Policy presentation final

Editor's Notes

• #6: The distributive policy identifies the group, homeless youth that it subsidizes. First the group, homeless youth is identified and specific criteria is issued including age, gender, and reasons for their homeless status. These definitions have evolved the first homeless shelter, the Settlement House opened in 1889 in Chicago. Defining criteria for each group has changed depending on the political climate and the reauthorization of the current legislation. Funding and resource allocation are usually the driving forces behind the changes. The basic proponents have created a system that reacts to homeless youth with the intent to reintegrate them back into the homes they left or were kicked out of rather than being proactive and offering family support services.
• #7: The RHYA is regulatory in that there are Specific laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines that drive each social program. The specific funding and oversight change depending on the legislation being developed and the political group in charge at the time. The very definitions and criteria change depending on the culture of America making the system disjointed and difficult to manuever. Because federal, local, and state laws are created by differing agencies. An example is defining homeless youth based on age (such as under 21). Many local laws make it illegal for minors to spend the night with other youth over the age of consent (18) therefore homeless youth under the age of 18 cannot be offered temporary housing, does this mean they don’t exist?
• #8: Example, the Social Security Act of 1935 established the welfare policy and identified moneys to be allocated to the homeless. At the time, a homeless person was considered to be an adult male as the female was seen to be at home with the children. As times have changed, so have the family dynamics and who is in the home and who is not.
• #9: Communicating the need of homeless youth is a prime example of the distributive policy. Lawmakers must be educated about the number young people in America who are homeless at 1 time or another.Special interest groups, such as the National Coalition for the Homeless, offers examples of public policy such as health care and civil rights legislation.
• #10: Knowing the groups and committees who’s support will be needed to create the legislation as well as assign regulatory oversight and federal funding is essential to the political success of this movement. Everyone wants to help homeless youth yet not many citizens welcome the idea of having a group home or soup kitchen in their neighborhood.Lobbyists are needed to navigate the political channels and create legislation that incorporates various federal and state agencies in a system that is accountable to homeless youth it targets.
• #11: Identifying proponents, as well as opponents is essential in creating well rounded legislation is the goal of the redistributive policy.Example of Opponents: Homeschool advocates may not want to divert funding to the homeless that could be used for allowing their children access to high school sports. Example of Proponents: This is not a part of their agenda therefore may be an opponent where as a special education advocate may feel differently. Addressing the homeless issue may save their funds from being diverted to juvenile correctional facilities for rehabilitation services.  
• #12: The bottom line is that the government wants to advertise their efforts to fix/reduce the homeless youth problem to their constituents. This ensures votes in upcoming elections and raises public awareness of not only the homeless but also their own images.
• #13: “It is important to note that the contradictory definitions in RHYA lead to paradoxical implications in intervention efforts. The emphasis on age requirements and degree of contact with the family are causing gaps and leave many homeless youth completely invisible to the very social systems that can serve as their last refuge and line of defense.”
• #14: “Instead of the child being at cause in their own homelessness, who voluntarily “absent himself or herself from home” are better described as abandoned or sent away by their families and receive inadequate or sporadic support. The United Nations suggests that homeless youth are not victims or delinquents but citizens who are being denied their basic rights by an uncaring society. The UN convention on the rights of a child in conjunction with UNICEF is a convention in which the US does not in its entirety participate. The benefit of participating wholeheartedly in the convention would be:
• #15: In your folder is a list of Children’s Rights created by the UNICEF convention**UNICEF—definition if someone asks: this is for me not a slideThe United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when ZERO children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. I would say “The benefits of the social policy clearly calls for a System’s Change as discussed in Mcdonnell and Elmore’s policy instruments. The social policy would shift more authority to our children—citizens deserving adequate housing, food, health care, and education. Policy makers and adults would assume more social responsibility for the children of our world.
• #16: What I would say for the above slide: “Adopting these definitions and agreeing to be supervised under the UNICEF convention would represent a macro-system solution that could then filter down through policy and local services. This often is a long and arduous process causing stress and confusion. Whether this type of solution would be possible without some type of redefining event such as the depression is hard to know. Until a major crisis occurs, many programs operate in isolation and continue their work as status quo; however, this new approach would demand a unified approach and a shifting of language and services. All of this costs money, time, and emotional capital.
• #17: I would say “As educators and leaders our role is to nurture the development of the children we serve. Many of your students are homeless. According the educational definition of homelessness through the McKenney Vento Homeless Act are students who are doubled up in housing due to financial issues, living in motels, shelters, cars, parks, campgrounds, and migratory children. The citizens of your school are protected under this act to receive free lunch, school supplies, support for transportation, tutoring, and consistent schooling (they can stay in their school of origin if their displacement moves them to another school zone. Also, homeless students under this act received support when applying for college. You will see a brochure for you as educators in your folder. Also in your folder are local homeless services and resources for our families.