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SupportingHomeless,FoodandHousingInsecureCollegeStudents

Presentedby:DeborahPruitt,JohnBurtonAdvocatesforYouthJessicaSmith,FoundationforCaliforniaCommunityColleges

March21,2018CCCSFAAA AnnualConference

OverviewHomelessstudentsinhighereducation

Homelessstudentsandfinancialaid/FAFSA

HomelessYouthLiaisons– AssemblyBill801

Verificationofhomelessyouthstatus

AB1930andACL17-05– newCalFreshstudenteligibilityreqs

IncomeguidelinesforCalFresh

CalFreshapplicationprocess

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JBAY- CaliforniaCollegePathways

• StatewideinitiativemanagedbyJohnBurtonAdvocatesforYouth

• IncludesCCC,CSU,UCsandPrivateCampuses

• Goalistoincreasecollegeaccess,retention&graduationforfosteryouth

• Expandingworkintosupportforhomelessyouth

• Providestechnicalassistanceandtraining;engagesinadvocacy;supportsdatacollectionandresearchefforts

PolicyUpdate

SenateBill12[2017]:

•Automatedsystemtoverifyfosteryouthstatus

•Everycountychildwelfareofficemustidentify

someonetoassistfosteryouthwithapplicationsforcollegeandfinancialaid

•Expands CAFYESdistrictsfrom11upto23

ProposedSenateBill940:ExpandfosteryouthaccesstoCalGrants

•Allowsfosteryouthtoapplyanytimebefore26th birthday.

•Extendseligibilityfrom4yearsto8years.

•ChangesdeadlineforapplicationfromMarch2nd toSeptember2nd.

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FoundationforCaliforniaCommunityCollegesTheFoundationforCaliforniaCommunityCollegesisthestatewidenon-profitorganizationthatsupportstheCaliforniaCommunityCollegesystemandtheChancellor’sOffice.

• TheFoundationworkswiththeChancellor’sofficetoaddresstheneedsofhomelessyouthstudents,aswellastoaddressfoodandhousinginsecurityacrossCalifornia’scollegestudents,byworkingincollaborationwiththeUCandCSUsystems.

Collegestudentsarehomeless?

HOPELab’smostrecentresearchshowsthat14%ofcollegestudentssurveyedreportbeinghomeless

1in2studentsarehousinginsecure(unabletopayrent,temporarilyhoused,beingpricedout,etc.)

Thereare15,000homelessyouthinCalifornia

Beinghomelesssubstantiallyreducestheoddsofcompletingadegree

LGBTQYouthandyouthinvolvedinthejuvenilejusticesystemorthefostercaresystemareatamuchgreaterriskofexperiencinghomelessness

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Howdoyouthenduphomeless?Abuseand/or

neglect

•40-60%ofunaccompaniedyouthwereabusedphysicallyathome

•17-25%ofunaccompaniedyouthwereabusedsexuallyathome

•Parentalsubstanceabuseafrequentprecursortoyouthleavingthehome

Parentsforceyouthoutofthehomedue

toconflicts• Sexualorientationandgenderidentity(LGBTyouthareatahigherriskofbecominghomeless)

• Earlypregnancy

Thecircumstancesofhomelessnessforce

familiesapart• Familiesseparateduetolackofspaceinlivingsituationsorshelterpolicies

• 47%ofyouthexperiencehomelessnessbothwiththeirfamiliesandontheirown

Exitingfostercareorjuveniledetention

•Approximately30%offosteryouthwillexperiencehomelessnessafterexitingfostercare

•Manyhomelessyouthcomedirectlyfromjuveniledetentioncenters

•Providersfailtocreatelong-termplans

Challengeshomelessyouthstudentsface

Lackofasupportiveadult

Mentalhealthissuesandimpactoftrauma

Insufficientsupportsecuringstablehousingandreliabletransportation

Insufficientsupportwithdecidingonacollegemajororpotentialcareerpath,studyskills

Inadequatefinancialresources- difficultypaying

Foodinsecurity

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Keybenefitsavailabletohomelessyouth

FAFSAindependent

status

Priorityregistration

CaliforniaCollegePromise

GrantatCCCs

McKinney-VentoHomelessAssistanceAct“homelesschildrenandyouth”--

(a) meansindividualswholackafixed,regular,andadequatenighttimeresidence…;

Definitionof“homelessyouth”

Thisdefinitionattheheartofallbenefitsbutwithcertainkeydifferences

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(B) andincludes—(i) childrenandyouthswhoaresharingthehousingofotherpersonsduetolossof

housing,economichardship,orasimilarreason;arelivinginmotels,hotels,trailerparks,orcampinggroundsduetothelackofalternativeadequateaccommodations;arelivinginemergencyortransitionalshelters;areabandonedinhospitals;

(ii) childrenandyouthswhohaveaprimarynighttimeresidencethatisapublicorprivateplacenotdesignedfororordinarilyusedasaregularsleepingaccommodationforhumanbeings…

(iii) childrenandyouthswhoarelivingincars,parks,publicspaces,abandonedbuildings,substandardhousing,busortrainstations,orsimilarsettings;and

(iv) migratorychildrenwhoqualifyashomelessforthepurposesofthissubtitlebecausethechildrenarelivingincircumstancesdescribedinclauses(i)through(iii).

