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Youth homelessness and safe shelter for unaccompanied teens and young adults

Ɛsono dodow a wɔde ma ntɛm ara wɔ ɔman biara mu. Kratafa yi de 911, nɔma a wɔde ma United States ne Canada na edi dwuma. Aman afoforo pii de 112, 999, anaa nɔma foforo di dwuma. Hwehwɛ nɔma a ɛwɔ wo man mu.

Being forced out of your home, running away from domestic violence or severe family conflict, or aging out of foster care with nowhere to sleep is an acute life-safety emergency. Unaccompanied minors (under age 18) and young adults (ages 18 to 24) sleeping on the street, in transit stations, or in cars face immediate exposure to human traffickers, physical violence, weather extremes, and lost schooling.

If you are a teenager or young adult without a safe place to sleep tonight, you do not have to sleep outside and you do not have to enter an adult homeless shelter. Every major country funds dedicated, youth-only emergency shelters, drop-in centers, and crisis transit networks specifically for ages 12 to 24. Under federal law in the United States (the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act) and comparable youth education statutes internationally, you also have the legal right to stay enrolled in your current school, receive free school bus transportation and free meals, and apply for college financial aid independently without a parent's signature.

Knowing how to activate a Safe Place pickup in under 30 minutes, how youth shelters handle parent notification and confidentiality laws, how to spot human trafficking lures during the first 48 hours on the street, and how to secure your own health care and food benefits keeps you safe and in control of your future.

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Yɛ eyi mprempren

  1. Call or text a 24/7 confidential youth crisis hotline right now:
  2. United States: Call or text 1-800-786-2929 (1-800-RUNAWAY / National Runaway Safeline), or text the word SAFE and your current street address, city, and state to 44357 (4HELP) to get the closest Safe Place location and a free ride to a youth shelter within minutes.
  3. Canada: Call 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868 (Kids Help Phone, 24/7), or call 211.
  4. United Kingdom: Call or text 116 000 (Runaway Helpline, free 24/7), call 0800 1111 (Childline for under 19), or call 0808 800 4444 (Centrepoint Helpline for ages 16 to 25).
  5. European Union: Dial 116 000 (Missing and Runaway Children Hotline) or 116 111 (Child Helpline) free from any mobile phone.
  6. Australia: Call 1800 55 1800 (Kids Helpline for ages 5 to 25, free 24/7) or call your state youth homelessness intake line.
  7. Sɛ wowɔ honam fam asiane mu ntɛm ara fi obi a ɔyɛ ayayade anaa ɔdetɔnfo wɔ wiase baabiara a, frɛ wo mpɔtam hɔ nɔma a egye ntɛmpɛ (911 wɔ United States ne Canada, 112 wɔ Europa Aman Nkabom no nyinaa mu, 999 wɔ United Kingdom, anaa 000 wɔ Australia) anaa hwɛ yɛn nɔma ahorow a egye ntɛmpɛ directory a wɔde kyerɛw nsɛm.
  8. Nantew kɔ beae biara a wɔakyerɛw "Safe Place" sɛnkyerɛnne kɔkɔɔ ne tuntum (odumgyafo gyinabea, nhomakorabea, bɔs a wɔde fa nnipa, anaa ɔhokafo sotɔɔ): Hwehwɛ diamond kɔkɔɔ Beae a Ahobammɔ sɛnkyerɛnne no wɔ odumgyafo gyinabea biara, ɔmanfo nhomakorabea, kurow mu bɔs a wɔde fa nnipa, YMCA, anaa sotɔɔ a wɔtɔn nneɛma/tɔnbea a wɔde wɔn ho hyɛ mu. Nantew kɔ odwumayɛni anaa odumgyafo biara nkyɛn na ka sɛ: "Mehia Beae a Ahobammɔ Wom." Wɔde wo bɛba kokoam beae bi na wɔafrɛ mmabun a ɔwɔ tumi krataa a ɔyɛ adwuma wɔ mmabun dabere mu ma wakɔfa wo wɔ simma 20 kosi 30 ntam.
  9. Nnye obi a wunnim wo kar, ahɔhodan mu dan, sika, anaa mpa a wode bɛtra wo so da wɔ bɔs gyinabea anaa intanɛt so: Nnipa a wɔkyere mmoa we ne nnipa a wɔtɔn nnipa de nsi hwɛ bɔs gyinabea ahorow, keteke gyinabea ahorow, adidibea ahorow a wodi nnuan ntɛmntɛm, ne sohyial media app ahorow so hwehwɛ mmabun a wokurakura akyi bag. Mma ntra obi a wunnim no kar mu anaasɛ nkɔ ɔdan bi a wunnim mu mfa nnye baabi a wobɛda da.
  10. Fa wo ID, awoɔ adansedie krataa, telefon, ne charger sie wo nipadua so: Fa wo man ID, sukuu ID krataa, awoɔ adansedie krataa, Social Security card, akwahosan insurance card, nnuru, ne telefon charger gu jacket kotokuo a ɛwɔ mu anaa zip kotokuo a wohyɛ wɔ wo ntadeɛ ase mu sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wɔrentumi nwia berɛ a woregye w’ahome.
  11. Kɔ sukuu ɔkyena na bisa sɛ wo ne wo "McKinney-Vento Liaison" nkasa wɔ kokoam: Sɛ mpo wunni address biara na wo nni ɔwofo biara ka wo ho a, kɔ wo sukuu dan mu anɔpa. Ɔman sukuu mantam biara a ɛwɔ United States no, aban mmara hwehwɛ sɛ wonya McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison a obetumi ama wo anɔpa ne awia aduan a wontua hwee ntɛm ara, bɔs akwantu tumi krataa, ahotew ho nneɛma, ntade, baabi a wode wo bag bɛhyɛ mu, ne nea wɔde bɛkɔ mmabun adan mu a ɔrentwe wo aso sɛ woayera awofo nsaano nkyerɛwee.
  12. Paw Mmabun Nkutoo Dabere (mfe 12 kosi 17 anaa 18 kosi 24), ɛnyɛ mpanyimfo dabere a wɔde ma obiara da: Sɛ worefrɛ 211 anaasɛ ɔhaw hotline a, ka mfe pɔtee a woadi sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wɔde wo bɛkɔ Mmabun a Woguan ne Wɔn a wonni Fie (RHY) dabere a wɔatu wɔn ho ama anaa Young Adult Drop-In Center a wɔayɛ ama mmerante ne mmabaa a wɔne wo bɔ tipɛn titiriw.

