OHY collaborates with youth and young adults, service providers, state agencies, legislators, advocates and community members to enact strategic system level changes needed to provide services that are responsive to the unique needs of youth and young people throughout the state.
OHY’s work is guided by Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection (HYPP) Advisory Committee recommendations regarding funding, policy, and practice gaps within and among state programs. The committee is comprised of legislators, youth, parents, law enforcement, and other partners appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Communities for Functional Zero
Functional zero is a model developed to measure when homelessness has been effectively solved for a population. Grants currently support efforts to achieve functional zero for youth and young adults in Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, Skagit, Thurston, Whatcom, Pierce, Spokane, Walla Walla and Yakima counties.
Youth education and employment
The Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) leads efforts to expand education, employment and economic opportunities for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness through collaboration with […]
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP)
OHY leads the collaboration of YHDP providers in 34 “Balance of State” counties and subcontracts for services like the Youth Lead Project. YHDP is a federally funded grant through the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).
Youth Homelessness Prevention
OHY leads youth homelessness prevention efforts by collaborating with various partners to coordinate systems and services as a central component to ensuring safe and stable housing.