UP IN
BEING -- END UP BEING HOMELESS,
IS HIGHER THAN OTHER PLACES WITH
HIGHER VACANCY RATES.
MOST ECONOMISTS AGREE 5% VACANCY
RATE IS NEEDED FOR A HEALTHY
FUNCTIONING HOUSING MARKET.
BACK IN 2007, THE CENSUS HAD MAD
MADISON 5% VACANCY RATE.
SINCE THEN, IT'S FALLEN TO
AROUND 2%.
MORE PEOPLE COMING IN, AND LESS
HOUSING, SPEAKING HERE MOSTLY IN
TERMS OF THE RENTAL HOUSING
MARKET, SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS
THAT THE HOUSING MARKET IS
GETTING REALLY TIGHT.
THINGS LIKE EVICTION OR
DISPLACEMENT BECOME ESPECIALLY
PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IF YOU ARE
EVICTED, THE LIKELIHOOD OF YOU
FINDING A NEW AVAILABLE UNIT TO
RENT BECOMES MORE CHALLENGING.
>> ONE NIGHT, IT WAS A
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN
MINNESOTA DURING AAU, SO I WENT
TO MINNESOTA FOR THREE DAYS, YOU
KNOW, MY PHONE WAS OFF, SO I
COULDN'T CONTACT MY MOM OR
ANYTHING, AND THEN I CAME BACK
FROM THE TRIP EXHAUSTED, YOU
KNOW, WANTED TO GO HOME, GET
READY FOR SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING,
AND, LIKE, I USED MY KEY TO OPEN
THE DOOR, AND THE DOOR WOULDN'T
OPEN.
? ?
I KIND OF SEE, LIKE, THE FOR
SALE SIGN UP IN THE LAWN, BUT,
LIKE, I NEVER PAID ATTENTION TO
IT.
AND THEN OUR NEIGHBOR FROM
ACROSS THE STREET CAME OUTSIDE
AND WAS, LIKE, ARE YOU LOOKING
FOR YOUR MOM?
I WAS, LIKE, YEAH.
SHE SAID, I JUST SEEN A MOVING
TRUCK LEAVE HERE YESTERDAY.
I CALLED MY MOM, AND SHE TOLD ME
THAT SHE ENDED UP LOSING THE
HOUSE WHILE I WAS GONE, AND WITH
ME PHONE OFF, SHE COULDN'T
CONTACT TO TELL ME.
SHE STARTED CRYING, AND SHE
SAID, YOU CAN STAY HERE OR YOU
CAN DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO, AND I
SAID, I CAN'T BE IN SUN PRAIRIE.
WE DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
I HAVE TO FINISH SCHOOL.
I STAYED IN MADISON ON MY OWN.
I WAS STAYING AT FRIENDS'
HOUSES, WHAT THEY CALL IT
NOWADAYS, CALL IT "COUCH
SURFING," SLEEPING COUCH TO
COUCH, HOUSE TO HOUSE, AND
THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING.
TRANSITION WAS HARD.
I WAS SO USED TO, LIKE, JUST SO
USED TO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
EVERYTHING WE HAD WHEN WE HAD A
HOME LIFE, YOU KNOW,
ELECTRICITY, FRESH WATER, YOU
KNOW, HEAT.
I TOOK IT FOR GRANTED, PRETTY
MUCH.
YOU DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL YOU
GET OUT ON YOUR OWN, LIKE, MAN,
HOW DO I PAY FOR TONIGHT?
WHAT AM I GOING TO EAT?
HOW CAN I CHARGE MY PHONE?
LIKE, I TOLD MYSELF, ONE DAY
IT'S THERE, AND THE NEXT DAY, IT
COULD BE GONE.
>> I MAY BE A SOCIAL WORKER,
WHICH IN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S EYES
IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT
IMMEDIATELY SAYS, "DON'T TALK TO
HER," BUT, HONESTLY, IF YOU'D
JUST SPEND SOME TIME AND ASK A
FEW QUESTIONS AND YOU'RE
INTERESTED, PEOPLE WILL JUST
TELL YOU WHAT THEY NEED, AND
THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT'S LIKE,
AND THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S
GOING ON.
