[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 430 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 430

  Designating November 2004 as ``National Runaway Prevention Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 21, 2004

     Mr. Hatch (for himself and Mr. Leahy) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating November 2004 as ``National Runaway Prevention Month''.

Whereas the prevalence of runaway and homeless youth in the United States is 
        staggering, with studies suggesting that between 1,600,000 and 2,800,000 
        young people live on the streets of the United States each year;
Whereas running away from home is widespread, with 1 out of every 7 children in 
        the United States running away before the age of 18;
Whereas youth that end up on the streets are often those who have been thrown 
        out of their homes by their families, who have been physically, 
        sexually, and emotionally abused at home, who have been discharged by 
        State custodial systems without adequate transition plans, who have lost 
        their parents through death or divorce, and who are too poor to secure 
        their own basic needs;
Whereas effective programs supporting runaway youth and assisting young people 
        in remaining at home with their families succeed because of partnerships 
        created among families, community-based human service agencies, law 
        enforcement agencies, schools, faith-based organizations, and 
        businesses;
Whereas preventing young people from running away and supporting youth in high-
        risk situations is a family, community, and national responsibility;
Whereas the future well-being of the Nation is dependent on the value placed on 
        young people and the opportunities provided for youth to acquire the 
        knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop into safe, 
        healthy, and productive adults;
Whereas the National Network for Youth and its members advocate on behalf of 
        runaway and homeless youth and provide an array of community-based 
        support services that address the critical needs of such youth;
Whereas the National Runaway Switchboard provides crisis intervention and 
        referrals to reconnect runaway youth to their families and to link young 
        people to local resources that provide positive alternatives to running 
        away; and
Whereas the National Network for Youth and the National Runaway Switchboard are 
        co-sponsoring National Runaway Prevention Month to increase public 
        awareness of the life circumstances of youth in high-risk situations and 
        the need for safe, healthy, and productive alternatives, resources, and 
        supports for youth, families, and communities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate designates November 2004 as ``National 
Runaway Prevention Month''.
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