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.
Youth Homelessness Prevention
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP)
Functional Zero
Functional Zero, formerly known as the Anchor Community Initiative (ACI), is a collaborative, cross-organizational system in communities pursuing functional zero for youth and young adult homelessness. Functional zero is an established set of benchmarks used across the country and globe utilized to determine if communities have effectively ended homelessness. A community achieves functional zero by ensuring:
- Homelessness is rare and brief
- They are operating with a full accounting of homelessness at all times
- They are working toward equitable systems, starting with a focus on race and ethnicity
- All of these achievements are sustained over time, even as local conditions change
Grant funding is currently provided to nine counties (Clallam/Jefferson, Clark, Whatcom, Skagit, Thurston, Spokane, Pierce, Walla Walla and Yakima) for a variety of services including the Homelessness Prevention and Diversion Fund (HPDF).