Order Code RL31933
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Program:
Administration, Funding, and Legislative Actions
Updated March 23, 2006
Edith Fairman Cooper
Analyst in Social Legislation
Domestic Social Policy Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

---

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Program:
Administration, Funding, and Legislative Actions
Summary
The exact number of runaway and homeless youth in the nation is not known.
Various sources estimate that at any given time, the number of such youth falls
between 500,000 and 2.8 million. In the early 1970s, concern about runaway youth
gained national prominence because of a noticeable increase in the number of such
youth. At that time, it was reported that one million youth in the nation left home
without parental or guardian permission. In January 1972, two-day congressional
hearings began a process that eventually led to the passage of the 1974 Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA, P.L. 93-415). As Title III of
JJDPA, the Runaway Youth Act (RYA) encouraged states to improve local treatment
of at-risk youth. Federal funding was provided to states that agreed to
deinstitutionalize runaway youth and other status offenders (such as truants) and
provide them with shelter, food, counseling and other necessities. Such emergency
assistance, through what was termed the Basic Center Program (BCP), was delivered
apart from the law enforcement, mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice
systems.
In 1977, RYA was expanded to include homeless youth, and the name of the act
changed to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA). Subsequently, two
additional programs were created and funded through the act — the Transitional
Living Program (TLP) for older homeless youth, and the Street Outreach Program
(SOP) to remove runaway and homeless youth from the streets and protect them from
possible sexual abuse and exploitation.
On October 10, 2003, the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection
Act (RHMCPA) was signed into law (P.L. 108-96) reauthorizing and amending
RHYA and the Missing Children’s Assistance Act (MCAA) for FY2004 through
FY2008. RHMCPA authorized grants to local and private groups to create and
operate local runaway and homeless youth shelters. Also, maternity group homes
were added as an allowable activity under the TLP. For FY2004, $105 million was
authorized for the Consolidated Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (RHYP),
which combined BCP and TLP, and such sums as necessary for FY2005 through
FY2008. SOP was authorized for such sums as necessary for FY2004 through
FY2008. Congress appropriated, however, $89.4 million for RHYP for FY2004, and
$15.3 million for SOP. For FY2005, Congress allocated $88.7 million for RHYP and
$15.1 million for SOP. For FY2006, $87.8 million was appropriated for RHYP, and
$15.0 million for SOP. The President requested the same funding levels for FY2007
that were enacted for FY2006 for both RHYP and SOP.
In the 109th Congress, three bills have been introduced that would amend RHYA
to include provisions related to maternity group homes — S. 6 (the Marriage,
Opportunity, Relief, and Empowerment Act of 2005), H.R. 3908 (the Charitable
Giving Act), and S. 1780 (the CARE Act of 2005). Each was referred to the
appropriate Committee. No further action has occurred.
This report will be updated as warranted.

---

Contents
Introduction and Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Program Administration and Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Basic Center Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Transitional Living Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Maternity Group Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Street Outreach Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
National Runaway Switchboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Reauthorization Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Legislation in the 109th Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Appropriations History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
List of Tables
Table 1. RHYP Appropriations, FY2002-FY2007,
by Grant Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Table 2. Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway,
Homeless, and Street Youth (SOP), FY2002-FY2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