HomelessandIndependentStudentStatus

Unaccompanied(Notinthephysical

custodyofaparentorguardian)

Homeless

Self-supporting&atrisk ofbeinghomeless

OR

McKinneyVentodefinition:lackingfixed,regularand

adequatehousing

Student’shousingmayceasetobefixed,regular,&adequate;

forexample,astudentwhoisbeingevictedandhasbeenunabletofindfixed,regular,andadequatehousing

Note: Per AVG, a student living in any of these situations and fleeing an abusive parent may be considered homeless even if the parentwould provide support and a place to live.

Studentpaysforherownlivingexpenses,includingfixed,regular,

&adequatehousing

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ThePersonProvidingtheDeterminationShouldbethePersonIndicatedontheFAFSA

VerificationGuidelines

Ifaninstitutionhasnoconflictinginformation,theinstitutionshouldnotrequestadditionaldocumentation;

doingsomayappearasiftheFAAisaskingapplicantstoexplainorjustifytheircircumstances,insteadofsimplyprovidingdocumentationoftheirhomelessstatus

ItisnotconflictinginformationifanFAAdisagreeswithanauthority’sdeterminationthatastudentishomeless

FAAsarenotrequired toverifytheanswerstotheFAFSAhomelessyouthquestions- unlesstheyhaveconflictinginformation

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FAFSAVerificationofstatusUnaccompaniedhomelessyouth(independentstudent)determinationscanbemadeby:

Schooldistrictliaisons,RHYAprogramdirectorsordesignees,andHUDhomelessassistanceprogramdirectorsordesigneesnowarepermittedtocontinuetomakeFAFSAdeterminationsinsubsequentyearsaslongastheliaisonhasaccesstotheinformationnecessarytomakesuchadeterminationforaparticularyouth

Alocalhomelesseducation

liaison(K-12)

ARunawayandHomelessYouthAct -

fundedshelterortransitionallivingprogram

AHUD-fundedshelterortransitionalhousingprogram

Afinancialaidadministratordesignatedbythecollege

Whatifanunaccompaniedhomelessyouthhasnoonetomakeadetermination?

FAAscangetassistancewithmakingcase-by-casehomelessnessdeterminationsbycontacting,amongothers:

Collegeaccessprograms Doctors Socialworkers Mentalhealth

professionals

Ifthestudentisanunaccompaniedhomelessyouthbutdoesnothavecontactwithaqualifiedindividualtomakeadeterminationforthem,theFinancialAidAdministrator

(FAA)mustmakethedetermination.

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VerificationGuidelines

Thedeterminationmaybebasedonadocumented

interviewwiththestudentifthereisnowritten

documentationavailable.

FAAsshoulddetermineif thestudentisunaccompaniedandhomelessoratriskofbeingsowithoutregardforwhy thestudentishomeless

AnewdeterminationmustbemadeeachyearforFAFSA

TemplatesforDeterminationLetter

• FromSchoolHouse Connection:

https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SHC__FAFSA_Determination_2018_FINAL.doc

• FromNationalAssociationfortheEducationofHomelessChildren&Youth:

http://www.naehcy.org/sites/default/files/dl/legis/uy_fafsa_template_sept2016.doc

*Makesuretoupdatetheyearonyourletter

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AssemblyBill801:SupportforHomelessStudents

SignedintolawonSeptember21,2016

• “Homelessyouth”meansastudentunder25yearsofage,• whohasbeenverifiedatanytimeduringthe24monthsimmediatelyprecedingthereceiptofhisorherapplicationforadmission byapostsecondaryeducationalinstitutionasahomelesschildoryouth,asdefinedinsubsection(2)ofSection725ofthefederalMcKinney-VentoHomelessAssistanceAct(42U.S.C.Sec.11434a(2))

AB801defineshomelessyouthasfollows:

AssemblyBill801

RequiresaHomelessYouthLiaison

FinancialAidstaffmember,orstaffinanotherappropriateofficeordepartment

RequiresHomelessYouthLiaisonto

informcurrentandprospectivehomeless

youthstudentsaboutfinancialaid

andotherassistanceavailable

Priorityenrollmentverified homeless

youth

(sunsetdateofJanuary1,2020)

CaliforniaCollegePromiseGrantautomatic

toverified homelessyouth

(aslongastheymeetminimumacademic

andprogressstandards)

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AssemblyBill801

• Onceastudentisverifiedashomeless,theyretainthatstatusforaperiodof6yearsoruntiltheyreachage25,whichevercomesfirst(unlikeFAFSAverificationwhichneedstohappenannually).

