This document is intended to be a guide for action for people concerned about the youths who live alone on the streets of America without the nurturing, protection, and supervision of caring adults. It describes the varied activities, knowledge, and skills and outreach program needs to provide services to these youth who are living on the streets.…

This assessment of the needs of homeless runaway youth in Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) indicates the need for a cooperative intergovernmental, interdepartmental, and interagency initiative incorporating prevention, intervention and protection, and repatriation. Information was gathered from the Winnipeg Police Department, interviews with 127…

Part I of this report is organized around six dimensions of the quality of life of children in New York City: the demography of the City, the characteristics of families with children, children's health, children's ability to learn, the situation of children living away from home, and crimes committed against and by children. Public expenditures…

This study surveyed 202 state-level disability organizations concerning their capacity, policy, and practices for working with youth with disabilities who are homeless, runaway, or at risk for running away. Major findings indicated: (1) limited awareness existed of the relationship between disabilities and runaway and homeless youth; (2) only 26…

An examination of the reported psychological profile of runaways suggests no clear relationship between personality and runaway behavior. A multiplicity of factors are potential causal agents for running away; these factors range from sociocultural values to school problems. Future research might focus on alternative values, rather than on…

Examines how school counselors can assist runaways. The authors focus on prevention, runaway programs, and how to expedite school reentry. Because school counselors invariably spend time with runaways, counselors can become more effective and efficient both in the short and long term in helping these troubled clients. (RJM)

Briefly reviews seven books on the following topics: (1) runaway and homeless youth; (2) drug abuse prevention; (3) issues related to helping children prenatally exposed to drugs and alcohol; (4) lesbians and gay men as foster parents; (5) a multicultural approach to child welfare; (6) keys to successful volunteer programs; and (7) single mothers.…

A literature review reveals that homeless adolescents are at extremely high risk for acquiring HIV infection. Sexual and drug use behaviors that put these adolescents at risk are described. New models of social, health, and mental health services for these youth are outlined. (GLR)

Research has shown that no treatment program designed for street children can succeed unless the community is prepared to respect, protect, and provide opportunities for them. Investigates why the general public, and those charged with enforcing the law, often treat street children with scorn and hostility. (Author/GCP)

Studied Sri Lankan street children using network interviews, life career interviews, and participant observation. Found that physical and psychological care not supplied by families is replaced within street children groups, and that children exhibit a three-stage process from self-identity as children who live at home to identification as street…

Objective: To examine family risk factors associated with dissociative symptoms among homeless and runaway youth. Method: Three hundred and twenty-eight homeless and runaway youth were interviewed using a systematic sampling strategy in metropolitan Seattle. Homeless young people were interviewed on the streets and in shelters by outreach workers…

We describe a comprehensive program to train emergency shelter staff in effective methods for dealing with youth who have behavioral and emotional problems; assess the degree to which staff implemented the treatment approach; measure the impact of the intervention on shelter-wide incidents such as out-of-control behavior, runaways, and violence…

There is a dearth of research that examines the impact of family systems therapy on problems among sexually and/or physically abused youth. Given this void, differential outcome and predictors of substance use change were evaluated for abused, as compared with nonabused, runaway adolescents who were randomly assigned to family therapy or treatment…

America is called the "Land of Opportunity." Popular stories help to develop and perpetuate a mental model that says anyone can make anything of themselves. Education is promoted as the great equalizer; it is believed that anyone can go to high school in the United States, and even to college if they try hard enough. This mental model is…

This monograph discusses runaway and homeless youth and the programs that serve them in seven large and medium-sized cities throughout the United States. The monograph focuses on the characteristics and service needs of these youths and the demands they pose for service providers. It examines how the population and the service environment have…