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Ntɛm ara a ahobammɔ dabere gyinaesi flow sɛnea mfe a wɔadi

Di anammɔn anammɔn kwan yi akyi na du baabi a ahobammɔ wɔ a wɔayɛ mu nhwehwɛmu, a ɛfata mfe a woadi anadwo yi a woremfa wo ho nhyɛ mmɔnten so mmoa a wɔkyere mmoa we.

flowchart TD
    Youth["Mmabun anaa Mpanyimfo Kumaa a onni Dabere a Ahobammɔ Anadwo yi"] --> Danger{"So Wɔretaa Wo, Wɔretow Ahyɛ Wo So, Anaasɛ Wɔrekura Wo Apɛde a Ɛnhyia Mprempren yi ara?"}
    Danger -->|Yes: Immediate Danger| Call911["Frɛ 911 / 112 / 999 Ntɛm ara anaa Tu mmirika Kɔ Ogya Dwumadibea a Ɛbɛn, Ayaresabea ER, anaa Polisifo Atenae Mu"]
    Danger -->|No Immediate Violence| AgeSplit{"Mfe Dɛn Ne Wo Mprempren?"}
    AgeSplit -->|Under Age 18 (Unaccompanied Minor)| MinorPath["Ɔkwan A: Kyerɛw ‘SAFE’ + Address to 44357 anaa Frɛ 1-800-786-2929 (US) / 116 000 (UK/EU) / 1-800-668-6868 (CA)"]
    MinorPath --> SafePlace["Ɔkwan B: Nantew kɔ Ogya Dwumadibea, Nhomakorabea, Kurow mu Bɔs, anaa Adetɔnbea biara a ‘Beae a Ahobammɔ’ Nsɛnkyerɛnne Kɔkɔɔ So"]
    SafePlace --> RHY["Mmabun Dabere Adwumayɛfo Fa Wo Ma Basic Center Mmabun Dabere (Mfe 12 kosi 17): Mpa a Ahobammɔ, Aduan a Ɛyɛ Hɔ, ne Asɛm ho Ɔbenfo a Ɛyɛ Ahintasɛm"]
    AgeSplit -->|Ages 18 to 24 (Transition-Age Youth)| TAYPath["Frɛ 1-800-786-2929 anaa 211 na Bisa ‘Mmabun Nkutoo Dabere anaa TAY Drop-In Center (Mfe 18 kosi 24)’."]
    TAYPath --> TAYOptions["Kɔ Mmabun Mpanyimfo Dabere a Egye Ntɛmntɛm, Nsakrae Asetra Dwumadi (TLP), Awo Kuw Fie, anaa Ahɔho Fie"]
    RHY --> SchoolNext["Adekyee Anɔpa: Hu Sukuu McKinney-Vento Nkitahodifo na Fa Bisa SNAP/Medicaid a Ɛde Ne Ho ne Sikasɛm Mmoa"]
    TAYOptions --> SchoolNext

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Sɛnea "Safe Place" ne mmabun dabere a egye ntɛmpɛ yɛ adwuma ankasa

Mmabun pii tra abɔnten so wɔ tebea horow a awɔw wom anaa asiane wom mu efisɛ ehu aka wɔn sɛ sɛ wɔnantew kɔ mmabun dan mu a, ɛkyerɛ sɛ polisifo bɛkyekyere wɔn nsa ntɛm ara, atoto mmofra afiase dan mu, anaasɛ wɔbɛhyɛ wɔn ma wɔasan akɔ ɔwofo a ɔyɛ ayayade nsa mu wɔ dɔnhwerew biako mu. Mmara ankasa a ɛkyerɛ Mmabun a Woguan ne Wɔn a wonni Afie (RHY) nhyehyɛe ahorow no ase a, eyi saa ehu no fi hɔ.