AND I'VE HAD STUDENTS TELL ME
THAT THEY WOULD, ONE OF THE
STRATEGIES FOR FINDING A PLACE
TO STAY, WOULD BE TO GO TO THE
MALL AND JUST KIND OF HANG
AROUND AND WATCH AND FIND A
GROUP OF KIDS THAT THEY DON'T
KNOW, FIND OUT IF THERE'S A
PARTY, AND THEN GO ALONG AND GO
TO THE PARTY, AND THEN JUST BE
THE LAST ONE TO LEAVE AND SAY,
"CAN I CRASH HERE?
IT'S TOO LATE, AND I CAN'T FIND
MY BUS PASS."
WHEN YOU MAKE YOURSELF
VULNERABLE IN THAT KIND OF WAY,
THE PROBABILITY THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO MAKE SOME CHOICES,
HOWEVER DANGEROUS OR, FOR LACK
OF A BETTER WORD, UNPLEASANT,
IT'S DEEPER THAN UNPLEASANT, BUT
IT'S MUCH MORE LIKELY.
SO FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE,
THAT, IN FACT, WE HAVE YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO ARE TRADING ACCESS TO
THEIR BODIES FOR PLACES TO STAY,
WHICH IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THAT
WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
GRADUATING IN FOUR YEARS FROM
HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF A
DISRUPTION THAT'S HAPPENING IN
THEIR HAVING TO FIND A PLACE TO
STAY OR SLEEP ON A COUCH OR
WHATEVER.
I THINK THE MORE WE CAN SEE THAT
AND HAVE IT BE VIEWED THAT THE
ENTITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ALREADY WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
CAN SHIFT AND PARTNER MORE WITH
THOSE ENTITIES THAT ARE NOT.
? ?
>> HOUSING HAS BEEN KIND OF
TOTALLY REMOVED FROM THE
POLITICAL AGENDA.
AT THE SAME TIME, COMMUNITIES
ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES TALK
ABOUT HOUSING AS A CRISIS, AND
IN NEW YORK, RADICALLY CHANGING
THINGS, MIAMI, CHICAGO, HOUSING
IS CENTRAL TO SOME OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT DEMOGRAPHIC AREAS OF
OUR COUNTRY.
YET, AT THIS TIME, WHEN HOUSING
IS SO IMPORTANT AND PEOPLE ARE
TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AS A
CRISIS, IT DOES NOT COME UP ON
THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN,
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, FOR
EXAMPLE, NOT A SINGLE CANDIDATE
HAD HOUSING AS BEING ONE OF THE
ISSUES AS IMPORTANT TO DEAL
WITH, WHEREAS TIMES PAST IN THE
1970s AND '60s, HOUSING WAS
DISCUSSED.
YOU KNOW, PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES TALKED ABOUT HOUSING
AND THE URBAN CRISIS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT POPPED UP
AS BEING IMPORTANT FOR US TO
SOLVE AS A SOCIETY.
I THINK WE NEED TO RETURN TO
THAT KIND OF REALLY DEEP
LANGUAGE ABOUT WHAT KIND OF
CITIES WE WANT TO LIVE IN, AND
WE NEED HOUSING AND HOUSING
POLITICS TO BE FRONT AND CENTER
RIGHT NOW, IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH
THOSE THINGS.
>> ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO
MAKE TRANSPORTATION FEASIBLE TO
EMPLOYMENT WITH A LIVING WAGE,
AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE HOUSING FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING, YOU
KNOW, WORK FORCE HOUSING THAT IS
AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES AND FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE, I THINK THOSE
THINGS WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO
ELIMINATING SO MANY OF THE
REALLY TRAUMATIC THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING FOR CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES IN MADISON.
>> IT'S NOT THOSE PEOPLE AND US
ANYMORE BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE
GOING THROUGH THE SAME SCHOOL.
WE ARE DRIVING IN THE SAME
STREETS.
ALL THE STRESSORS IN THE
COMMUNITY HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT,
AND IT'S AFFECTING ALL OF US.
>> WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY ARE TAKEN CARE
OF WHEN THEY ARE IN NEED, AND
YOU CAN ECONOMIZE THAT, PUT
NUMBERS TO IT, AND YOU CAN TALK
ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE COSTS TO
DEAL WITH SOMEBODY ON THE STREET
THAN TO HOUSE THEM AND ENSURE
ALL THE NEEDS ARE MET WHETHER
IT'S ALCOHOLISM OR IF THEY HAVE
ANY KIND OF MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES, THAT IT'S CHEAPER TO
HOUSE PEOPLE THAN TO DEAL WITH
THAT WHEN FOLKS ARE ON THE
STREET.