---

The Runaway and Homeless Youth
Program: Administration, Funding,
and Legislative Actions
Introduction and Background
No one knows the exact number of runaway1 and/or homeless youth2 in the
nation. Various numbers have been suggested at different times with caveats applied
for clarification. For example, a 1989 General Accounting Office (GAO) report
estimated that there were between 1 million and 1.3 million runaway and homeless
youth with the caveat that no distinction was made in the estimate between runaway
youth and homeless youth.3 A 1995 Research Triangle Institute study prepared for
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimated that 2.8 million
youth ages 12 to 17 who responded to a household survey reported a runaway
experience, implying that they had run away from home at least once.4 The October
2002 National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway
Children (NISMART-2) study released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) estimated that in 1999,
1,682,900 youth ran away from home or were asked to leave their homes (that is,
thrownaway) by their caretakers.5 In 2001, the National Runaway Switchboard
1 A runaway youth is defined as an individual under the age of 18 who has left home without
parental or a legal guardian’s permission for more than 24 hours. In contrast, a “throwaway
or thrownaway” youth is a person under the age of 18 who leaves home with parental or a
legal guardian’s permission for over 24 hours. “Runaway Prevention Curriculum:
Teacher’s Guide,” National Runaway Switchboard, 2001, p. 1.
2 The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (codified at 42 U.S.C. §§ 5701 et seq.) defines a
homeless youth as an individual 16 to 21 years of age, who cannot live in a safe environment
with a relative and who has no other alternative living arrangement (42 U.S.C. § 5732a(3)).
A street youth is defined as a runaway youth who is indefinitely or intermittently homeless
and spends a significant amount of time on the street or in other areas that increase the risk
that such a youth will experience sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or drug abuse. (42
U.S.C. § 5732a(5)).
3 U.S. General Accounting Office, Homelessness: Homeless and Runaway Youth Receiving
Services at Federally Funded Shelters, GAO/HRD-90-45 (Dec. 19, 1989), p. 13.
4 Jody M. Greene et al., Youth with Runaway, Throwaway, and Homeless Experiences:
Prevalence, Drug Use, and Other At-Risk Behaviors, vol. 1, Final Report, Prepared for the
U.S. Health and Human Services by the Research Triangle Institute, Feb. 1995, p. E-6.
5 U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, NISMART: Runaway/Thrownaway Children: National Estimates and Characteristics,
by Heather Hammer, David Finkelhor, and Andrea J. Sedlak, NISMART Bulletin Series, NCJ
(continued...)

---

CRS-2
(NRS) (discussed below) estimated that each day, 1.3 million runaway and homeless
youth live on the streets in the nation. NRS stated that “one out of seven children
will run away from home before the age of 18 and that about 5,000 of such youth die
annually from assault, illness, and suicide.”6 The HHS Administration for Children
and Families, in its FY2004 Justification of Estimates for Appropriations
Committees, differentiated between runaway and homeless youth by estimating that
between 500,000 to 1.5 million youth run away from home annually, while about
300,000 youth experience homelessness each year.7
Although the exact number of such youth is unknown, in the early 1970s,
concern about their welfare occurred when an apparent growth in the number of
runaway youth gained national prominence. At that time, it was reported that about
one million youth in the nation had left home without parental or guardian
permission.8 In January 1972, two days of congressional hearings were held to
discuss the runaway youth problem and the legislative proposal, the Runaway Youth
Act. Of particular interest were the reasons why youth left home. Experts testified
about reasons that many youth ran away from home, which included significant
family problems, such as physical or sexual abuse, or neglect; problems at school; or
problems within the youth themselves. Experts believed that choosing to run away
represented anguished cries for help.9 While away from home, such youth were
exposed to exploitation and other dangers of living on the street with no public
services available to meet their needs. Furthermore, in many states, running away
from home violated the law, and runaways were arrested and detained in a juvenile
or penal institution with no other alternatives to address their problems and concerns.
The 1972 hearings began a process that eventually led to the passage of the 1974
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) (P.L. 93-415), which
established a system that provided financial assistance to states that improved local
treatment of at-risk youth. For example, in order to receive federal funding through
JJDPA, states had to agree to deinstitutionalize runaway youth and other status
offenders10 (referring to minors confined for offenses that would not be punishable
if committed by an adult, such as truancy and running away from home).
In 1974, through the passage of the Runaway Youth Act (RYA), as Title III of
the JJDPA, a means was created to assist youth who had run away from home.
5 (...continued)
196469, Oct. 2002, p. 2.
6 “Runaway Prevention Curriculum,” National Runaway Switchboard, p. 1.
7 U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Fiscal Year 2004 Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, p. H-47.
8 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile
Delinquency, Runaway Youth, 92nd Cong., 1st sess., Jan. 13-14, 1972 (Washington: GPO,
1972), p. 6.
9 Ibid., p. 5.
10 U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Family and Youth Services Bureau, Basic Center Program, at [http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/
programs/fysb/content/youthdivision/programs/bcpfactsheet.htm].

---

CRS-3
Assistance for such youth would be separate from the law enforcement, mental
health, child welfare and juvenile justice systems through what was termed the Basic
Center Program (BCP).
In 1977, through Juvenile Justice Amendments (P.L. 95-115), the RYA was
reauthorized and its scope of coverage expanded to include homeless youth. The
name of the provision was changed to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(RHYA) and it assisted such youth through BCP. In 1988, the Transitional Living
Program for Older Homeless Youth (TLP) was created to provide long-term
assistance not available through BCP. In 1994, Congress created the Education and
Prevention Services to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway, Homeless, and Street
Youth Program or the Street Outreach Program (SOP) to assist in the safety and well-
being of youth who end up living on the streets after fleeing from (or having been
asked to leave) homes marked by abuse, neglect, or parental drug or alcohol abuse.
The program was established through the Violence Against Women Act of the
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). SOP
assists youth who have been or are at risk of being sexually abused, used for
prostitution, or for sexual exploitation.

