Rural Youth

This report from the Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness (ICPH) presents national and state-level trends showing the highest rate of growth for student homelessness is occurring in rural communities. The U.S. Census Bureau defines rural communities as those located geographically outside of urbanized areas with fewer than 2,500 residents. ICPH found that over four school years from 2013 to 2017, the number of homeless students in rural areas increased by 11% compared with 3% nationwide. This report discusses the challenges of identifying and supporting these students and their families, federal funding levels to rural school districts, and the obstacles these students face specific to their rural environment. (author abstract modified)

This report from the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FSYB) presents the results from a collaborative initiative with the Children’s Bureau called the Support Systems (SSRHY) for Rural Homeless Youth: A Collaborative State and Local Demonstration. This initiative focused on improving the circumstances of rural youth by strengthening their connection to support services, community, education, and employment. The SSRHY Demonstration funded six projects in rural areas of Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Vermont. Each project worked with transition age youth who had few or no connections to supportive family structures or community support systems. The report outlines the key findings from each project related to collaboration, services, and youth outcomes.

This is the fifth in a series of Research-to-Impact briefs by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago to understand and address youth homelessness. This brief presents new evidence on the distinctive issues of youth homelessness in rural communities nationwide. Limitations in the data about youth homelessness in rural America have kept this issue somewhat hidden compared with urban communities; however, research shows that youth homelessness is as common in rural counties as it is in nonrural counties. This brief outlines the key findings of what youth homelessness looks like in rural areas and offers recommendations for policymakers, local stakeholders, and practitioners to improve the services and supports for this often-underserved youth population.

This journal article presents a study that analyzed familial sex trafficking among a sample of 31 child welfare-involved children referred for behavioral health assessment and treatment. The mixed methods study looked at victim and trafficker characteristics, gender differences in clinical outcomes in sex-trafficked children, and geographical differences in severity of the victimization experience. The researchers found high rates of family members trafficking children for illicit drugs; high severity of abuse using the Sexual Abuse Severity Score, with higher severity of abuse for children living in rural communities; and clinical threshold level scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC-A). They found boys and girls had similar clinical profiles except boys had higher CBCL externalizing scores and females had higher TSCC depression scores. In addition, more than half of the children in the sample had attempted suicide in their lifetime. This study helps expose familial sex trafficking and creates a context for further investigations. The researchers discuss implications for identification and effective responses to familial sex trafficking with a focus on gender and geography.