Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness

Although states like New York and New Jersey are Medicaid expansion states—meaning free health insurance is accessible to more low-income families and individuals—families often enter shelter not knowing they are eligible, meaning they’ve lost out on free physical and mental health care. Recommendations made by NJ families and shelter staff included in the report “Invest Now or Pay Later: Consequences of Ignoring the Mental Health Needs of New Jersey Children in Shelter” note the importance of informing families about available services and increasing outreach to ensure families know what’s out there. More recommendations: https://bit.ly/3XL7v0E #InvestNowPayLater #MentalHealth #Homelessness #Shelter #ChildreninShelter #FamiliesinShelter #NJ #NewJersey #Homeless #FamilyHomelessness #MentalHealthServices #MentalHealthSupport

New report on the current mental health support for children in New Jersey shelters also looks at several initiatives across the US. LOTUS HOUSE WOMEN'S SHELTER —the largest women’s shelter in Florida—offers counseling to families, single adults, and youth to facilitate healing while in shelter. Lotus House offers trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help reduce a child’s behavior problems. Examining promising models for on-site mental health services can help ensure necessary care is brought to children at NJ shelters. Read recent report with NJ Coalition to End Homelessness: https://bit.ly/3Bex7LK #InvestNowPayLater #MentalHealth #Homelessness #Shelter #ChildreninShelter #FamiliesinShelter #NJ #NewJersey #Homeless #FamilyHomelessness #MentalHealthServices #MentalHealthSupport

Today is #WorldHomelessDay and #WorldMentalHealthDay. For families living in shelter, services delayed are often services denied. Check the latest ICPH newsletter + report with NJ Coalition to End Homelessness to learn from families and staff at New Jersey shelters about their experiences accessing mental health care and the wide range of barriers that NJ families face in receiving services: https://bit.ly/3BHiyAM #InvestNowPayLater #MentalHealth #Homelessness #Shelter #ChildreninShelter #FamiliesinShelter #NJ #NewJersey #Homeless #FamilyHomelessness #MentalHealthServices #MentalHealthSupport

As of October 4th there are 33,076 children in DHS shelters, an increase of over 1,200 children compared to October 2023. This rise coincides with a $230 per child decrease in federal spending from 2023-2024. With more children entering shelters, they may need additional support. Federal spending on children has dropped from a pandemic peak of $11,690 per child in 2021 to $8,760 in 2024—a 25% decrease. Children entering or at risk of entering shelters in NYC and across the country are among those most likely feeling the impact of this reduced investment in children. Read more: https://bit.ly/4dBaqio #DHS #NYC #ICPH #Homelessness #policy #homeless #shelter #familyhomelessness #NYCDHS

Significant barriers exist accessing children’s mental health services while in shelter. Many families in shelter—including those in New Jersey—rely on public transportation, which can be unreliable or inaccessible. This can make it hard to keep appointments—especially for children who need consistent care. New report with NJ Coalition to End Homelessness—Invest Now or Pay Later: Consequences of Ignoring the Mental Health Needs of New Jersey Children in Shelter—looked at these issues and more, hearing from families and shelter staff about how beneficial on-site services for children’s mental health could be if done systematically across the state. Read the full report: https://bit.ly/3XL7v0E #InvestNowPayLater #MentalHealth #Homelessness #Shelter #ChildreninShelter #FamiliesinShelter #NJ #NewJersey #Homeless #FamilyHomelessness #MentalHealthServices #MentalHealthSupport

As of September 26, there are 19,316 families with children in NYC DHS shelters, an increase of over 700 families since March 2024. Could this rise reflect that many families in NYC are struggling with rising living costs? The NYC Administration for Children's Services is helping address these challenges by allocating $22 million to assist families in need. This funding supports material aid, parent support groups, and case management services. Read more from New York Daily News here: https://bit.ly/3ZIifzB #DHS #NYC #ICPH #Homelessness #policy #homeless #shelter #familyhomelessness #NYCDHS

A new report with NJ Coalition to End Homelessness, “Invest Now or Pay Later: Consequences of Ignoring the Mental Health Needs of New Jersey Children in Shelter,” tapped into the experts—parents and staff at shelters in New Jersey—to learn about the need for on-site mental health services for children in shelter. Read the report: https://bit.ly/3Bex7LK #InvestNowPayLater #MentalHealth #Homelessness #Shelter #ChildreninShelter #FamiliesinShelter #NJ #NewJersey #Homeless #FamilyHomelessness #MentalHealthServices #MentalHealthSupport

Domestic violence continues to be the leading cause of family homelessness in NYC. In fiscal year 2023, more than 1 in 5 families with children who entered the NYC DHS shelter system identified domestic violence as the reason for their homelessness. Read more from New Destiny Housing Corporation: https://bit.ly/4gJZeTr #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #DVAwarenessMonth #DomesticViolenceAwareness #DVAwareness #DomesticViolence #DV #FamilyHomelessness #Homelessness #NYC #NYCDHS #Shelter #FamiliesinShelter

The mental wellbeing of families and children has been top of mind in places like NYC. A law enacted in 2023 sought to bring on-site mental health services to family shelters in the city. Similar needs and concerns exist for parents and staff at shelters across the Hudson River. A report created in collaboration with NJ Coalition to End Homelessness conferred with staff and parents at New Jersey shelters to learn about how families access necessary behavioral and developmental health services for children while in shelter. Read the report and recommendations based on their experiences: https://bit.ly/3Bex7LK #InvestNowPayLater #MentalHealth #Homelessness #Shelter #ChildreninShelter #FamiliesinShelter #NJ #NewJersey #NYC #Homeless #FamilyHomelessness #MentalHealthServices #MentalHealthSupport

Recent data reveals that in the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, childcare costs are placing a severe burden on families, often exceeding the cost of rent. On average, childcare for two kids costs $2,182 per month, while the average two-bedroom rent is $1,566 per month. With childcare costing an average of 39% more than rent, it can be inaccessible for low-income families. High childcare and housing costs are putting increasing pressure on families with limited resources. Read more from CBS 42 here: https://bit.ly/4gIL9p7