Ask NCFY

Q. A young person who was staying in our emergency shelter for homeless youth recently passed away. We’ve offered counseling and support to youth. But our staff is still reeling and having trouble coping. How can we help them deal with their grief? A. First, please accept our condolences. No matter the circumstances, the death of a young person is shocking and tragic.
Q: I work with homeless youth who are applying for college and need federal financial aid. Can they apply for student loans or grants without a parent's signature? A: Yes. Young people can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, as unaccompanied homeless youth if they
Q: Our transitional living program is, for the first time, planning to house youth in their own apartments around our city. What can we do to make sure our youth are good tenants and don't have issues with their landlords?
Q. “Most of the literature about how to best serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth lumps them all together. What are some tips for working with transgender and gender non-conforming youth?”
Q: A youth in our shelter was just diagnosed with HIV. How can we best help her? And how can we help other young people in the program who may not understand what it means to have HIV? A: The best way to support this young woman is to first take stock of her situation, says Latisha James, who coordinates youth programs at The Women’s Collective, a Washington, DC, organization that provides...
Q: I think it's important for my youth-serving organization to be culturally competent in its dealings with all young people. But when it comes to Native youth, I'm not sure where to start. A: For Tribal and non-Tribal organizations alike, cultural competency is essential to serving young people with respect and dignity. But with 564 Federally recognized Tribes in the United States,...
Q: I’ve heard of WIC and some other nutrition programs for low-income mothers. What are they, and can young people in my program benefit?
Q: How can my maternity group home celebrate Mother’s Day without implicitly “celebrating” teen pregnancy?
Q: What can I do if I believe a young person is being trafficked? A: To report suspected trafficking, call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-3737-888. We’d also encourage you to look at NCFY's “Bought and Sold," which provides helpful information about who is most at risk, what victims need, and when to involve the police. It also includes contact information for a...
Q. "I've been hearing a lot about the commercial sexual exploitation of runaway and homeless youth in my state. How many youth are trafficked in the United States each year?"
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National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth | P.O. Box 13505 | Silver Spring, MD 20911-3505 | (301) 608-8098 | ncfy@acf.hhs.gov