1. Sɛnea Ɔman Ahobammɔ ho nhyehyɛe no yɛ adwuma (United States) .

Beae a Ahobammɔ Wɔ (nationalsafeplace.org) yɛ ɔman no nyinaa nkitahodi a ɛwɔ mpɔtam hɔ mmeae bɛboro 20,000 a wɔde daimond sɛnkyerɛnne a ɛhyerɛn a ɛyɛ kɔkɔɔ ne tuntum a ɛkenkan sɛ BEA A AHYƐDE ahyɛ no agyirae:

  • Baabi a wobɛhunu wɔn: Ɛkame ayɛ sɛ municipal Fire Stations, Public Libraries, City Transit Buses, YMCAs, ne nnurutɔnbea mpempem pii a wɔne wɔn yɛ adwuma, sotɔɔ a wɔtɔn nneɛma a ɛyɛ mmerɛw (te sɛ QuikTrip), ne adidibea ahorow nyinaa.
  • Sɛnea wɔde Txt 4 MMOA: Text asɛmfua no ** .SAFE** ne beae a wowɔ mprempren (abɔnten address, kurow, ɔman, anaa zip code) kɔ ** .44357** na ɛyɛ. Wɔ sikɔne kakraa bi mu no, wo nsa bɛka nsɛm a wɔde afiri ayɛ a wɔakyerɛw address ne telefon nɔma pɔtee a ɛwɔ Safe Place beae a ɛbɛn wo ne mpɔtam hɔ mmabun dabere, a wubetumi apaw sɛ wobɛkyerɛw 2CHAT sɛ wobɛ message live one-on-one ne ɔfotufoɔ a wɔatete no.
  • Nea ɛba bere a wokɔ mu: Ɛnsɛ sɛ wokyerɛkyerɛ w’asetra mu nsɛm mu kyerɛ sotɔɔ mu sika sohwɛfo anaa bɔskafo. Ka kɛkɛ sɛ, "Mehia mmoa, mewɔ ha ma Ahobammɔ Beae." Adwumayɛfo no bɛma woatra ahomegye dan a ahobammɔ wom, ankorankoro ahomegyebea anaa ogya dan mu, ama wo nsu, na wafrɛ mpɔtam hɔ mmabun dabere a wɔwɔ tumi krataa. Mmabun fotufo a wɔayɛ no nhwehwɛmu (ɛnyɛ polisifo kar, wɔ Safe Place pickups a wɔtaa de di dwuma mu) bɛka kar akɔ beae hɔ wɔ simma 20 kosi 30 mu de wo aba mmabun atrae hɔ.

2. Sɛ abofra a onnii mfe 18 hyɛn mmabun atrae a, dɛn na ɛba? (Nnɔnhwerew 72 Mmara) .

Wɔ United States no, mmabun atrae ahorow a aban no tua ho ka Basic Center Program (BCP) no som mmofra nkumaa a wonni obi a wɔadi mfe 12 kosi 17. Nea mmara hwehwɛ ankasa bere a wonam ɔpon no mu no ni:

  • WƆNKYERE wo: Sɛ́ wunni fie anaasɛ wɔpam wo fi wo fie ("wɔtow / mmabun a wɔato wɔn mu") nyɛ nsɛmmɔnedi, na mmabun dabere yɛ adan a wɔabue mu, a wɔde ahodwiriw ho nsɛm a wɔtra mu a mpa, aguaree, nnuan a ɛyɛ hyew, ntadehoro, ne afotufo, ɛnyɛ afiase.
  • Awofoɔ amanneɛbɔ ho mmara a ɛyɛ nnɔnhwereɛ 24 kɔsi 72 NE Ayayadeɛ a Wɔayiyi: Wɔ aban Runaway and Homeless Youth Act mmara (ne ɔman no dabere tumi krataa mmara) ase no, mmabun dabere taa wɔ nnɔnhwereɛ 24 kɔsi 72 a wɔde bɛdi abofra kumaa bi awofoɔ, mmara kwan so ɔhwɛfoɔ, anaa ɔman no mmofra yiedie adwumakuo nkyɛn akɔma wɔahu sɛ ɔbabun no wɔ ahotɔ wɔ dan mu.
  • CRITICAL EXCEPTION SƐ WOREGUAN AYYADE: Ka nokware kyerɛ shelter intake counselor no wɔ wo kokoam check-in mu sɛ wufii fie esiane sɛ ɔwofo, mpena, anaa ɔhwɛfo bi rebɔ wo honam fam, ɔrebɔ wo nna mu ɔbrasɛe, ɔretɔn wo, ɔrema ɔkɔm de wo, anaasɛ ɔrepam wo esiane wo LGBTQ+ nipasu nti nti a. Sɛ wobɔ ayayade anaa asiane a emu yɛ den ho amanneɛ wɔ fie a, mmabun dabere no RENFA wo nsa nsan mma wo ayayadefo no; mmom no, wɔde beae pɔtee a wowɔ dan no sie, wɔde ahobammɔ ho amanneɛbɔ kɔma Mmofra Ahobammɔ Dwumadibea (CPS) anaa mmabun a wɔkamfo kyerɛ, na wɔyɛ nhyehyɛe ma wɔde wɔn bɛkɔ mmofra a wɔagye wɔn atom ntɛm a ahobammɔ wom, abusuafo a wɔbɛhwɛ wɔn wɔ obusuani a ahobammɔ wom, anaasɛ mmabun adan a wɔde bɛtra hɔ bere mu.

