Gender minority (GM) students are at high risk for substance use and depression. This study explores the role of protective factors in reducing rates of substance use and depression based on high school surveys. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between exposures and outcomes. Youth completed surveys…

American public education policy and practice has long focused on what can be done to meet the academic needs of all students during the school day. Today, more families and students are facing challenges outside of school that affect student academic performance in classrooms. Challenges such as homelessness, food security, mental health and…

"No Place to Call Home: Child and Youth Homelessness in the United States," prepared by intern Neil Damron and released in May 2015, presents the statistics on child and youth homelessness and recent trends in Wisconsin and the United States. It explores the major challenges faced by homeless minors, and, drawing from recent research by…

The rising price of higher education and its implications for equity and accessibility have been extensively documented, but the material conditions of students' lives are often overlooked. Data from more than 30,000 two- and 4-year college students indicate that approximately half are food insecure, and recent estimates suggest that at least 20%…

Trellis' Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) seeks to document the financial well-being of post-secondary students and provide institutions with a detailed profile of the financial issues their students face, some of which could potentially impact their success in college. This report details aggregated findings for the 89 colleges and…

Some students from low-income families are unable to pay their college costs without experiencing material hardship. What they do to make ends meet (e.g., go hungry and homeless) inhibits learning and discourages persistence. Strategic college leaders are investigating the needs of their students and drawing on the strengths of their institutions…

This article addresses school and community-level issues associated with the expanding crisis of student homelessness in the United States. We note that while an increased geographic dispersion of homeless and highly mobile (HHM) families is largely attributed to the widespread effects of the economic recession, it is also furthered by shifting…

The authors reflect on how they, as social work practitioners, support the school systems in supporting homeless youth and families. They emphasize the importance of relationships and trust in working with this vulnerable population. The reflexive vignettes highlight the challenges and success of developing community-based programming for homeless…

The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) is a special entity within the National League of Cities (NLC). The YEF Institute helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of the children, youth, and families in their communities. The YEF Institute's first-ever report on The State of City Leadership for Children and Families…

This paper provides a basis for discussion of housing proposals relating to increasing housing opportunities for homeless persons in Wisconsin. Six major topics relating to housing for homeless and potentially homeless persons are presented. Issues are listed under each topic. For each issue, background information is provided and alternatives for…

The components of Wisconsin's 1991 Assembly Bill 680 that considers homelessness are discussed in this document. The Bill itself addresses: (1) surplus state lands; (2) transitional housing grants; (3) prevention of homelessness; (4) establishing a low-income housing income and franchise tax credit; (5) veterans lacking a permanent address; (6)…

Design challenges for a videoconference on homelessness included overcoming misconceptions about rural homelessness and ensuring meaningful follow-up. Challenges were met by providing guidelines for site facilitators, conducting preconference activities, including interviews with rural homeless people, and facilitating postconference coalition…

This study reports on the leisure time, financial, gambling, and social activities of a large sample of children with hyperactivity (H group, N = 149) and children who served as a control group (CC group, N = 72) from the Southeastern Wisconsin (Milwaukee) region tracked for 13-15 years to young adulthood (ages 19--25, M = 20 years). Participant…

Four adult education programs serving homeless persons in Wisconsin were evaluated. Data were gathered through site visits, a review of program documents, and a survey of 43 homeless individuals served by the programs (7 percent of the total population served). Participants expressed very positive feelings about the programs. Many reported that…

Most often, homeless students are members of minority groups who have attended several schools during their school career, are from single-parent households, and have histories of irregular school attendance. These students also frequently suffer from physical and mental challenges that are rooted in poverty, lack access to medical care, and have…