WE KNOW THAT, AND MONEY IS WHAT
MOVES PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR SOCIETY,
HEY, THAT'S FINE, AND I'M HAPPY
TO TELL YOU IT'S MORE EFFICIENT
TO DEAL WITH ALL THOSE ISSUES
WHEN PEOPLE ARE HOUSED THAN WHEN
THEY ARE ON THE STREET, BUT I
THINK WE SHOULD ALSO BE OPEN TO
TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS IN
TERMS OF VALUES, AND WHAT VALUES
DO WE WANT AND WHAT KIND OF
SOCIETY DO WE WANT TO LIVE IN?
>> DO I WANT TO GO PLAY COLLEGE
FOOTBALL ON THE HIGH LEVEL?
RIGHT NOW, I'M CURRENTLY PLAYING
ARENA AND SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL.
BEFORE IT ALL ENDS, I WANT TO
PROBABLY GET MY BUSINESS DEGREE,
AND I WANT TO HELP OUT THE
COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
STILL.
BEING HOMELESS IN MADISON OR
BEING HOMELESS IN THE WORLD IN
GENERAL HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT.
IT WAS HARD, LIKE, MY FIRST
COUPLE OF MONTHS OF BEING
HOMELESS, IT WAS HARD, BUT IT
WAS, LIKE, AS LONG AS I HAVE MY
SPORTS TO LOOK BACK ON, MY PRIDE
WAS STILL THERE.
I STILL HAVE MY PRIDE IN BEING
HOMELESS.
? ?
>>> "NO PLACE LIKE HOME" WAS
PRODUCED BY MITCH DEETS.
THEY ADVOCATE SOME 20,000 PEOPLE
EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS IN
WISCONSIN ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT.
AS FOR CHILDREN, ABOUT THE SAME
NUMBER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN WISCONSIN LACK A REGULAR
NIGHTTIME RESIDENCE, INCLUDING
THOSE WHO COUCH SURF OR STAY
WITH FRIENDS OR RELATIVES.
JULIE GUENTHER IS JOINING US NOW
WITH MORE, AND THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE, THANK
YOU.
>> WHAT STANDS OUT ABOUT THAT
FILM TO YOU?
>> SO JAVANTE'S STORY IS UNIQUE
AND POINTS OUT TO US THE VUT
NECIALTS OF FAMILIES IN ECONOMIC
HOMELESSNESS.
THAT'S A VERY TYPICAL SITUATION,
AND IT'S BECOME MORE AND MORE
TYPICAL.
THE PROGRAMS THAT I WORK WITH
ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE YOUTH
WHO ARE THREATENED ECONOMICALLY
SO THAT IT'S NOT SOLELY FAMILY
CONFLICT THAT IS LEADING TO
YOUTH LEAVING THE HOME OR FORCED
OUT OF THE HOME.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK
REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME ABOUT
THIS IS HOW REMARKABLY RESILIENT
HE IS, AND WHEN WE APPROACH OUR
SERVICES AND OUR POLICIES
REGARDING YOUTH OF EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS OR RUNAWAYS,
STRENGTH LIES IN THE YOUNG
PEOPLE NOW, AND POLICIES NEED TO
REFLECT THAT, THAT WE HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD ON THOSE
STRENGTHS, AND THAT THOSE
STRENGTHS ARE UNIQUE AND DEFINED
BY THE PEOPLE WE ARE WORKING
WITH, AND SO THAT HIS STRENGTH
IS SPORTS.
SOMEBODY ELSE'S STRENGTH COULD
BE THE ARTS OR MUSIC, BUT THAT
WE ARE GIVING YOUTH WAYS TO
BUILD ON THOSE.
>> YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING TO
ME ABOUT HOW THIS IS NOT JUST AN
URBAN PROBLEM.
IT'S INCREASINGLY KIND OF SPLIT
EVENLY BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN
AREAS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THERE'S VERY INTERESTING
RESEARCH THAT IS COMING OUT THAT
WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED UNDER THE
RUNAWAY YOUTH HOME ACT AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL FROM THE CHAPLAIN
HALL FINDING FREQUENCY OF
HOMELESSNESS IN URBAN YOUTH IS
THE SAME, FOLLOWING USE UP TO
THE AGE OF 24, IT'S 1 IN 10,
IT'S REMARKABLY COMMON, AND
YOUTH UNDER 18, IT'S 1 OF 30.