3. Adan ahorow a wɔde ma mmabun pɔtee (Mfe 12 kosi 24) .

Dwumadi no Su Mfe Kuw a Wɔsom Bere Tenten a Wɔde Tra & Nnwuma a Wɔde Ma
Mmabun Drop-In Centers (Day Centers) Mpɛn pii no Mfe 12 kosi 24 Daytime safe spaces requiring zero parental contact to walk in and get hot meals, private showers, laundry machines, clean clothes, hygiene packs, Wi-Fi, phone charging, STI/HIV testing, and case management.
Basic Center Program (BCP) Emergency Youth Shelters Ages 12 to 17 (Minors) Up to 21 days of free emergency room and board, crisis counseling, school transportation, and family mediation (if safe) or transition to safe alternative living.
Young Adult Low-Barrier Shelters (TAY Shelters) Ages 18 to 24 (Legal Adults) 100% confidential (parents are never called because you are 18+); separates 18-to-24-year-olds from older adult shelters; provides beds, lockers, job placement, and rapid rehousing vouchers.
Transitional Living Programs (TLPs) & Host Homes Ages 16 to 22 Long-term housing for up to 18 to 21 months (in group residences, supervised apartments, or vetted community Host Homes) while you finish high school, earn a GED, attend college, or save wages from a job.
Maternity Group Homes (MGH) Ages 16 to 22 (Pregnant or parenting youth) Up to 18 to 21 months of safe apartment or group housing specifically for pregnant teens/young adults and young parents with their babies/toddlers, including parenting classes, cribs, diapers, and childcare.

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Defending against human traffickers and street predators (The First 48 Hours)

National studies show that nearly 1 in 3 unaccompanied runaway or homeless youth are approached by a human trafficker or exploiter within 48 hours of leaving home. Traffickers know that a cold, hungry, exhausted teenager sitting at a bus station, train depot, 24-hour diner, or shopping mall with a stuffed backpack is vulnerable.

How to recognize a human trafficker's lures before you are trapped

Human traffickers rarely snatch teenagers off the street into a van. Instead, they pretend to be a caring new friend, a sympathetic older boyfriend/girlfriend ("romeo pimp"), a trendy modeling/music scout, or even another teenager your own age who was sent to recruit you. Walk away immediately and go inside a staffed business or fire station if anyone uses these five classic lures:

  1. The "Free Place to Crash / Party Apartment" Lure: A charismatic stranger or recent online acquaintance spots you at a transit station or mall and says, "You look stressed, don't sleep out here in the cold, come crash on my couch tonight, no strings attached, I'll buy you food and new clothes." Once you are inside their locked apartment or motel room in an unfamiliar part of town, they take your phone and ID and claim you now "owe" them thousands of dollars for rent, food, and clothes.
  2. The "Fake Boyfriend / Love-Bombing" Lure: An older guy or girl showers you with compliments, expensive takeout food, vape pens, hair/nail appointments, or gifts for three days, asks you to move in with them, and then claims they have a sudden financial crisis and needs you to "help the team" by performing commercial sex acts or running drugs just a few times.
  3. The "Too-Good-To-Be-True Cash Job" Lure: Offers on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Discord, or Craigslist promising 500 to 1,000 dollars a day in immediate cash + free housing for "traveling sales crews" (door-to-door magazine/candy crews), "massage therapy," "influencer modeling," or "private party hosting" in another city.
  4. Survival Sex Traps ("Couch-Surfing With Conditions"): An adult acquaintance offers to let you sleep on their sofa or in their spare room, then demands sexual favors at midnight by threatening to throw you out onto the street in the rain if you say no. Under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1591), anyone who provides a minor under 18 with shelter, food, money, or a couch in exchange for a sex act is committing felony child sex trafficking, even if no physical force was used.
  5. Isolation from your phone and friends: Any person who asks to hold your ID card, insists on knowing your phone passcode, tells you to delete your family or best friends' numbers, or drives you out of state away from everyone you know is isolating you for exploitation.
  • 24/7 Human Trafficking Emergency Rescue Line: In the United States, call 1-888-373-7888, text INFO anaa ** .HELP** to 233733 (BEFREE), or chat at humantraffickinghotline.org. In Canada, call 1-833-900-1010. In the United Kingdom, call 08000 121 700 (Modern Slavery Helpline).

How to safely keep your phone private when seeking help

If an abusive family member, partner, or trafficker pays for your cellular phone plan or knows your Apple ID or Google password, they can view your live GPS map location or read synced text messages. Before searching for shelters on your phone, turn off Family Sharing / Find My location sharing for that contact, use a private/incognito browser window, or walk into a public library, school counselor's office, or Safe Place fire station to call 1-800-786-2929 from their landline phone so zero call records appear on a shared family wireless bill.

