Quick Facts: Indiana
Performance Breakdown
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Law & Policy: 58% of metrics met
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Laws authorizing comprehensive supports and services for youth experiencing homelessness: 58% 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: 100% of metrics met
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Addressing the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness: 17% of metrics met
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Allowing youth experiencing homelessness to access critical supports and services: 56% of metrics met
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Systems: 44% of metrics met
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Environment: 29% of metrics met
State Score 2022: 51
State Ranking 2022: 31
2022 Score
2021 Score
51
51
Indiana Highlights
One area where Indiana has moved the needle relative to other states is in providing unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the opportunity to seek legal independence and live independently.
Law & Policy
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The state gives minors contract rights OR allows them to enter into binding contracts for certain purposes (e.g. necessities).
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The state allows shelters to take in homeless youth with a delay or waiver of notification requirements.
Systems
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The state provides tuition waivers for foster youth.
Environment
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The state maintains a community advisory board for youth that informs youth homelessness policy.
Recommendations for Improvement
There is room for improvement throughout the metrics for the Hoosier State, with emphasis on the Law & Policy category. Laws authorizing comprehensive supports and services for youth experiencing homelessness should be prioritized. Additionally, protecting the rights and interests of youth experiencing homelessness, including LGBTQ youth, should be prioritized.
Law & Policy
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The state should explicitly allow partial and alternative school credit accrual for homeless youth through regulations.
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The state should explicitly allow unaccompanied youth under 18 to apply for health insurance coverage without parental consent.
Systems
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The state should create and adopt a public plan to end homelessness that includes youth (and specifically LGBTQ+ youth).
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The state should create an entity – such as an Office of Youth Homelessness Services – that focuses solely on designing, implementing, and evaluating youth homelessness programs.
Environment
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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.
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Promote safe and inclusive environments in runaway and homeless youth programs by providing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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Ban harmful and ineffective service provision that includes conversion therapy.