Initially, all three program elements (that is, BCP, TLP, and SOP) were
separately funded and administered as the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program
(RHYP) by the Family and Youth Services Bureau of HHS’ Administration for
Children and Families. On October 12, 1999, RHYA was amended and reauthorized
through the Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children Protection Act (MERCPA)
(P.L. 106-71), which consolidated program funding for BCP and TLP into a single
appropriation, which is referred to as the Consolidated Runaway and Homeless
Youth Program. Also, MERCPA amended the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
to include the Street Outreach Program as a separately funded RHYA program
component. SOP services are coordinated with BCP and TLP efforts.
On October 10, 2003, the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection
Act was signed into law (P.L. 108-96) to reauthorize and amend the Runaway and
Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children’s Assistance Act (MCAA),
superseding MERCPA. For discussions about missing and exploited children, see
CRS Report RL31655, Missing and Exploited Children: Overview and Policy
Concerns, and CRS Report RS21365, The Missing Children’s Assistance Act
(MCAA): Appropriations and Reauthorization.
This report provides a brief overview of the Runaway and Homeless Youth
Program, discusses RHYA reauthorization and related legislation, and provides an
appropriations funding history for the program.
Program Administration and Components
The Consolidated Runaway and Homeless Youth Program is administered by
the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), as stated above. Under RHYA, the
Secretary of HHS is authorized to make grants to local public and private entities (or

---

CRS-4
a combination of such entities) to create, operate, or renovate local centers to provide
services for runaway and homeless youth and their families.
Under RHYA, 90% of appropriated funds for the Basic Center and the
Transitional Living Programs must be reserved for creating and operating
community-based runaway and homeless youth centers. Of this amount, between
20% and 30% must be reserved for TLP. The remaining 10% of appropriated funds
must be used for a national communications system (that is, the National Runaway
Switchboard), an information clearinghouse, technical assistance and training for
grantees, research, evaluation, and demonstration and service projects designed to
increase knowledge about and improve services for runaway and homeless youth.
Grants are awarded on a competitive basis for project periods up to three years
for BCP, and up to five years for TLP. Grantees must provide a nonfederal share or
a match of at least 10% of the federal funds awarded. The nonfederal share may be
met with cash or in-kind contributions. If an applicant fails to provide its share, the
federal government match is withheld. Temporary demonstration projects may be
made to provide services to youth in rural areas. Competitive grants are made to
states, localities, and private groups (or a combination of such groups) for providing
BCP services to runaway and homeless youth in rural areas, including transportation.
Each component of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program is discussed
below.
Basic Center Program
The purpose of the Basic Center Program is to meet the immediate needs of
runaway and homeless youth and their families through creating or strengthening
local community-based programs. The goals of BCP are to lighten the problems of
such youth; reunite them with their families, and promote resolving family problems
through counseling and other avenues; reinforce family connections and foster a
stable home life; and help such youth to make constructive decisions regarding their
plight.11
The Secretary of HHS is authorized to make grants to public and nonprofit
private entities, and combinations of such entities, to create and operate local centers
to serve runaway and homeless youth and their families. These entities include any
state or local government unit, combination of local government units, community-
based public and private nonprofit organizations, institutions, agencies and
coordinated networks of such groups, faith-based organizations, federally recognized
or unrecognized Indian tribes, and urban Indian tribes.12
Each BCP grantee must provide short term services to runaway and homeless
youth under 18. Such services should include, providing temporary shelter for up to
14 days, food, clothing, individual or group and family counseling, health care
11 “Runaway and Homeless Youth (Basic Center Program),” Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance, 93:623.
12 Ibid.

