On Thursday, December 15, 2011, the Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing, and Community Opportunity of the U.S. Congress held a historic hearing on child and youth homelessness. The hearing featured testimony from six homeless or formerly homeless children and youth – three homeless children under age 18, and three unaccompanied homeless youth. A second panel featured government representatives, including a local homeless education liaison (Ms. Estella Garza, of San Antonio Independent School District) and a Head Start State Collaboration Director (Dr. Grace Whitney, Director, Connecticut Head Start Collaboration Office).
The purpose of the hearing was to examine barriers that homeless children and youth face in accessing U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homeless programs, including the HUD definition of homelessness.
The children and youth spoke about challenges of homelessness, including the hardships of being doubled-up or living in motels.
Access the archived video and testimonies at http://financialservices.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=271819.
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The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is associated with The SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
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