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LGBTQ+ youth homelessness: dedicated affirming safe havens

LGBTQ+ teenagers and young adults make up roughly 28 to 40 percent of all unhoused youth, most often after being kicked out or abused when coming out to family members. If you are an LGBTQ+ young person, you have the right to safe, affirming shelter where your gender identity and pronouns are respected:

  • The Trevor Project (24/7 LGBTQ+ Youth Crisis Intervention, United States): Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678 (free, 100 percent confidential, 24/7). Counselors provide immediate crisis support and can connect you with LGBTQ+-affirming youth shelters and drop-in centers (such as Ali Forney Center, Los Angeles LGBT Center Youth Center, Ruth Ellis Center, or local True Colors United partners).
  • LGBT National Youth Talkline (Up to Age 25): Call 1-800-246-7743 na ɛyɛ.
  • Trans Lifeline: Call 1-877-565-8860 (United States) or 1-877-330-6366 (Canada).
  • akt (formerly The Albert Kennedy Trust, United Kingdom): Supports LGBTQ+ young people aged 16 to 25 facing homelessness across the UK (akt.org.uk).
  • HUD Equal Access Rule (United States): Wɔ federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) mmara ase no, dabere ne adan ho nhyehyɛe biara a enya federal HUD sika no, wɔabara wɔ mmara kwan so sɛ ɛnnyɛ nyiyim a egyina nna ho akɔnnɔ anaa ɔbarima ne ɔbea nna so na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde mmabun a wɔsakra wɔn bɔbeasu ne wɔn a wɔnyɛ mmarima ne mmea a wɔsakra wɔn bɔbeasu si sɛnea wɔn ankasa bɔbeasu kyerɛ (a wɔmfa nnuruyɛ ho nkrataa anaa nipadua mu nhwehwɛmu a ɛyɛ hu).

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Your school and college rights: The McKinney-Vento Act and FAFSA

If you are unhoused, couch-surfing at a friend's house, sleeping in a car, or staying in a shelter or motel, your school is your safest daytime anchor. You do not need a permanent address or a parent with you to go to school.

1. K-12 Public School Rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (US)

Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.), an "unaccompanied homeless youth" includes any student who is not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian and who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (including couch-surfing / "doubled-up" on a friend's or relative's floor, sleeping in a shelter, motel, car, or campground).

Walk into the main office or guidance counselor's office of your school and ask to speak privately with your district's McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison. By federal law, the liaison must guarantee you these six immediate rights:

Statutory McKinney-Vento Right What the School Must Do for You Immediately
1. Right to Stay in Your "School of Origin" + Free Transportation Even if you are couch-surfing or staying in a shelter across town in a different school district, you have the legal right to stay enrolled in your current school (School of Origin), and the school district must provide you with free transportation (bus passes, cab/van rides, or gas cards) to get you to and from school every day.
2. Immediate Enrollment With Zero Paperwork or Parent Signatures If you move to a new town and need to enroll in a new public school, the school must enroll you and put you in class on the very same day, even if you have no parent or guardian with you, no birth certificate, no immunization records, no prior school transcripts, and no proof of address.
3. Automatic Free School Breakfast and Lunch The moment the McKinney-Vento liaison adds your name to the list, you automatically qualify for 100% free school breakfast and lunch every day with no application form or parent income tax forms required.
4. Waiver of All School, Lab, Cap-and-Gown, and Exam Fees The liaison can provide free backpacks, notebooks, gym clothes, winter coats, hygiene supplies, SAT/ACT/AP exam fee waivers, and senior graduation fees, and help you get partial credit for classes interrupted by housing instability.
5. Self-Signing for School Activities and Field Trips As an unaccompanied youth, your McKinney-Vento liaison or designated school adult can help you participate in sports, clubs, and school activities without a parent's signature.
6. Kokoam Nsɛm Ho Banbɔ a Ɛyɛ Katee Sɛnea aban mmara kyerɛ no, wobu wo dan tebea no sɛ sukuuni nhomasua ho kyerɛwtohɔ a wɔabɔ ho ban wɔ FERPA ase; akyerɛkyerɛfo ne adwumayɛfo ntumi mmɔ wo gyinabea ho amanneɛ wɔ mfɛfo sukuufo anim.

2. Kɔlege a wobɛkɔ a wunni awofo tow ho nsɛm (FAFSA Dependency Override) .

Mpɛn pii no, wɔhwehwɛ sɛ asuafoɔ a wɔnnii mfeɛ aduonu nnan a wɔrebisa kɔlege sikasɛm mmoa wɔ United States wɔ FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so no de wɔn awofoɔ toɔ nkrataa ma. Nanso, sɛ woyɛ aberanteɛ a obiara nka wo ho a onni fie anaasɛ wowɔ asiane mu sɛ wobɛnya fie na wobɛhwɛ ne ho a, wɔde wo ahyɛ mmara kwan so sɛ Osuani a Ɔde Ne ho wɔ FAFSA.