---

CRS-5
referrals, and making an attempt to reunite them with their families, or if necessary,
providing alternative appropriate living arrangements. When youth leave the shelter,
aftercare services are available to them and to their families. BCP also provides
shelter for youth who are at risk of running away from home, or have a history of
running away from home, and will give age appropriate services or referrals for
homeless youth ages 18 through 21. Grantees are required to provide services in
residential settings for at least four and up to 20 youths. Such settings may include
host homes (usually private homes under contract with the center), group homes, or
supervised apartments for shelter services.13
For BCP, the amount of federal funds available to grantees within each state is
determined by a formula. Under this formula, federal funds are divided annually
among the states (that is, the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the
outlying areas), based on their relative population of persons under the age of 18,
proportionate to the national population of youth under 18. Each state, except the
outlying areas, is allotted a minimum of $100,000 annually, while the outlying areas
— that is, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern
Mariana Islands — are allotted a minimum of $45,000 per year. Community-based
public and private agencies apply directly to the federal government and compete for
BCP grants, subject to these state allotments. Priority is given to applicants who
have demonstrated experience in providing services to runaway and homeless youth
and to those who apply for less than $200,000 per year. Funding for the second and
third year, however, depends on the program’s satisfactory performance and on the
availability of funds.14
Transitional Living Program
The Transitional Living Program assists older homeless youth (16- to 21-year-
olds), including pregnant and parenting youth, who need longer-term supportive
assistance. Services are geared toward assuring such youth a successful transition to
independent self-sufficiency and avoidance of long-term dependence on social
services. The youth are provided residential services for up to 540 days (or 18
months), that is, living accommodations through host families or supervised
apartments. Other services they receive include counseling in basic life skills,
interpersonal skill development, educational improvement, job acquisition skills, and
physical and mental health care, as needed, to assist them in making a successful
transition to self-sufficient living.15
As with BCP grants, TLP grants are available to states, local units of
government, a combination of such units, public or private nonprofit agencies,
organizations, institutions or other nonprofit entities, faith-based organizations,
federally recognized or unrecognized Indian tribes, and to urban Indian tribes.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 “Transitional Living Program for Homeless Youth,” Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance, 93.550; see [http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/fysb/content/youthdivision/
programs/tlpfactsheet.htm].

---

CRS-6
Applicants may apply for up to a $200,000 grant per fiscal year, which equals $1
million for a five-year project period.16
Maternity Group Homes. For FY2002, the Administration proposed a new
Maternity Group Homes (or second chance homes)17 initiative as a program
component of TLP to allow young single mothers to participate in transitional living
opportunities. Concern that such mothers are vulnerable to abuse and neglect, often
end up on welfare, in foster care, in homeless shelters or on the streets and that their
children are at-risk of becoming teen parents themselves, prompted this proposal.
Competitive grants would have been offered to faith-based and community-based
groups to provide a safe and nurturing adult-supervised living environment for unwed
teen mothers (16 to 21) and their children who cannot live safely with their own
families.
For FY2002, the Administration requested $33 million specifically for maternity
group homes as a component of TLP. Congress appropriated, however, a total of
$39.7 million for TLP, without specifying funds for maternity group homes but
including an additional $19 million over the FY2001 TLP appropriation to ensure
that pregnant and parenting homeless teens would be able to access transitional living
opportunities and support through their communities.18
Since FY2002, funding for the needs of pregnant and parenting teens has been
given to various organizations that already were receiving TLP funds and were
directly serving that teen population.19 When the 108th Congress reauthorized the
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, maternity group homes were explicitly added as
an allowable use of funds under TLP.
For FY2003 through FY2006, the President requested annual funding of $10
million for maternity group homes, separate from TLP funding. Congress, however,
never appropriated specific funding for such homes. Both pregnant and parenting
teens would have been assisted through community- or faith-based maternity group
homes.20 Congress was aware of the need for funding residential services for young
mothers and their children, and that pregnant and parenting teens were eligible for
16 U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
“Announcement of Availability of Financial Assistance and Request for Applications for Runaway
and Homeless Youth Program Grants,” Program Announcement No. ACF/ACYF/RHYP 2002-02,
p. 12, [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=
02-4122-filed].
17 See CRS Report RL31540, Second Chance Homes: Federal Funding, Programs, and
Services, by Edith Fairman Cooper.
18 U.S. Congress, Committee of Conference, Making Appropriations for the Departments
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for the Fiscal
Year Ending Sept. 30, 2002, conference report to accompany H.R. 3061, 107th Cong., 1st
sess., H.Rept. 107-342 (Washington: GPO, 2001), pp. 104-105.
19 Spokesman at FYSB, telephone conversation with author, Apr. 8, 2003.
20 U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, “Consolidated Runaway and Homeless Youth
Program,” FY2003 Justifications, p. H-50.