>> SO, WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS OF
CHILDREN SLEEPING IN CARS OR
SHELTERS AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF
COUCH SURFING ON THE THING THAT
HE FOUND HIMSELF DOING?
>> SO THOSE NUMBERS WOULD BE
REFLECTED IN THE POINT IN TIME
HOMELESS COUNTS, AND I DON'T
HAVE THE NUMBERS READILY
AVAILABLE, BUT THE NUMBERS
REFERENCED IN THE BEGINNING OF
THE DOCUMENTARY THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT 15,000 TO 19,000
STUDENTS THAT ARE HOMELESS EACH
NIGHT.
>> DO YOU GET THE IMPRESSION
THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC
UNDERSTANDS OR IS AWARE OF THIS,
THESE KINDS OF NUMBERS, THESE
CHILDREN, THESE FAMILIES?
>> I THINK IT'S SHOCKING.
I THINK THAT MOST OF THE GENERAL
PUBLIC WOULD BE SHOCKED BY HOW
COMMON THIS IS, AND THOSE
NUMBERS REFLECT, NOT NECESSARILY
THEY ARE YOUTH IN THE STREETS SO
THE POINT IN TIME COUNTS WE LOOK
AT DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT
THE FULL SPECTRUM OF YOUTH
INADEQUATELY HOUSED, AND I THINK
WHEN YOU LOOK AT JAVANTE'S
EXAMPLE, HE'S NOT SHOWING UP ON
THAT IF HE HAS A COUCH TO STAY
ON OR A FRIEND WHO WILL LET HIM
STAY FOR A COUPLE NIGHTS, THEN
HE'S NOT SHOWING UP IN THE
NUMBERS.
HE MIGHT NOT EVEN BE REFLECTED
IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBERS.
>> HOW WELL IS WISCONSIN
POSITIONED TO HELP THESE
CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES?
>> WE HAVE SOME ENORMOUS
STRENGTHS IN OUR STATE.
THERE'S BEEN GOOD THING THAT IS
HAPPENED ON THE STATE LEVEL IN
TERMS OF MOVING THE SYSTEMS TO
WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER, AND
SO WE HAVE RECENTLY MOVED THE
JUVENILE JUSTICE CHILD WELFARE
RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH
SERVICES TOGETHER UNDER THE
DIDN'T OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES,
WHICH IS ALSO HOUSING OUR
EFFORTS AT ANTI-HUMAN
TRAFFICKING, AND THERE'S A REAL
RECOGNITION BY PEOPLE WHO ARE
WORKING THE STATE DEPARTMENTS
THAT THESE ARE NOT INDIVIDUAL
SILOS OF YOUTH, THAT THE YOUTH
THAT WE'RE SERVING OVERLAP, AND
THAT YOUTH WHO ARE EXITING THE
CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS, YOUTHS
EXITING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE
SYSTEMS ARE INCREDIBLY AT RISK
FOR HOMELESSNESS, AND
RECOGNIZING THAT AND FOCUSING ON
THE KIND OF OUTCOMES I TALKED
ABOUT EARLIER, THAT WE ARE
FOCUSING ON POSITIVE OUTCOMES
FOR THE YOUTH AND GIVING THEM
SOMETHING TO MOVE TOWARDS PUTS
US IN A GOOD POSITION.
THAT'S A STRENGTH WE HAVE IN
WISCONSIN.
WE NEED TO DO MORE.
WE NEED -- WE DO NOT HAVE A
COMPREHENSIVE GUARANTEE OF
SERVICES AS OFFERED ON THE
FEDERAL LEVEL AND AS IS OFFERED
IN SOME STATES.
MINNESOTA'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF
THAT.
THEY HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE
RUNAWAY YOUTH ACT THAT FUNDING
FOLLOWED, AND THAT'S ALLOWED
THEM TO EXPAND THE SERVICES THAT
THEY OFFER IN TERMS OF SHELTER,
IN TERMS OF STREET OUTREACH, AND
IN TERMS OF GIVING YOUTH WHAT
THEY NEED, WHETHER THAT IS,
LIKE, A PLACE TO CHARGE A CELL
PHONE AND GET A MEAL THAT NIGHT,
OR TO MOVE INTO EDUCATIONAL AND
VOCATIONAL SERVICES.
>> WHAT IS THE BIGGEST RISK FOR
HOMELESS OR RUNAWAY TEEN?
