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Sep Sep 18 20
  • In-Person Event

What Policy Options Prevent Youth Homelessness?

  • Monday, September 18, 2023
    • In-Person Event
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NCSL's Youth Homelessness Fellows meeting in Denver.

Each year 4.2 million youth and young adults experience some form of homelessness, and state policymakers across the country are seeking guidance on how best to address the problem in their states. During the final in- person meeting, fellows will learn more deeply about systems that intersect with youth experiencing homelessness. They will also consider policy options across these systems that prevent youth and young adult homelessness.

This program is designed to help fellows achieve the following goals:

  • Strengthen fellows’ knowledge of youth and young adult
  • Explore options to prevent homelessness and mitigate the consequences when it does
  • Foster new relationships among fellows, faculty and NCSL
  • Develop an individual legislative action
  • Identify opportunities for NCSL to support your individual action

This meeting will be co-located with NCSL’s Child Welfare Fellows and shared learning will take place through cross-over programming. Please visit your cohort page for all session materials and additional resources.

NCSL’s Youth Homelessness Fellows Program is made possible through grants from the Raikes Foundation and The Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Monday, Sept. 18

5 p.m.

Registration and Reception – Crystal Peak Pre-Function, Bldg. 555, 38th Floor

Pick up your name tag and meeting folder.

5 – 6:00 p.m.

Networking Reception – Crystal Peak Pre-Function, Bldg. 555, 38th Floor

Gather for informal networking and mingle with other Youth Homelessness Fellows, Child Welfare Fellows, faculty and NCSL staff.

6 – 7:30 p.m.

Welcome Dinner and Opening Remarks

Enjoy dinner with Child Welfare Fellows and Youth Homelessness Fellows and hear welcoming remarks from NCSL’s Vice President of Policy & Research, Kate Blackman, on leading and legislating with an intersectional policy approach.

Facilitators:

  • Heather Hanna, NCSL
  • Jenna Bannon, NCSL

Speaker: Kate Blackman, NCSL

Location: Atrium Tower, Crystal Ballroom B&C

Tuesday, Sept. 19

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast and Networking

Start the day with breakfast and networking with other fellows, faculty and NCSL staff. Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Mt. Elbert

8:30 – 9 a.m.

Reconnect with Youth Homelessness Fellows

NCSL staff will preview what’s in store throughout the meeting. Reengage with fellows and share highlights of any relevant action you or your state have taken since our June meeting.

Presentation

Facilitators:

  • Heather Hanna, NCSL
  • Cameron Rifkin, NCSL
  • Walker Stevens, NCSL
  • Heather Wilson, NCSL

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

9 – 10:15 a.m.

Housing Stability to Prevent Youth and Young Adult Homelessness

Hear from two alumni of NCSL’s Youth Homelessness Fellows program about how they are working together to enact bipartisan legislation to prevent youth and young adults from exiting public systems into homelessness. Learn about their policy strategy and consider whether something similar could work in your state.

Moderator: Cameron Rifkin, NCSL

Panelists:

  • Rep. Abby Major, Pennsylvania General Assembly
  • Rep. Napoleon Nelson, Pennsylvania General Assembly

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.

Break

10:30 a.m. – Noon

Youth Homelessness and Education Funding Opportunities

Schools play an important role in identifying and supporting youth experiencing homelessness. Learn about the research, data and policies to fund these services for students experiencing homelessness.

Presention

Moderator: Heather Hanna, NCSL

Speakers:

  • Barbara Duffield, executive director, School House Connection
  • Daniel Espinoza, researcher and policy advisor, Learning Policy Institute

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

Noon – 1:15 p.m.

Networking Lunch

Lunch will be provided by NCSL.

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Mt. Elbert

1:15 – 2:30 p.m.

Youth Homelessness System Collaboration in Colorado

Hear from Colorado state agency staff about their multi-agency collaborative efforts to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness. Learn about policy options to improve collaboration and consider whether something similar could work in your state.

Presentation

Moderator: Cameron Rifkin, NCSL

Panelists:

  • Minna Castillo Cohen, director, Office of Children, Youth and Families, Colorado Department of Human Services
  • Paula Gumina, state coordinator for education of homeless children & youth, Colorado Department of Education
  • Brittany Wade, homeless programs specialist, Office of Homeless Youth Services, Colorado Department of Local Affairs

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

2:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Break

2:45 – 4:15 p.m.

Joint Policy Session with Child Welfare Fellows

Family-Friendly Courts: Opportunities for State Legislators to Improve Civil Court Processes

State courts hear 98% of all civil matters—roughly 20 million cases per year. Many of these civil matters have a significant impact on families. Learn about building positive relationships between the legislature and judiciary, as well as legislative options to make eviction and minor guardianship proceedings more family friendly.

