WASHINGTON — Some laws can make life exceptionally difficult for homeless and runaway youth. Whether it’s requiring parental consent to receive health care or demanding proof of residency to obtain a photo ID, unfriendly policies have left many service providers feeling frustrated and powerless to help. A small national nonprofit based in Washington is working to change that.
SchoolHouse Connection is helping local youth advocates, school liaisons, homeless service providers and other organizations to spearhead policy change from the ground up. SchoolHouse is currently co-leading advocacy on 17 bills in eight states, including Kentucky, Maine, Nevada and Tennessee. Local partners receive assistance with everything from drafting bill language to paying for lobbyists.
“I have been frustrated that no matter how much a nonprofit does, no matter how many different ways you try to provide services … you’re still stuck because there are some things that are just outside your control,” said Arash Ghafoori, executive director of the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. “Quite simply put, if we really want to end youth homelessness, policy advocacy has to be integrated into our mission.”
[For more on this story by Lacey Johnson, go to https://jjie.org/2019/03/20/ho...a-state-legislation/]
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