In April 2009, over 100 students who qualified for STEP services were surveyed. Participants cited the following reasons when asked these questions:

“Why are you in Transition?”

• Financial issues (44.3%)
• Abuse/Neglect (21.7%)
• Loss of home, foreclosure, eviction (18.3%)
• Parent addiction/mental health (17.4%)
• To be with boyfriend/girlfriend (13.0%)
• Abandoned, parents moved (6.0%)
• Substance abuse (2.6%)

  If you are in transition, meaning: without a fixed, regular, and adequate, (electricity, water, bed, and bath) living situation, where are you living? 

(Living situations listed below run from those cited most often to those cited least often.)

• Friends/Family
• With Relative
• Apartment/Friend
• Couch Surfing
• Host Home
• In a Shelter (Goodwill or Pete’s Place)
• Camper/Campground
• In a Car
  

  What are your immediate needs?

• Getting A Job (47%)
• Transportation (39%)
• Drivers License (37%)
• Housing (36%)
• Buying A Vehicle (34%)
• Clothing (32%)
• Food (29%)
• Drivers Education (27%)
• School Work (24%)
• Plan for Graduation (18%)
• Counseling (16%)
• College Applications (14%)
• Medical (8%)
• Budgeting (6%)
• Heat/Electric (4%)
• Day Care (2%)
• Resume Building (2%)
• Credit Repair (1%)
  

  What are your top three barriers to graduation? 

(Barriers listed below run from those cited most often to those cited least often.)

• Transportation
• Housing
• School Work
• Mental Health
• Finances
• Work Schedule
• Pregnancy

What are your goals after high school?

• Would Like to Go to College (60%)
• Working (55%)
• I Don’t Know (30%)
• Marriage (18%)

Some possible signs that a student may be experiencing homelessness are:

• Irregular attendance and frequent tardiness
• History of attending many different schools
• Consistent lack of preparation for class
• Sleeping in class
• Hostility and angeror extremes in behavior
• (e.g., shyness, withdrawal, nervousness, depression)
• Needy behavior (seeking attention or withdrawn behavior)
• Poor health/nutrition
• Inadequate seasonal clothing
• Poor hygiene and grooming
• Resistance to parting with personal possessions
• (e.g., leaving a favorite toy/item unattended or putting a coat in a locker)
• Multiple families at the same address
• Difficulty in reaching a parent by phone

In Michigan, adults and children in families account for 52% of the total homeless population. This number may be under reported and not include families who are doubled up or living with friends and relatives due to economic hardship.

Homeless Children & Youth: Causes and Consequences

The Northwest Michigan Students in Transition Empowerment Program (NWM STEP), a consortium of 20 public school districts within the five-county Grand Traverse area, will address the complex needs of students who have been identified as “homeless.” District liaisons improve accountability of eligible students and provide specialized support and advocacy to ensure academic success and a successful transition to adulthood. Contact your local district liaison if you should lose your housing due to foreclosure, eviction, economic hardship, or similar reason or if you know someone who may need assistance. [STEP / McKinney-Vento District Liaisons Contact Information]

STEP Brochures

• STEP Brochure
• STEP Poster
• STEP Postcard

STEP Information & Presentations

• Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility
• McKinney-Vento Liaison Training Presentation
• STEP Liaisons Contact Information
• Supporting the Education of Unaccompanied Homeless Students
• Transporting Children & Youth Experiencing Homelessness

STEP Forms

• School Selection Checklist
• Gas Card Mileage Calculation Procedure

Benzie County Human Services Collaborative 231.882.2123

Catholic Human Services Host Homes for Homeless Youth

Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan

Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency

Third Level Crisis Center

Women’s Resource Center

BACN (Benzie Area Christian Neighbors)

Benzie Sunrise Rotary

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

PETE’S PLACE