  • Sɛnea ɛyɛ adwuma: Hwɛ "Yiw" wɔ mmabun a wonni afie asɛmmisa a obiara nka ho wɔ FAFSA kratasin no so. Wo ntoaso sukuu McKinney-Vento Nkitahodi, wo Runaway and Homeless Youth shelter director, anaa wo kɔlege sikasɛm mmoa sohwɛfo betumi de wɔn nsa ahyɛ krataa a ɛnyɛ den a ɛkyerɛ sɛ woagye atom a ɛkyerɛ wo tebea.
  • Nea wo nsa ka: Wo nhia nsaano nkyerɛwee biako anaa towtua krataa biako mfi w’awofo hɔ, wofata ma Federal Pell Grant a ɛsen biara ne ɔman mmoa mmoa a egyina w’ankasa sika a wunya zero/sika a ɛba fam nkutoo so, na wunya kwan a edi kan wɔ afe mũ nyinaa sukuupɔn no mu adan a wɔda mu (a Thanksgiving, awɔw bere, ne ahohuru bere mu ahomegye ka ho) ne sukuupɔn no mu nnuan a wɔkora so.

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So mmofra nkumaa betumi anya ayaresa, awo ano aduru, anaa aduan ho nkrataa a awofo nni hɔ?

Ade titiriw a ɛhaw mmofra a wɔadi mfe 15 kosi 17 ma wɔn ankasa ne sɛnea wɔbɛkɔ oduruyɛfo nkyɛn, wɔbɛsan ahyɛ nnuru a wɔakyerɛw ama wɔn no ma, anaasɛ wɔbɛtɔ nneɛma a ɔwofo biara nni hɔ.

Aduruyɛ mu pene nketenkete ne aduan ho mfaso ho mmara

  1. Ayaresa a egye ntɛmpɛ (Mfeɛ nyinaa): Wɔ aban mmara ase (EMTALA wɔ United States, ne amansan NHS/ɔmanfoɔ akwahosan ho mmara wɔ wiase nyinaa), ayaresabea biara a ɛhwɛ ntɛmpɛ so ɛsɛ sɛ ɛhwehwɛ abofra kumaa biara mu na ɛsa no yareɛ wɔ ayaresa tebea a egye ntɛmpɛ ho a ɛntwɛn sɛ awofoɔ pene so na ɛmfa ho sɛ ɔbɛtumi atua.
  2. Akwahosan ho dwumadie a wɔde ma mmofra nkumaa (Mfeɛ 12 kɔsi 17): Ɛkame ayɛ sɛ wɔ U.S. mantam biara mu, Canada mantam (wɔ Mature Minor Doctrine ase), UK (Gillick Competence / Fraser Guidelines), ne Australia, mmofra nkumaa bɛtumi apene so wɔ mmara kwan so wɔ wɔn ankasa so, a awofoɔ mma wɔn kwan anaa wɔmmɔ wɔn amanneɛ, sɛ STI ne HIV nhwehwɛmu ne ayaresa, nyinsɛn hwɛ ne nyinsɛn ano aduru, nna mu ɔbrasɛe ho asɛnnibea nhwehwɛmu, adwenemyare ho afotu a wɔde ma ayarefo a wɔda abɔnten, ne nnuru a wɔde di dwuma ho ayaresa. U.S. aman bɛboro 30 nso ahyɛ Unaccompanied Homeless Minor Healthcare Consent Statutes pɔtee bi a ɛma aberanteɛ a wadi mfeɛ 14, 15, anaa 16+ a ɔte awofoɔ ntam kwan ma ɔpene so sɛ ɔbɛpene ayaresa titire, nsensan, ne anisoadehunu hwɛ a wɔyɛ no daa wɔ Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) anaa Youth Drop-In Clinic biara.
  3. SNAP Food Stamps for Unaccompanied Youth: Wɔ United States no, mfeɛ a ɛsua koraa biara nni hɔ a ɛbɛma woatumi abisa SNAP (EBT Food Stamps) sɛ wotena wo ho a wo ne w’awofoɔ ntam kwan ware na wotɔ na wosiesie w’ankasa aduane a. Sɛ mpo woadi mfeɛ 16 anaa 17 (anaasɛ woadi mfeɛ 18 kɔsi 24) na wunni address pɔtee biara a, wobɛtumi abisa Expedited SNAP Benefits (wɔde ma wɔ nnafua 7 mu) wɔ wo mantam mu asetena mu nnwuma adwumayɛbea anaa ɛnam mmabun a wɔde wɔn kɔ baabi a wɔde wɔn ho hyɛ mu no so, de drop-in center no abɔnten so address bedi dwuma de agye wo EBT kaad.

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Fie a wobɛsan aba dwoodwoo: Bɔs tekiti a wontua hwee ("Home Free") ne ntamgyinafo

Sɛ wuguan wɔ akasakasa akyi anaasɛ wokɔdaa kurow foforo mu na wusi gyinae sɛ wopɛ sɛ wosan kɔ w’abusua nkyɛn (anaasɛ wo busuani bi a ɔwɔ ahobammɔ a wɔapene no so te sɛ nana, maame nuabea, anaa wo nua panyin) nkyɛn a, ɛnsɛ sɛ wode kar tu kwan anaasɛ wosrɛsrɛ bɔs ka.