• Ifastudentenrollsinadifferentcollege,theywillneedtobere-verifiedatthenewcollege(aphonecallwillsuffice).

AB801VerificationofHomelessYouthStatusPerAB801,tobeeligibleforpriorityregistrationandCaliforniaCollegePromiseGrant,homelessstatusmaybeverifiedby:

*Includesgovernmentornonprofitagencyreceivinggovernmentfundingtoservehomelesspersons,anattorney,localeducationliaison,oraStatefundedproviderofhealthservices,mentalorbehavioralhealthservices,substanceusedisorderservices,orpublicassistanceoremploymentservices.

Ahomelessservicesprovider*

FederalTRIOprogramorGEAR-UPprogram

Afinancialaidadministrator

foraninstitutionofhighereducation

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Tipsfortheverificationconversation

“Doyoustayinthesameplaceeverynight?Doyoumovearound

alot?”

Startbysaying:“Ineedtoaskyouafewquestionstodetermineifyoumeetthecriteriafor‘independent’or‘homeless’studentstatus,whichcouldhelpyougainaccesstospecialbenefits.Thisconversationiscompletelyconfidential,andIwon’tshareyourinformationwithanyoneelseunlessIgetyourpermission.”

Supportinghomelessstudents• Publicizetheavailabilityofahomelessstudentpointofcontact

• Maintainaresourcelistofcommunityagenciessuchasshelters,foodbanks,transitionallivingprograms,streetoutreachteams,drop-incenters,mentalhealthresources

• Trainfacultyandstaffregardingtheneedsofhomelessstudents

• Avoidstigmatizingwordssuchas“homeless.”Usealternatewordingsuchas“inatemporarylivingarrangement”or“withoutstablehousing”

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CalFreshOverview

• AssemblyBill1930changedtherulesaroundstudenteligibilityforCalFresh.ManymorestudentsarenoweligibleforCalFresh.

• CalFresh(previouslycalled“foodstamps”)isafederallyfundedprogramthatallowsincome-eligiblerecipientstopurchasefood.

• CalFreshbenefitscannotbeusedtopurchasehotready-to-eatfoods,alcohol,tobacco,medication,orsupplements.

CalFreshOverview

HowdoesCalFresh determinewhoisa“student”?

Othersnotconsidereda“student”

underCalFresheligibilitycanapplywithout

studentrequirements

Betweentheagesof

18and49

Enrolledatleasthalftime

(6units/semesterCCC)

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CalFreshOverivewIfyouareastudentbetweenages18-49,enrolledatleasthalf-timeandmeetincomeeligibility,youmustalsomeetanyONE ofthefollowing:• Workinginpaidemploymentfor20hoursperweekOR80hoursaveragedmonthly;• Approvedfor(orawardedoraccepted)forfederalorstateworkstudyandanticipatingaplacement;• Enrolledinastatefundedprogramthatincreasesemployability(EOP,EOPS,WIOA,DSPS,CARE,UC

McNair,Puente,orMESA)• Enrolledinaprogramthatincreasesemployabilityforcurrentandformerfosteryouth(Guardian

Scholars,FYSI,CAFYES,Chafee(ETV),orExtendedFosterCare);• Exertingparentalcontroloveradependenthouseholdmemberundertheageof6ORbetweenthe

agesof6and12withnoadequatechildcare(asdeterminedbythecountyonacase-by-casebasis);• EnrolledfulltimeinaninstiutionofhighereducationANDbeasingleparentofadependenthousehold

memberundertheageof12;or• ParticipatingintheCalFreshEmploymentandTrainingProgram(CFET)orbearecipientofCalWorksor

JOBS• InaprogramunderSection236oftheTradeActof1974. RefertoACL17-05formoreinfo

CalFreshOverview

ToapplyforCalFreshbenefits,gotowww.benefitscal.org tofindoutwhichonlineportalyourcountyuses.

Submitapplication(Today)

Completeaninterview

(about1week)

Submitdocumentstoverifyeligibility(within30days)

Submitsemi-annualreporttoreconsider

eligibility(6monthsafterapplicationwassubmitted)

Submitannualreporttoreconsidereligibility

(1yearafterapplicationwassubmitted)

30-DayApplicationProcess:

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CalFreshOverview

HowdoesCalFreshdefinea“household”?• anindividualorunitofindividualsthatbuyandpreparefoodtogether.

ACalFreshhouseholdmustmeetincomeguidelinesandresideinCaliforniaasalegalresidentorcitizen.

