[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22679]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL HOMELESS YOUTH AWARENESS MONTH

  The resolution (S. Res. 693) recognizing the month of November 2008 
as ``National Homeless Youth Awareness Month'' was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 693

       Whereas between 1,600,000 and 2,800,000 children and teens 
     are homeless in the United States each year, with many 
     staying on the streets or in emergency shelters;
       Whereas families with children are the fastest growing 
     segment of the homeless population and now make up 
     approximately \1/3\ of that population;
       Whereas many homeless youth experience isolation and trauma 
     while residing on the streets or in precarious housing 
     situations and may eventually develop depression, anxiety, 
     and post-traumatic stress disorder;
       Whereas homeless youth are typically too poor to secure 
     basic needs and are unable to access adequate medical or 
     mental health care;
       Whereas many youth become homeless due to a lack of 
     financial and housing resources as they exit juvenile 
     corrections and foster care;
       Whereas 12 to 36 percent of foster youth experience 
     homelessness at least once after exiting foster care;
       Whereas homeless youth are most often expelled from their 
     homes by their guardians after physical, sexual, or emotional 
     abuse or separated from their parents through death or 
     divorce without adequate resources; and
       Whereas awareness of the tragedy of youth homelessness and 
     its causes must be heightened so that greater support for 
     effective programs involving businesses, families, law 
     enforcement agencies, schools, and community and faith-based 
     organizations, aimed at helping youth remain off the streets 
     becomes a national priority: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the values and efforts of businesses, 
     organizations, and volunteers dedicated to meeting the needs 
     of homeless children and teens;
       (2) applauds the initiatives of businesses, organizations, 
     and volunteers that employ time and resources to build 
     awareness of the homeless youth problem, its causes, and 
     potential solutions, and work to prevent homelessness among 
     children and teens; and
       (3) should recognize the month of November 2008 as 
     ``National Homeless Youth Awareness Month'' and encourages 
     these businesses, organizations, and volunteers to continue 
     to intensify their efforts during the month of November.

                          ____________________