  • "Home Free" Dwumadi no (Ɔman Guankɔbea Ahobammɔ + Greyhound): Frɛ 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) na ɛyɛ. Ɛnam fekubɔ a wɔne Greyhound Lines ayɛ akyɛ so no, National Runaway Safeline de bɔs akwantuo a wɔmfa hwee nto mu 100% kɔ fie (anaasɛ kɔ asetena foforɔ a ahotɔ wɔ mu a wɔayɛ mu nhwehwɛmu anaa mmabun dabere) ma mmabun a wɔaguan ne wɔn a wɔakɔda a wɔadi mfeɛ 12 kɔsi 21 wɔ United States nyinaa.
  • Sɛnea ɛbɔ wo ho ban: Ansa na ɔde tekiti a wontua hwee bɛma no, ɔhaw ho ɔfotufo bi ne wo kasa wɔ kokoam de hwɛ hu sɛ wopɛ sɛ wokɔ hɔ ankasa na ofie no wɔ ahobammɔ fi ayayade ho, ɔne w’awofo anaa nea ɔhwɛ wo no yɛ ntamgyinafo frɛ a ɛkɔ akwan abiɛsa so sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a obiara bɛyɛ komm bere a woadu hɔ no, na mpo ɔde bɔs tekiti a wontua hwee ma ɔwofo anaa mmara kwan so ɔhwɛfo bi ma ɔne wo tu kwan sɛ woadi mfe 12 kosi 14. Ɔde ne nsa kyerɛɛ ne so.

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Wiase nyinaa nhoma a ɛfa mmerante ne mmabaa a wonni afie ne ɔhaw asetra kwan ho 24/7

Ɔman / Ɔmantam Ahyehyɛde no Edin 24/7 Telefon / Nsɛm / Wɛb Nkitahodi Mfe & Nnwuma a Wɔde Ma
Aman Nkabom Kuo Ɔman no Guankɔbea Ahobammɔ (NRS) Frɛ anaa Text: 1-800-786-2929 **
Wɛbsaet so nkɔmmɔbɔ: 1800runaway.org
Mfeɛ 12 kɔsi 21: 24/7 kokoam ahokyere mu dwumadie, dabere hwehwɛfoɔ, nhyiamu ntamgyinafoɔ frɛ, ne Home Free akwantuo tekiti a wontua hwee.
Aman Nkabom Kuo Ɔman no Ahobammɔ Beae (Txt 4 HELP) Atwerɛ SAFE + Mprempren Address/Kurow/Ɔman kɔ ** .44357** ** Wɔn a wonnii mfe 18: Mmuae a wɔde kyerɛw nsɛm ntɛm ara ne Safe Place hokafo site a ɛbɛn wo ne ɔfotufo a ɔte ase nkɔmmɔbɔ a wɔde kyerɛw nsɛm (2CHAT).
Aman Nkabom Kuo Apam Fie Frɛ: 1-800-388-3888 **
Wɛbsaet: covenanthouse.org
Mfe 16 kosi 24: Mmabun kronkronbea ahorow 24/7 ntɛm ara, mpa, adidibea, nnuruyɛbea ahorow, ne nsakrae asetra wɔ nkurow bɛboro 30 mu wɔ U.S., Canada, ne Latin Amerika nyinaa.
Amerika & Canada 211 Mpɔtam Nneɛma a Wɔde Yɛ Adwuma Dial ** .211** fi telefon biara so
Wɛbsaet: 211.org / . 211.ca
Mfeɛ nyinaa: Bisa adwumayɛfoɔ no pɔtee sɛ "Mmabun a wɔaguan ne wɔn a wɔnni fie (RHY) dabere anaa Mmabun a wɔde wɔn kɔ mmeaeɛ."
Canada Mmofra Boa Telefon Frɛ: 1-800-668-6868 **
Text: CONNECT to 686868 **
Ages 5 to 29: 24/7 free, bilingual confidential crisis counseling and direct directory to Canadian youth shelters (such as Covenant House Toronto/Vancouver, Youth Without Shelter, and Chez Doris).
Ahemman Nkabom Runaway Helpline (Missing People) Frɛ anaa Text: 116 000 (Free 24/7)
Email: 116000@missingpeople.org.uk
Under 18 & young adults: Free, confidential 24/7 support if you have run away or been forced out; works even with zero phone credit.
Ahemman Nkabom Centrepoint Helpline & Nightstop Frɛ: 0808 800 4444 **
Wɛbsaet: centrepoint.org.uk / . depaul.org.uk
Ages 16 to 25: Emergency youth housing advice, local council Housing Act advocacy, and Nightstop same-night vetted emergency host accommodation.
Europa Aman Nkabom Kuo 116 000 & 116 111 European Hotlines Dial ** .116 000** (Runaway Youth) or 116 111 (Child Helpline) Under 18: Toll-free pan-European emergency helplines connecting to national youth protection and shelter services across 27+ European countries.
Australia na ɛwɔ hɔ. Kids Helpline & State Youth Intake Frɛ: 1800 55 1800 (24/7 free)
NSW Link2home Youth: 1800 152 152 **
Victoria Opening Doors: 1800 825 955 **
Ages 5 to 25: 24/7 crisis counseling and direct referral to funded Youth Foyers, crisis refuges, and headspace youth mental health centers (headspace.org.au).

