Housing stability for youth

Project Type(s):

Principal Investigator(s):

The Housing Stability for Youth (H-SYNC) model was developed by the UW CoLab team in collaboration with Snohomish and Kitsap County workgroups and is intended to serve as a prevention tool for youth homelessness. Specifically, it’s designed to identify youth at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness within existing processes in juvenile court systems and refer youth and their families to appropriate prevention and housing services via a stepped-care navigation model. The court system serves as a pivotal resource for the identification of these populations in need due to the high frequency of police and court contact these populations experience. This model is being implemented in four counties in Washington State, including King, Snohomish, Kitsap, and Okanogan Counties and in collaboration with community-based organizations such as the YMCA of Greater Seattle, Cocoon House, and Kitsap Mental Health Services.

As of 2022, H-SYNC prevention program is coordinated by the Y Social Impact Center at the YMCA of Greater Seattle. H-SYNC now represents a state-wide partnership between juvenile courts and local social service providers across counties including King, Snohomish, Peirce, Spokane, Okanagan and Kitsap.

Project Period:
January 1, 2018 — December 31, 2022

Funding Type(s):
Foundation, State/UW

Funder(s):
Raikes Foundation, Block-Leavitt Foundation, Washington State Office of Homeless Youth, Premera foundation

Research Program(s):

Geographic Area(s):
Washington

Practice Type(s):
Community-Based Organizations

Patient Population(s):
Adolescents, Young Adults

Targeted Condition(s):
Homelessness