Quick Facts: North Carolina

​​​​​Performance Breakdown
  • Law & Policy: 49% of metrics met
     

    • Laws authorizing comprehensive supports and services for youth experiencing homelessness: 42% of metrics met 
       

    • Preventing youth experiencing homelessness from coming into contact with the criminal and juvenile justice systems: 43% of metrics met 
       

    • Providing unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the opportunity to seek legal independence and live independently: 88% of metrics met
       

    • Addressing the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness: 33% of metrics met 
       

    • Allowing youth experiencing homelessness to access critical supports and services: 50% of metrics met 
       

  • Systems: 72% of metrics met 
     
  • Environment: 24% of metrics met

State Score 2021: 49
State Ranking 2021: 33

2021 Score

2020 Score

49

35

North Carolina Highlights

One area where North Carolina has moved the needle relative to other states is in providing youth the opportunity to seek legal independence and live independently.

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Law & Policy

  • The state allows youth in foster care to access extended foster care services to age 21 under 
    certain circumstances and allows youth who have exited the foster care system after 18 to re-enter through the age of 21.

  • The state doesn’t consider running away a criminal offense.

  • The state gives minors contract rights OR allows them to enter into binding contracts for certain purposes (e.g. necessities).

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Systems​​

  • There is a current state plan to end homelessness that contains a youth-specific strategy component.

  • There is a state interagency council on homelessness.

  • The state provides tuition waivers for foster youth.

  • Youth are able to obtain state-issued identification cards without parental consent. 

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Environment

  • The state maintains a self-governing youth action board or council to inform youth homelessness policy within the state.

Recommendations for Improvement

There is room for improvement throughout the metrics for the Tar Heel State across all categories. Enacting and funding a state RHYA law, implementing a coordinated state government response to youth homelessness, and protecting the rights and interests of youth experiencing homelessness, including LGBTQ youth, should be prioritized.

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Law & Policy

  • The state should pass a law that funds and provides oversight and regulation to youth homelessness services.

  • The state should allow shelters to take in youth experiencing homelessness with a delay or waiver of notification requirements.

  • The state should explicitly allow partial and alternative school credit accrual for homeless youth through regulations.

  • The state should explicitly allow unaccompanied youth under 18 to apply for health insurance coverage without parental consent.

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Systems​

  • 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.

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Environment​

  • The state should require training about sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, healthy sexual development or issues specific to LGBTQ+ youth for staff working in RHY Systems.

  • The state should establish nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ youth in youth homelessness services.

  • Ban harmful and ineffective service provision that includes conversion therapy.

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