Homeless Youth in Philadelphia: An innovative method for identifying youth who are homeless

At least one out of every twenty high school students enrolled in the School District of Philadelphia has experienced homelessness or has been kicked out or has run-away from home. Left unaddressed, these experiences place these youth at increased risk of dropping out of high school, unemployment, and adult homelessness. In spite of this, little is known about these youth or their experiences. Information on the prevalence and experiences of youth homelessness is needed to inform the development of interventions and policies that promote positive well-being for this vulnerable population. The purpose of this report is to share data from a Philadelphia-based study of youth homelessness. This report presents responses from Philadelphia public high school students who participated in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) in 2009 and 2011. Most of the survey questions focus on risk behaviors ranging from smoking to symptoms of depression.

Publication Date: 
2013