With the generous support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the W.M. Keck Foundation, CSH partnered with Dr. Eric Rice, Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work, to develop a “TAY Triage Tool” that targets homeless transition age youth for permanent supportive housing.
Six life experiences were found to be associated with a significantly greater risk of experiencing five or more years of homelessness. Certain reasons for becoming homeless and early risk taking were among the experiences identified, a number of which are clearly linked to experiences of childhood adversity. Similar to the recently released report on Factors Associated with Adult Homelessness in Washington State (Culhane, 2013), the TAY Triage Tool research found that the likelihood of experiencing five more years of homelessness doubled with every experience endorsed by a homeless youth. We recommend that youth who endorse four or more experiences on the tool should be prioritized for supportive housing, to ultimately stop the next wave of chronic homelessness.
On behalf of our many partners who have informed the development of the tool so far, CSH is delighted to share this resource. The brief describes the methodology for developing the tool over the last year, and outlines next steps for learning about the usability and efficacy of the tool. A full report is expected to be released by early Fall. For communities interested in learning more about the tool and/or becoming a Learning Pilot site, please contact Angela Rosales.