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Nsɛm a wɔtaa bisa

If I walk into a youth shelter or a Safe Place fire station under age 18, will the police arrest me for running away?

No. Being unhoused, kicked out of your house, or seeking refuge at a Safe Place location or a federally funded Basic Center youth shelter will not result in you being handcuffed or put in jail. Safe Place firefighters, librarians, and youth shelter workers are there to keep you safe indoors, feed you, and protect you from street predators; while shelters normally notify parents or child welfare within 24 to 72 hours that you are safe, if you tell the intake worker that you are fleeing physical, sexual, or emotional abuse at home, they will protect you and contact child protective advocates instead of handing you back to an abusive parent.

How does texting "SAFE" to 44357 work if I have nowhere to go right now?

In the United States, if you text the word SAFE followed by your current street address, intersection, or city and state to 44357 (Txt 4 HELP), you will receive an instant automated text back with the exact street address of the nearest designated Safe Place site (such as a fire station, library, transit bus, or partner convenience store) within walking distance, and you can reply 2CHAT to text live with a youth crisis counselor who can arrange a free pickup ride to the nearest youth shelter.

Can I still go to my high school if I got kicked out of my house and am sleeping on a friend's couch or in a car?

Yes, 100 percent. Under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in the United States, any student who is not living with a parent or guardian and lacks a fixed, adequate nighttime residence (including couch-surfing at a friend's house, staying in a motel, shelter, or car) has the legal right to stay in their current school, receive free daily transportation to and from school, get automatic free school breakfast and lunch, and enroll or participate in school without needing a parent's signature. Go to the school office and ask to speak privately with your school's "McKinney-Vento Liaison."

Why should I go to a Youth Shelter (ages 12 to 24) instead of a regular adult homeless shelter?

General adult congregate shelters are designed for older adults and can be overwhelming or unsafe for teenagers and young adults ages 18 to 24. Youth-specific shelters and Transition-Age Youth (TAY) drop-in centers only admit young people in your peer age bracket (typically 12 to 17 in minor shelters, and 18 to 24 in young adult shelters), offer trauma-informed counselors, help you finish high school or college, and connect you with youth-specific apartment vouchers and host homes.

Can I apply for college financial aid (FAFSA) if my parents kicked me out and refuse to give me their tax information?

Yes. Under federal higher education law, if you are an unaccompanied youth under age 24 who is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of homelessness, you qualify as an Independent Student on the FAFSA. Your high school McKinney-Vento Liaison, a youth shelter director, or your college financial aid officer can verify your status so you do not need any parent tax returns or signatures, allowing you to qualify for the maximum Pell Grant and year-round campus dorm housing.

How can I get food stamps (SNAP/EBT) or see a doctor if I am 16 or 17 and on my own?

In the United States, there is no minimum age rule prohibiting an unaccompanied minor who lives apart from their parents from applying for SNAP (EBT food stamps) on their own, and youth drop-in center caseworkers can help you apply for 7-day Expedited SNAP using the center's mailing address. For medical care, hospital emergency rooms must treat you regardless of age or parental consent, and most states allow unaccompanied minors ages 14 to 17 to consent on their own to confidential STI/HIV care, birth control, mental health counseling, and routine clinic care at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

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Sources a wɔhwɛɛ mu

  • Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, United States): Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA, 34 U.S.C. § 11201 et seq.) standards for Basic Center Programs, Transitional Living Programs, Maternity Group Homes, and Street Outreach Programs.
  • Department of Education (ED, United States) and SchoolHouse Connection: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Subtitle VII-B, 42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.) statutory guidance on unaccompanied homeless youth school enrollment, School of Origin transportation, and FAFSA Independent Student determinations under the FAFSA Simplification Act.
  • National Runaway Safeline (NRS) and National Safe Place Network (United States): Crisis intervention protocols, Txt 4 HELP (44357) operational standards, and Home Free family reunification transit guidelines.
  • Department of Agriculture (USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, United States): SNAP policy memoranda confirming eligibility and no-fixed-address expedited food benefit access for unaccompanied homeless youth.
  • Polaris Project and National Human Trafficking Hotline (United States): Typologies of labor and sex trafficking recruitment targeting runaway and unhoused youth within the first 48 hours of street exposure.
  • Department for Education and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (United Kingdom): Prevention of homelessness and provision of accommodation for 16 and 17 year old young people who may be homeless and/or require accommodation (joint Children Act 1989 Section 20 and Housing Act 1996 statutory guidance).
  • Canadian Observatory on Homelessness / A Way Home Canada and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW, Australia): Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) youth intake frameworks and Mature Minor / Gillick Competence healthcare consent doctrines.

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Akwankyerɛ ahorow a ɛfa ho