Maria Jarises (Housing Solutions of NY) on support beyond beds

Hi, good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Chair Stevens and members of the Committee on Children and Youth.

My name is Maria Jarises.

I am the Program Manager for Youth Services at Housing Solutions of New York.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today about an issue that's very important to the young people and families we serve over our 31 sites.

At Housing Solutions of New York, we work with individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability throughout New York City.

In my role, I work directly with programs serving young people, and I see firsthand some of the challenges they face.

One thing I have learned through this work is that providing a young person with a safe place to sleep is extremely important but does not stop there.

Young people also need support.

They need adults they can trust.

They need access to mental health and behavioral health services.

They need staying connected to school, finding employment, learning life skills, and preparing for their future.

And most importantly, they need a real pathway toward permanent and stable housing.

When we evaluate our runaway and homeless youth shelter system, we should not only look at how many beds are available, we also need to look at what happens to young people after they enter the system.

Are they becoming more stable?

Are they connected to education or employment?

Are they receiving the mental health and supportive services they need?

Are we helping them move toward permanent housing?

These, there are a few areas that I believe are especially important.

Young people need access to safe and appropriate shelter.

No young person should be left without a safe place to go because there is not enough space or because the process is too difficult to navigate.

Second, the support has to go beyond a bed.

Young people who experience homelessness may need help with education, employment, mental and behavioral health services.

benefits, financial literacy, and other services.

From my experience working in youth services, I know how important it is to build a relationship with young people.

Sometimes it takes time before a young person trusts you enough to tell you what they really need.

That relationship can be the beginning of connecting them to services and helping them make positive changes in their lives.

We need to start talking about permanent housing early.

We do not want young people moving from one temporary placement to another and then eventually entering the adult shelter system.

Housing planning should begin

As early as possible, and young people should have access to rental assistance, supportive housing, and other permanent housing options that meet their individual needs.

Lastly, we need better coordination between the different systems serving young people.

Youth homelessness does not involve just one issue.

It involves housing, education, employment, health care, mental health, child welfare, and many other systems.

We can expect a young person to figure out all this on their own.

As providers, agency, and community partners, we have worked together to make those connections easier for them.

For me, the success of our youth shelter system should not only be measured by whether we are able to give a young person a bed for the night.

We should also ask whether we help that young person become safer, more stable, and better prepared for their shelter.

At Housing Solutions of New York, we are committed to continuing this work and partnering with the city, the council, and other organizations to make sure young people have access to support opportunities and stable housing they need.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.