Advocacy

Washington State Must Help, Not Arrest Sex Trafficked, Homeless Minors

Under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), any person under the age of 18 who performs a commercial sex act is considered a victim of human trafficking, regardless of force, fraud, or coercion. Washington State is currently in violation of federal law: the state continues to arrest and charge minors for prostitution, even though… Read More of “Washington State Must Help, Not Arrest Sex Trafficked, Homeless Minors”

2019 Session Recap

Last Sunday was sine die: the last day of the 2019 state legislative session. It was a big year for housing and homelessness priorities—and there’s lots of reason for advocates to celebrate. Here’s a recap of how YouthCare’s legislative priories fared and why they’ll make a difference in young people’s lives. HB1657: PASSED! Why was… Read More of “2019 Session Recap”

YouthCare Supports New Progressive Revenue

Washington State has a lot to be proud of: our culture of innovation, our commitment to environmental sustainability, our breathtaking views. But we also have lots of room for improvement. We have the most upside-down tax code in the country, and we’re ranked 34th in the nation for access to mental health care. Our overreliance on… Read More of “YouthCare Supports New Progressive Revenue”

FAQ on YouthCare’s Casa de los Amigos Program

What is YouthCare’s Casa de Los Amigos Program? YouthCare’s Casa de los Amigos Program (Casa) is a 20-bed emergency shelter program funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is domiciled at the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. The program was founded almost a decade ago to serve unaccompanied minors ages 12-17. The… Read More of “FAQ on YouthCare’s Casa de los Amigos Program”

YouthCare Statement Regarding Family Separation at the Border

As people who are committed every day to ending youth homelessness, it has been excruciating to watch families at our nation’s borders being ripped apart. The trauma of fleeing unspeakable violence in one’s home country is now being compounded through inhumane and racist policies inflicted by our government. YouthCare categorically condemns the atrocities at the… Read More of “YouthCare Statement Regarding Family Separation at the Border”

YouthCare Endorses the Seattle Employee Hours Tax

YouthCare commends the Seattle City Council and Mayor for their commitment to ending homelessness and their investment in affordable housing. Seattle is in the midst of an economic boom, as new workers flock to our city and new buildings pepper our skyline. At the same time, we are experiencing rising rates of inequality and soaring… Read More of “YouthCare Endorses the Seattle Employee Hours Tax”

YouthCare Partners with Planned Parenthood to Provide Teen Health Education

YouthCare is honored to have worked with Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands on a lawsuit to support teen health education. The trainings are provided to youth living at YouthCare, and Planned Parenthood has worked extremely hard to make the materials inclusive and affirming to young people with diverse gender expression and identities, as well as culturally… Read More of “YouthCare Partners with Planned Parenthood to Provide Teen Health Education”

YouthCare Endorses Seattle Family, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy

YouthCare’s Board has unanimously voted to endorse the Seattle Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) Levy. We know that young people with less than a high school diploma or GED have a 346% higher risk of experiencing homelessness and that young people of color are at disproportionately higher risk of dropping out or being pushed… Read More of “YouthCare Endorses Seattle Family, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy”

No, Youth Don’t Choose to Live Outside

“Just because youth are sleeping outside doesn’t mean they prefer to live there,” writes YouthCare’s CEO, Melinda Giovengo, in this Op-Ed to the Seattle Times. “That’s a false dichotomy. It means they were put in the impossible situation of choosing themselves over their family. Or abandoning their partner, because there’s no couples’ shelter. Or their… Read More of “No, Youth Don’t Choose to Live Outside”