Building Evidence to Prevent Homelessness Among Foster Care Youth
In 2013, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), Division of Child Welfare (DCW) was chosen as one of 18 grantees to receive a planning grant (Phase I) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau under their Youth-At-Risk-of-Homelessness (YARH) demonstration projects.
Since then, Colorado was selected as one of six grantee sites to move on to Phase II, to implement and conduct a formative evaluation of the model intervention conceived in Phase I.
The purpose of YARH is to develop, implement, and test a model intervention that prevents and addresses homelessness among youth with current or prior foster care involvement. Ultimately, the goal of the YARH demonstration projects is to produce evidence-based interventions that other child welfare agencies can implement in their jurisdictions in an effort to prevent youth with foster care involvement from becoming homeless.
The Why It Matters video highlights the importance of partnership between young people and caseworkers in developing a youth-driven Roadmap to Success. This video matters because the young people who we serve matter. They rely on us, as professionals, to provide support, encouragement and connection with resources to pursue their goals, hopes and dreams.
CPR is conducting a Formative Evaluation of Colorado’s Pathways to Success Phase II project.
Below you will find planning documents, intervention overviews and evaluation reports from the Pathways to Success project. More documents related to the project will be added to this page as they are completed.
PHASE I: PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION – YARH1 OCT 2013 – SEPT 2015
Developing a Model Intervention to Prevent Homelessness Among Youth Aging out of Foster Care
September 2018
Lanae Davis, MPA, Tara Prendergast, MCRP, & Denise McHugh, JD
PHASE II: FORMATIVE EVALUATION – YARH2 OCT 2015 – SEPT 2019
Colorado Pathways to Success Intervention Manual
September 2019
Lanae Davis, MPA, & Savahanna Matyasic, MSW
Utilizing Coaching to Prevent Homelessness Among Transition-Age Youth with Foster Care Histories
January 2018
Tara Prendergast, MCRP, & Lanae Davis, MPA
Colorado Pathways to Success Formative Evaluation Final Report and Research Brief
September 2020
Lanae Davis, MPA, Nancy Thoennes, Ph.D., Savahanna Matyasic, MSW
To learn more about Pathways to Success, please contact:
Trevor Williams, Project Director
P: 303.866.4539
trevor.williams@state.co.us
Denise McHugh, Pathways Project Manager
P: 720.331.2746
denise@sparkcommunityfoundation.org
Lanae Davis, MPA, Lead Evaluator
P: 303.837.1555
ledavis@centerforpolicyresearch.org
Featured in:
- ASPE’s compendium of programs (2022)
- ASPE’s evidence gap map (2022)
Lessons from the Field: Using Housing Vouchers to Support Youth with Child Welfare Experience
This brief is part of a series that shares strategies used by organizations that serve youth and young adults who have been involved in the child welfare system and are at risk of homelessness. Collecting and sharing these lessons with organizations that have similar missions is one step in developing evidence on how to meet the needs of this population.
March 2021
Lanae Davis, MPA
Lessons from the Field: Determining Youth and Young Adult Eligibility for Services: Grantee Tools and Processes
This brief describes the tools and processes that Phase 2 of the Youth At-Risk of Homelessness (YARH-2) grantees have implemented to identify and screen youth and young adults who may be eligible to participate in their comprehensive service models.
March 2023
Lanae Davis, MPA