>> WE KNOW THAT THE TIME ON THE
STREET, THE FIRST 48 HOURS IS
INCREDIBLY RISKY, AND WHEN YOUTH
ARE IN THAT SITUATION, ONE IN
THREE WITHIN 48 HOURS WILL BE
LURED INTO PROSTITUTION.
THESE YOUTH ARE RESORTING TO
USING THEIR BODIES TO MEET BASIC
NEEDS, AND THOSE NEEDS MAY
INCLUDE MONEY, BUT THEY ARE ALSO
A PLACE TO STAY, ALSO JUST A
MEAL, THAT THE -- THERE'S A
LEVEL OF GRIMING THAT OCCURS OCCURS
THAT IS OFFERED THAT NIGHT THAT
RESULTS IN GREATER CRIMES.
THAT'S AN ENORMOUS RISK FOR THE
YOUNG PEOPLE AND E ENORMOUS COST
TO THE SYSTEMS IN THE LONG TERM.
>> WHAT ARE THE EMOTIONAL TOLLS
FOR YOUTH IN THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES?
>> ONE OF THE POINTS MADE IN THE
DOCUMENTARY WAS REGARDING THE
TRAUMA THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH
LOSING YOUR HOUSE.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE SERVICES FOR
YOUTH RECOGNIZE THAT TRAUMA THAT
IS INHERENT, AND THAT ISN'T TO
SAY THAT EVERY YOUTH THAT WE
WORK WITH HAS PTSD, BUT WE KNOW
THAT THE RATES OF SUICIDE AND
DEPRESSION AND PTSD ARE THREE TO
FOUR TIMES HIGHER IN RUNAWAY AND
HOMELESS YOUTH AND THERE'S AN
INCREDIBLE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH
THAT.
EVEN WHEN THE EVENTS THAT HAVE
HAPPENED DON'T LEAD TO
MANIFESTATION OF THOSE SYSTEMS,
THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED
IS STILL THERE, AND SO
RECOGNIZING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE
THAT RECEIVE SERVICES NEED TO
DEFINE HOW THOSE HAPPEN IN THEIR
OWN WAY, WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT
FEELS SAFE FOR THEM, THAT WE
CAN'T SAY THIS IS HOW THE
SERVICES NEED TO BE PROVIDED,
AND THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
IN ORDER TO HAVE A BED.
>> NOW, YOU'RE ENGAGED IN STREET
OUTREACH.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
>> STREET OUTREACH IS ONE
SPECTRUM OF SERVICES THAT CAN BE
PROVIDED TO RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS
YOUTH.
IT REALLY DOES USE A HARM
REDUCTION MODEL, SO KNOWING THAT
YOUTH ARE ON THE STREET, THE
WORKERS OFFER, OF COURSE, ACCESS
TO A SHELTER.
THAT IS A PENNANT OF SERVICE
PROVISION, BUT ABOUT, WHAT DO
YOU NEED TODAY?
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BE SAFE?
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO PREVENT
THOSE CHOICES WE TALKED ABOUT
THAT IF THERE'S SOMEBODY AROUND
THE CORNER OFFERING YOU
SOMETHING ELSE, WHAT DO YOU NEED
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR
CHOICE ON YOUR OWN?
SO MAYBE THAT'S A BED, MAYBE
IT'S TRANSPORTATION, MAYBE IT'S
ACCESS TO A HEALTHCARE CLINIC,
FOOD, VOUCHERS FOR MEALS.
>> VERY BRIEFLY, WITH ONLY 30
SECONDS LEFT, HOW DO PEOPLE THAT
NEED THEM CONNECT TO THE KINDS
OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY PEOPLE
LIKE YOURSELVES AND OTHER
ADVOCATES?
>> THERE'S THE NATIONAL RUNAWAY
SITBOARD, THE NATIONALLY FUNDED
HOTLINE.
CONTACT OUR AGENCY THROUGH OUR
WEBSITE, AND WE HAVE 16 LOCAL
PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN
THAT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH OUR
WEBSITE.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, AN
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
>> MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU.
>>> THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR
TONIGHT.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON YOUTH
HOMELESSNESS INCLUDING LINKS TO
AGENCIES PROVIDING HELP, CLICK
INTO THE "HEAR & NOW" WEB PAGE
AT WPTV.ORG/HEREANDNEW.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A SAFE NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY.
? ?
>>> FUNDING FOR "HEAR & NOW" IS
PROVIDED IN PART BY FRIENDS OF