National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

© 2015 NASFAA

The following is a presentation for theTri-State ASFAA’s

2015 Fall Conference Ocean City, MD

November 10 , 2015

National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

© 2015 NASFAA

Making Determinations of Unaccompanied Homeless

Youth Status

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National DataTotal Enrollment, 2012-2013 School Year

1,240,925 children and youth experiencing homelessness

Doubled-up 75%

Shelters 16%

Hotels/Motels 6% Unsheltered 3%

Enrolled by Primary Nighttime Residence

Doubled-upSheltersHotels/MotelsUnsheltered

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Foster Care and Homelessness

Correlation between child welfare involvement and experiences of homelessness• For school-age youth

– Foster care placements often are short-term or may be unstable

– Some students leave foster care placements due to feeling unsafe and/or isolated

• For youth aging out of care– Exit the foster care system without sufficient preparation

and/or support to be successful living independently

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Foster Care and Homelessness

• By age 24, 29% of youth who aged out of foster care had been homeless for at least one night

• 28% reported having couch-surfed since exiting care

• In total, nearly 40% of youth had experienced homelessness or had couch-surfed since exiting care

Dworksy, A.& Courtney, M. (2011). Assessing the impact of extending care beyond age 18 on homelessness: Emerging findings from the Midwest study, Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. Retrieved from

http://www.chapinhall.org/sites/default/files/publications/Midwest_IB2_Homelessness.pdf

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Foster Care and Homelessness• 6% became homeless within the first month after

exiting care• 14 % within the first year• 20% within the first 2 years• 22 % within the first 30 months• 63% of the young people who became homeless

within the first 30 months post-exit did so during the first year

Dworksy, A.& Courtney, M. (2011). Assessing the impact of extending care beyond age 18 on homelessness: Emerging findings from the Midwest study, Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. Retrieved from

http://www.chapinhall.org/sites/default/files/publications/Midwest_IB2_Homelessness.pdf

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Important Definitions

• Unaccompanied

• Homeless

• Youth

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Professionals Authorized to Make Determinations• School district homeless liaison

• Director or designee of HUD-funded homeless program

• Director or designee of RHYA-funded homeless program

• Financial aid administrator

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Determination Process Overview

• Similarity to professional judgment

• Determination process is not– Verification– Dependency override

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Determination Process

• Confirm student meets the definition of an unaccompanied homeless youth

• Documentation– Inappropriate documentation

• Good practices• Conflicting information

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Best Practices

• Ask for help with determining eligibility • Relevant information can come from recognized

third-parties such as private or publicly funded homeless shelters and service providers, financial aid administrators from another college, college access programs such as TRIO and GEAR UP, college or high school counselors, other mental health professionals, social workers, mentors, doctors, and clergy

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Best Practices

• At AACC we believe that the determination of this status is best made in consultation with the Counseling, Advising, and Retention Services staff with the appropriate counseling background.

• After an initial interview with the FAD or AFD, or designated Specialist, The student will be referred to the CARS office for input

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Best Practices

• The CARS staff will arrange for and conduct the interview with the student. After the interview has been completed the CARS staff will submit to the FAO a signed statement indicating their professional opinion regarding the students’ status and if the opinion is positive, the Financial Aid Director or Assistant Director will make the official institutional Determination and provide the student with a written explanation of that decision.

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Best Practices• Students, who do not meet the definition and receive

a negative decision, may follow the college’s complaint process. Students may also appeal a negative decision directly to the U.S. Department of Education.

• Students who do not meet the definition of Unaccompanied Youth because they are older than 21 (and not yet 24) and who are unaccompanied and homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless may qualify for a dependency override.

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Maryland Residents: Big Deal• http://www.mhec.state.md.us/financialAid/ProgramD

escriptions/prog_homelessyouth.asp• The Maryland Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied

Homeless Youth is available to unaccompanied homeless youth who are enrolled as a candidate for an associate, bachelor’s degree or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education. The purpose of the Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is to provide financial assistance to unaccompanied homeless youth.

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Complete and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1st of each year.

• Be enrolled on or before he or she reaches the age of 25.

• The youth continues to be exempt from paying tuition and fees until 5 years after first enrolling as a candidate for an associate, bachelors, or a vocational certificate at a Maryland public institution of higher education.

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA • Be enrolled full time or part time for an associate,

bachelors, or a vocational certificate at a Maryland public institution of higher education

• Students are eligible to receive the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Tuition Waiver for the following semesters:

• A. Fall• B. Winter• C. Spring• D. Summer

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Scenario

Second-year student• Determination from school district liaison

freshman year

• Living on campus

• Has contact with parents

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Scenario

Second-year student• Determination from the director of a federally-

funded shelter freshman year• Renting a room off campus• Has little contact with parents

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Scenario

First-year student• No determination from school district liaison• Living on campus• No contact with parents• “Couch surfed” during last two years of high

school

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Resources• Application and Verification Guide• http://www.ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1516AVGCh5.pdf. • July 29,2015 DCL2015-07-29 - (GEN-15-16) Subject: Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Determinations

• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youthclee@naehcy.org

• National Center for Homeless Educationhttp://center.serve.org/nche/

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NAEHCY McKinney-Vento/Higher Education Model

• Creating Statewide Networks • As homeless youth attempt to access higher education

they are faced with many barriers. Barriers include accessing financial aid, obtaining verification of homelessness, finding funding to cover college cost, learning how to navigate university systems alone, and having adequate resources throughout their collegiate career. The College Cost Reduction act has decreased some of the barriers homeless youth face.

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Creating Statewide Networks

• Creating a Statewide Network with stakeholders and staff from various backgrounds with an emphasis on assisting homeless youth can prove to be beneficial.

• Finding McKinney-Vento and Higher Education Champions

• Forming a Focus Group

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Maryland Higher Education Network for Homeless and Foster Youth

• Tuition Waiver Implementation1. Monisha Cherayil, PJC2. Melissa Rock, ACY3. Maia Gibbons, YES4. Seri Wilpone, Legal Aid5. Richard Heath, AACC6. Del. Washington, MDGA

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Outreach to Pre-College Youth

1. Monisha Cherayil, PJC2. Tajah Pettway, BCCC3. Maia Gibbons, YES4. Diana Kolnik, BCCC5. Jimmy Tadlock, College Bound6. Jackie Neal, AACPS

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Development of On Campus Supports

1. Melissa Rock, ACY2. Terri Massie Burrell, Univ. Systems of MD/Frostburg3. Judith Schagrin, NASW

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Contact Us

• Rich Heath, rcheath@aacc.edu

• Cyekeia Lee, clee@naehcy.org

• Jennifer Martin, jmarti81@jhu.edu

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July 10 - 13, 2016

Celebrate NASFAA's 50th Anniversary at the 2016 National Conference in Washington, DC!

Leadership & Legislative ConferenceMarch 2016

New & Aspiring Aid Directors Pathway Association Management Pathway New for 2016! Enrollment Management Pathway

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