Presentation

Related Resources

Moderators: Walker Stevens, NCSL and Jill Yordy, NCSL

Speaker: Nora Sydow, managing director, court consulting services, National Center for State Courts

Panelists:

  • Elizabeth Arrieta, Lived Expert Action Panel, Colorado Office of the Child’s Representative
  • Deb Seltzer, executive director, Maryland Legal Services Corporation, Liaison to Maryland Access to Counsel in Evictions Task Force
  • Former Rep. Jim Steineke, chair of 2018 Wisconsin Legislative Council Study Committee on Minor Guardianships

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Mt. Evans

4:15 – 4:25 p.m.

Group Photo

Say cheese! Before breaking for the day, please join us in a group photo.

4:25 – 4:35 p.m.

Break

4:35 – 4:55 p.m.

Walk or Shuttle to the Colorado State Capitol

Please sign up at the registration table if you plan to join the tour and let us know if you will walk with NCSL staff (.6 miles/16 minutes) or take a Lyft (rides ordered by NCSL staff). Meet in the lobby at 4:35 p.m. Participants must enter the Capitol before the building closes at 5 p.m.

5 – 6:15 p.m.

Tour of Colorado State Capitol (optional)

Private tour of the Colorado State Capitol with your fellow fellows and a senior-level docent. If you arrive after 5, call Brenna Nelson at (303) 601-0964 for assistance.

6:15 p.m.

Return to Hotel | Dinner on Your Own

Venture out on your own or with others to enjoy Denver’s food scene. Save your receipts. NCSL will reimburse up to $50.

Wednesday, Sept. 20

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast and Hotel Check Out

Enjoy breakfast and check out of your hotel room before programming begins. Please check your bag with the hotel.

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Mt. Elbert

8:30 – 8:40 a.m.

Introduction to Urban Peak Site Visit

Hear from Urban Peak’s chief executive officer about their mission, vision, programs and the intersections between practice and policy to reduce youth homelessness in Colorado.

Welcome: Heather Wilson, NCSL

Speaker: Christina Carlson, chief executive officer, Urban Peak

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

8:40 – 9:20 a.m.

Moving from Homelessness: An Innovative Partnership to Build Workforce Skills

Learn about Civic Center Works, a supplemental maintenance and workforce development pilot program that supports people transitioning out of homelessness.

The partnership brings together nonprofit and philanthropic partners to build workforce skills and self-sufficiency.

Moderator: Christina Carlson, chief executive officer, Urban Peak

Panelists:

  • Eric Lazzari, executive director, Civic Center Conservancy
  • Erica McIntire, Colorado market executive, Bank of America
  • Vanity Rivera, support services director, Urban Peak

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

9:20 – 10:15 a.m.

Lived Expertise in Policy and Practice

Urban Peak’s peer specialists bring lived expertise to their role in helping youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Learn about their challenges and successes and hear about the systems and policy gaps they have experienced firsthand.

Moderator: David Jennings, board secretary, Urban Peak

Panelists:

  • Vanessa Santiago, housing life-skills supervisor, Urban Peak
  • Celeste Windhausen, peer navigator-housing, Urban Peak
  • Xenophen (Xenny) Young, peer navigator-outreach, Urban Peak

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.

Meet in the Hotel Lobby to Board Bus

Fellows, faculty and NCSL staff will meet in the hotel lobby for private bus transportation to Urban Peak.

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Travel to Urban Peak

Private bus transportation from Grand Hyatt Denver to Urban Peak. The bus will drop us off at Mile High United Way (720 Park Ave West).

10:45 – 11:20 a.m.

Urban Peak Tour

In two groups, we will visit Urban Peak’s administrative offices and learn about nearby partner agencies, including the resident apartments and Stout St. Clinic. We will then visit The Spot, a drop-in center for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness.

11:20 – 11:45 a.m.

Return to Grand Hyatt and Break

Return by bus to the hotel and reconvene at 11:45 a.m. Please begin completing the evaluation during transit. Your feedback is important.

11:45 a.m. – 12:30

p.m.

Reflections, Next Steps and Wrap Up

Reflect on the key takeaways from this program and share your next steps and how you will apply what you have learned back in your state. Receive your program completion certificate.

Presentation

Moderators: Heather Hanna, NCSL; Cameron Rifkin, NCSL; Walker Stevens, NCSL; Heather Wilson, NCSL

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Grays Peak A&B

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch and Closing Remarks

Congratulations! Enjoy closing remarks by NCSL staff as you complete your time as a Youth Homelessness Fellow. NCSL is your organization, and we’re here to support you on an ongoing basis with new subject-matter knowledge and ideas about how to better meet the needs of your constituents.

Speakers:

  • Wade Fickler, NCSL
  • Tahra Johnson, NCSL

Location: Grand Hyatt Conference Center—2nd Floor, Mt. Elbert

1:30 p.m.

Adjourn

Grand Hyatt Denver
1750 Welton Street, Denver, Colorado, United States, 80202

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