---

CRS-7
and served by TLP. Congress expected that the Family and Youth Services Bureau
would continue providing technical assistance to enable TLP grantees and their
community partners to address the unique needs of young mothers and their children,
as well as to assist interested entities in identifying funding sources currently
available to provide residential services to this population. For FY2007, the
President has not requested separate funding for Maternity Group Homes.
Street Outreach Program
As mentioned above, congressional concern about possible sexual abuse and
exploitation of runaway and homeless youth living on the streets,21 led to creating the
Street Outreach Program. The goal of SOP is to assist such youth by providing
services that will help them move from the streets into safe and appropriate
alternative living arrangements. Such services include treatment and counseling,
crisis intervention, prevention and education activities, individual assessments,
survival aid, street-based education and outreach, information and referrals, and
followup support. Also, SOP staff must have access to local emergency shelter space
or such space that can be made available for youth who are willing to leave the
streets. Accommodations are needed in order to maintain interaction with such youth
during the time that they are in the shelter.22 In addition, FYSB encourages grantees
to help such youth achieve their full potential by focusing on youth development
strategies, such as, providing opportunities for such youth to exercise leadership,
build skills, and become involved in their communities.23
Since 1996, FYSB has provided grants to community-based public and private
nonprofit agencies to conduct outreach designed to foster relationships between
grantee staff and street youth. Priority is given to applicants with experience in
assisting runaway, homeless, and street youth. Generally, awards are made for
three-year project periods. Applicants may apply for a $100,000 grant each year for
a maximum of $200,000 for the three-year project period. Satisfactory performance
and the availability of funds determine whether the second and third year awards are
provided. Progress and fiscal reports are required to be submitted twice a year. Also,
a final program and expenditure report are required within 90 days after the project
is completed.24
21 MERCPA amended RHYA, defining a street youth as a runaway youth, or indefinitely or
intermittently a homeless youth, who spends a large portion of time on the street or in other
areas that increase the risk for sexual abuse, exploitation, prostitution, or drug abuse.
22 U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Family and Youth Services Bureau, Street Outreach Program, at [http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/
programs/fysb/content/youthdivision/programs/sopfactsheet.htm].
23 Ibid.
24 Ibid.

---

CRS-8
National Runaway Switchboard
The National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) is the national communications
system that was established in 1974 through the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.
The purpose of NRS is to link runaway and homeless youth, or youth at risk of
running away, to their family members or to community-based resources to help such
youth and their families to find other needed services.
NRS is a free 24-hour hotline that operates out of Chicago. Over 100 specially
trained volunteers, assisted by a professional staff, provide hotline services seven
days a week, and 365 days a year to callers in the nation, as well as those in Puerto
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Staffers are equipped to provide assistance
to youth and their families from every geographic, educational, economic, and
racial/ethnic part of U.S. society. Callers are provided confidential, nonjudgmental
assistance during a time of crisis. Also, national referrals are made for shelter, food,
medical, and/or legal assistance.25
NRS responds to about 120,000 calls annually for some type of assistance. Of
that number, 44% of the calls come from youth, 36% come from parents, and the
remaining 20% come in for general information and client-related calls.26
The NRS states that each caller receives individualized attention and support.
According to NRS, the results and benefits of the hotline can be divided into three
categories — prevention, intervention, and referral. Hotline staff work with and
educate youth callers who recognize their need for assistance before a crisis occurs
(prevention); staff serve as neutral channels of communication so that youth can talk
through their problems and develop their own plan of action (intervention); and the
staff identifies agency resources within the callers’ community where they and their
families can receive assistance (referral).27
Reauthorization Legislation
Legislation was enacted to reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
for FY2004 through FY2008, and to authorize funding for maternity group homes
through TLP. On May 1, 2003, H.R. 1925, the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing
Children Protection Act, was introduced by Representative Phil Gingrey to
reauthorize programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the Missing
Children’s Assistance Act. On October 10, 2003, an amended version of the measure
was signed into law (P.L. 108-96).
25 National Runaway Switchboard, Media Information Kit, at [http://www.nrscrisisline.org/
faq.asp].
26 U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
“Runaway an d Homeless Youth Program, Fiscal Year 2007 Justification of Estimates for
Appropriations, pp. D-41-D-42 (hereafter cited as Fiscal Year 2007 Justification of
Estimates for Appropriations).
27 National Runaway Switchboard, Media Information Kit, p. 3.

