Lynn program gives shelter, services to homeless youth

LYNN – Education experts say getting good grades in school often depends on whether the student has a stable home life. Such thinking stems from an analysis of scores on state MCAS tests, which indicate youth who find themselves homeless tend to perform worse.To address the problem, officials from the School Department are partnering with the Lynn Housing Authority to create a safety net that includes food, shelter, tutoring and counseling services for so-called “unaccompanied youth,” a euphemism for homeless teens between the ages of 16 and 18.A report released last week by the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, which listed failure rates for 10th grade students taking the MCAS test, showed Lynn and Worcester with the most number of unaccompanied or homeless youth. Lynn has 120 such students and Worcester 124, compared to Fall River with 2 and Lowell with 7.But the relatively high number in Lynn was actually a “badge of honor,” according to Robyn Frost, the homeless coalition executive director, who explained that communities similar in complexion are likely to have average numbers, but only if these students have been identified.”Certainly the numbers are alarming, but in a way they are a badge of honor. A lot of communities have these students but they just aren’t being identified, and that’s because they don’t have a program like Lynn does,” Frost said. “In many communities, the problem of homeless youth isn’t being looked at.”Frost said many of these students are “couch surfers” who live for a few days at a friend’s apartment or with a friend’s family before moving on to the next. Some pay for single rooms.”They’re not necessarily living on the street, but they’re also not living in a place they can call home,” Frost said. “Part of the problem is identifying these kids.”The School Department’s Parent Information Center plays a key role as referral service, ensuring that “unaccompanied youth” are steered toward the Lynn Housing Authority’s Youth Development Program.Lysa Newhall, the Housing Authority’s youth program coordinator, said federal funds are being used to secure five subsidized apartments in the city that will be rented by students in their senior year of high school who otherwise would not have a home.The goal is to provide stability. The students will pay 30 percent of their income as rent and the Housing Authority will pay the balance.”We’re lining up the landlords now and we hope to have our first student placed in about three weeks,” Newhall said. “Instead of staying on a friend’s couch or doubling up with another family, they can feel safe in their own apartment, concentrate on school, and then go on to work full time or maybe go to college. They won’t be worrying about where they’re going to get their next meal.”Program services also involve getting the student access to food stamps and to local food pantries that can provide groceries.Since Lynn receives funding from the state Department of Education, including funds to address the issue of unaccompanied youth, the city must report MCAS failure rates for students identified as homeless.In Lynn, 69 students in 10th grade, identified as homeless, took the MCAS math test. Twenty-one percent failed, versus a 16-percent failure rate among all Lynn 10th graders who took the same test.”The un-housed students generally have a greater failure rate on MCAS,” Frost said. “The goal is to give them a chance by providing a stable living environment. Lynn should be praised for its innovativeness.”According to Newhall, once the student is housed, program staffers follow up with an action plan. “We will make sure the student has access to MassHealth, to counseling if they need it, and to a financial fitness class,” she said, the latter referring to basic banking and saving strategies.Students are also taught daily living skills like how to do laundry.”All the teens will get tutors if needed and help filling out college or scholarship applications,” Newhall said. “T