Quick Facts: District of Columbia
Performance Breakdown
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Law & Policy: 72% of metrics met
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Laws authorizing comprehensive supports and services for youth experiencing homelessness: 92% of metrics met
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Preventing youth experiencing homelessness from coming into contact with the criminal and juvenile justice systems: 57% of metrics met
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Providing unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the opportunity to seek legal independence and live independently: 75% of metrics met
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Addressing the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness: 33% of metrics met
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Allowing youth experiencing homelessness to access critical supports and services: 89% of metrics met
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Systems: 94% of metrics met
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Environment: 76% of metrics met
State Score 2022: 77
State Ranking 2022: 4
2022 Score
2021 Score
77
90
District of Columbia Highlights
The District of Columbia has moved the needle relative to other states particularly in elevating the voices of youth who have experienced homelessness by partnering with them throughout policy development, and promoting safety and inclusion by providing protections for LGBTQ youth within key state programs
Law & Policy
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The District has RHY statutes similar to the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) that provides funding for emergency services and other supports to prevent and end youth homelessness.
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The District does not specifically criminalize running away.
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The District provides youth experiencing homelessness some contract rights.
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The District allows unaccompanied youth under 18 to apply for health insurance coverage on their own.
Systems
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There is a current state plan to end homelessness that contains youth-specific and LGBTQ youth-specific strategy components.
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There is an interagency council on homelessness.
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There is a state entity (Office of homeless youth services, homeless youth state coordinator, commission on homeless youth, etc.) that focuses solely on youth homelessness.
Environment
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The District requires training about sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, healthy sexual development, or issues specific to LGBTQ youth for staff working in runaway and homeless youth systems.
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The District promotes safe and inclusive environments in child welfare, juvenile justice, and runaway and homeless youth programs by providing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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The District has banned conversion therapy for minors on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.
Recommendations for Improvement
There is room for improvement throughout the metrics for the District including improving the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness and preventing youth experiencing homelessness from coming into contact with criminal and juvenile justice systems.
Law & Policy
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The District should remove age restrictions for emancipation .
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The District should prohibit police from taking runaway youth and youth experiencing homelessness into custody.
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Enact a state law allowing shelters to take in homeless youth with a delay or waiver of notification requirements.
Systems
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The District should ensure that youth can obtain district-issued identification cards without parental consent.
Environment
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The District should require training about sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, healthy sexual development, or issues specific to LGBTQ youth for staff working in runaway and homeless youth systems.