---

CRS-9
Title I amends RHYA by expanding the findings section to emphasize that such
youth have a disproportionate share of serious health, behavioral, and emotional
problems because of a lack of sufficient resources to obtain care; they are in urgent
need of temporary shelter and services, including services that are linguistically
appropriate and that acknowledge the environment of such youth seeking assistance;
the federal government has the responsibility to assist such youth by developing an
effective system of care, including aftercare services and street outreach services,
because of the interstate nature of the problem; and improved coordination and
collaboration are necessary between federal programs that serve such youth to
develop a long-term strategy for responding to their needs.
Grants for services that a local Basic Center may provide include testing for
sexually transmitted diseases, at the request of a runaway or homeless youth.
The measure allows a runaway and homeless youth center, or a locally
controlled temporary shelter for such youth, to provide for a maximum of 20 youths,
except if the applicant is located in a state where a law or regulation requires a higher
maximum capacity of youth to comply with licensure requirements. Also, for
purposes of the Basic Center Program, a homeless youth is defined as one not over
18 years of age. Youth, however, between the ages of 18 and 21 years are allowed
to continue receiving services and referrals at a Basic Center, but temporary
residential services must be limited to younger youth.
The act’s eligibility for assistance to establish a TLP specifies that plans to
establish group homes include maternity group homes, and that services provided
include, as appropriate, parenting skills. A definition for maternity group homes is
included as a new subsection. The 540-day (18-month) length of stay at a TLP is
amended by providing a limited extension. A youth who is under 18 years of age on
the last day of the 18-month period may remain in the program, if the youth is
otherwise qualified, until the earliest date when either the youth turns 18, or the 180th
day (or six months) after the 18-month period is reached.
Provisions regarding eligibility for grant assistance through BCP and TLP
stipulate that an applicant must develop a plan for ensuring coordination with
McKinney-Vento school district liaisons, designated under the McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act to assure that runaway and homeless youth would be
provided information about educational services available under Title VII, Subtitle
B of P.L. 100-77, regarding Education for Homeless Children and Youth. Also, the
measure stipulates that eligible TLP applicants agree to develop an adequate plan that
will ensure proper referral of homeless youth to various services including post-
secondary education, training that will include services and programs available under
the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and to welfare assistance that will include
programs under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act of 1996.
The measure authorizes $105 million for RHYA (except for SOP) to be
appropriated for FY2004, and such sums as necessary for FY2005 through FY2008.
Also, it authorizes such sums as necessary for SOP, for FY2004 through FY2008.

---

CRS-10
The law adjusts the percentage split for BCP and TLP funding by increasing the
TLP minimum to 45% (of the 90% funding required for the BCP and TLP projects)
and allowing this percentage to be increased up to 55% for those fiscal years when
continuation grants are obligated and the quality or number of applicants for both
BCP and TLP warrant such an adjustment.
The HHS Secretary is directed to consult with the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development to ensure coordination of programs and services for homeless
youth. Also, no later than two years after the act becomes law, the HHS Secretary,
in consultation with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, is required to
submit a report to Congress on strategies to end youth homelessness. Furthermore,
the HHS Secretary is required to evaluate TLP programs by reporting on long-term
housing outcomes for youth, 12 to 18 months after they leave the program.
Finally, the law stipulates that no program funds may be used for distributing
sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of an illicit drug. Any person
or entity who receives program funds and uses them for needles or syringes
distribution, must give a separate account for such funds from expenses used for
other RHYA program activities.
Title II of the law discusses amendments to the Missing Children’s Assistance
Act.
Legislation in the 109th Congress
Three bills have been introduced in the 109th Congress that would amend RHYA
to include a provision for maternity group homes. On January 24, 2005, S. 6, the
Marriage, Opportunity, Relief, and Empowerment Act of 2005 (MORE Act), was
introduced by Senator Rick Santorum and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
Title III, Subtitle H of the bill would amend RHYA to require an evaluation of
maternity group homes and require the evaluator to submit a report to Congress
regarding the status, activities, and accomplishments of such homes (supported by
grant funds) no later than two years after the date in which the Secretary of HHS
entered into a contract for the evaluation, and biennially thereafter. The bill would
authorize $33 million for FY2006 for maternity group homes eligible under RHYA,
and such sums as necessary for FY2007. Identical provisions are included in S.
1780, introduced by Senator Santorum on September 28, 2005, and referred to the
Senate Finance Committee.
On September 27, 2005, Representative Roy Blunt introduced H.R. 3908, the
Charitable Giving Act of 2005, that would not only amend the Internal Revenue
Code to provide incentives for individuals and businesses to increase contributions
to charities, but also would amend RHYA to include maternity group homes for
homeless youth within TLP. Referred to the House Committees on Ways and Means
and Education and the Workforce, no further action has occurred. This provision,
however, is similar to language already enacted in P.L. 108-96.

---

CRS-11
Appropriations History
Since FY2002, Congress has appropriated approximately $88 or $89 million
each year through FY2006 for RHYP, and about $15 million for SOP. For FY2007,
the President has requested the same amounts enacted for each program in FY2006,
that is, $87,837,000 and $15,027,000, respectively. Also, for FY2007, the
Administration proposes awarding 328 BCP grants, and 193 TLP grants that would
include maternity group homes to provide transitional living opportunities for
pregnant and parenting homeless teens. Furthermore, the Administration for
Children and Families (ACF) announced that it will begin using vouchers to provide
maternity group home services in order to reach more vulnerable youth. ACF
estimates that $4 million will be used to support about 100 vouchers to pregnant and
parenting homeless teens. It states further that a competitive grant would be awarded
to a national organization for issuing the vouchers. Also, that national group would
be responsible for recruiting and accrediting various maternity group home programs
throughout the nation and for working with existing grantees to identify youth
seeking those types of specialized services.28
For SOP, the requested FY2007 funds would be used to continue assisting 140
grantees with developing programs designed to establish relationships between
grantee staff and street youth in order to meet their needs through outreach and
education efforts.29
Table 1 and Table 2 present an appropriations funding history for RHYP and
for the separately funded SOP, respectively.
Table 1. RHYP Appropriations, FY2002-FY2007, by Grant
Component
($ in thousands)
FY07 Pres.
Program
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
Budg. Req.
Basic Centers
$48,288
$49,473
$49,171
$48,786
$48,298
$48,298
Transitional
39,736
40,505
40,260
39,938a
39,539a
39,539a
Living
Total
$88,024
$89,978
$89,431
$88,724
$87,837
$87,837
Source: HHS, FY2004, Administration for Children and Families, Justification of Estimates for
Appropriations Committees, p. H-45; HHS, FY2005, Administration for Children and Families,
Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, p. H-89; HHS, FY2006, Administration for
Children and Families, Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, p. D-44; and HHS,
FY2007, Administration for Children and Families, Justification of Estimates for Appropriations
Committees, p. D-41.
a. Includes Maternity Group Homes
28 Fiscal Year 2007 Justification of Estimates for Appropriations, p. D-42.
29 Ibid., p. D-47.

---

CRS-12
Table 2. Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway,
Homeless, and Street Youth (SOP), FY2002-FY2007
($ in thousands)
FY07 Pres.
Program
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
Budg. Req.
Street Outreach
$14,999
$15,399
$15,302
$15,178
$15,027
$15,027
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children and Families,
Budget Office, Feb. 24, 2004; and HHS, FY2004, Administration for Children and Families,
Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, p. H-45; HHS, FY2005, Administration for
Children and Families, Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, p. H-97; and HHS,
FY2006, Administration for Children and Families, Justification of Estimates for Appropriations
Committees, p. D-51; and HHS, FY2007, Administration for Children and Families, Justification of
Estimates for Appropriations Committees, p. D-47.
Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Review
In FY2005, a PART performance analysis was conducted on RHYP as part of
the budget process. The program was rated as “Not Performing — Results Not
Demonstrated.” The goal of RHYP was to increase the ratio of youth living in safe
and appropriate settings after leaving the program. PART determined that “while the
program has measures to assess the program’s short term effects, it lacks sufficient
measures to assess the program’s long-term impact on the youth it serves. Also, the
program does not have an appropriate efficiency measure.”30
RHYP administrators plan to take the following actions in order to improve the
program’s performance:
! “Identifying and addressing the barriers that led to the program not
meeting its targets for some goals.
! Completing the design and implementation of an evaluation, which
assesses the program’s impact on homeless youth in the transitional
living (residential) program.
! Developing an appropriate efficiency measure, using existing data
from the Runaway and Homeless Youth Management Information
System.”31
30 “Program Assessment: Runaway and Homeless Youth,” ExpectMore.gov, at
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/summary.10001064.2005.html].
31 Ibid.

---