CalFreshOverview

MONTHLYINCOMELIMITS

NUMBEROFPEOPLEIN

HOUSEHOLD

GROSSMONTHLYINCOME

1 $2,0102 $2,7083 $3,4044 $4,1005 $4,7986 $5,494

MAXIMUMMONTHLYALLOTMENT

NUMBEROFPEOPLEIN

HOUSEHOLD

MAXIMUMCALFRESHALLOTMENT

1 $1922 $3523 $5044 $6405 $7606 $913

EffectiveOctober1,2017toSeptember30,2018

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CalFreshOverview

Whatcountsasincome?• Incomefromajob

• Stipends(whenpaiddirectlytothestudent)•Money/allowancesfromaparent

• Privategrantsandscholarships(afterallowableeducationalexpensesaresubtracted)

ForadditionalguidancepleaserefertotheLSNCGuidetoCalFreshBenefits

CalFreshOverview

Doesfinancialaidcountasincome?• Grants,scholarshipsandworkstudyarenot countedasincomewhen

determiningCalFresheligibility.Theyareconsideredexemptincome.

Examples:Pellgrant,Chafeegrant,CalGrants,Stafford,Perkins,PLUS,andconsolidationloans.

**CalFreshbenefitsdonotcountasincomeanddonotaffecttaxesorfinancialaideligibility

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CalFreshOverview

EducationalAssistanceandGiftCardPolicy

• Whenprovidingstudentseducationalassistance(e.g.stipends,bookvouchers,giftcards,emergencyfunds,etc.),thelender/thirdpartymay“earmark”thefundstobeusedforeducationalpurposesasoutlinedinMPP63-502.2(e).

RecentPolicyGuidance– NMDEligibility

GiftCards&IncomeIfaprogramorprovidergivesthestudentagiftcardinsteadofmoneyasastipend,thegiftcardisonlycountedasincomeifitisacreditcardcompanyprepaidgiftcard(likeaVISAgiftcard).

Establishment-specificgiftcardsareexcludedasresourcesindeterminingahousehold’seligibilityorbenefitlevel.

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CalFreshOverview

TipsforstudentsexperiencinghomelessnesswhenapplyingforCalFreshbenefits:

•Makesuretheyhaveareliablephonenumber• HomelessindividualscanutilizeafreePOboxusinggeneraldeliveryattheirlocalpostoffice•Manycampusesallowstudentstoreceivemailoncampus• Alwayshaveotherimmediatefoodassistanceresourcesavailable(referralstofoodpantry,communityfoodbank,giftcards,etc.)• Homelessstudentsmaybeeligibleforexpeditedbenefits

ForadditionalguidancepleaserefertotheLSNCGuidetoCalFreshBenefits

CalFreshOverview

TypicalRequiredVerificationDocuments*:

• Identification• Paystubs(ifemployed)• Proofofresidency(apieceofmailwithcurrentaddress)• Utilitybill(cansignownaffidavitifobtainingthisisabarrierorbillisnotinapplicant’sname)• FinancialAid/WorkStudyawardletter• Proofofenrollmentandnumberofunits

*otherdocumentationmayberequested

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Scenarios

Q:Iknowastudentwhoresideswithnon-legalresidents,canthehouseholdstillapplyforCalFreshbenefits?

A:Yes,thehouseholdcanstillapply.Thenon-legalresidentswouldnotbeincludedforthepurposeofdeterminingtheamountofbenefitsthehouseholdwouldbeeligibletoreceive.

Q:Whatifastudentattendscollegeinadifferentcountythanwheretheylive?

A:Thestudentcanstillapplyoncampus,butshouldusetheonlineapplicationforthecountyinwhichtheycurrentlyreside.

ScenariosQ:Doesa17-year-oldstudentwhoisalsohomelessapplywithherfamilyorasanindividual?

A:IfastudentisverifiedasindependentorUHY,shecanapplyasindividualwithoutherfamily.

Q:Ihaveastudentthatlivesindependentlyfromhisparents,buthisparentshelpsupplementhisincome.Doesheapplywithhisparentsorasanindividual?

A:ThestudentshouldstillapplyasanindividualsincehisparentsarenotpartofhisCalFreshhousehold(buyandpreparefoodtogether).Hestillneedstoreporttheincomefromhisparentsasunearnedincome.

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QuestionandAnswer

Upcomingevents

Webinar:SupportingHomelessCollegeStudents:LegalObligationsandBestPracticesDate:Wednesday,April4th

Time: 10:00AM– 11:00AMToregister:https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4477574576357195777 ORjbaforyouth.org

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Upcomingevents

CaliforniaCommunityCollegesBasicNeedsSummitDate:April26th &27th

Location:Sacramento,CAToregister:https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventId=2167657

Formoreinformation

DeborahPruittJohnBurtonAdvocatesforYouth

deborah@jbaforyouth.org

JessicaSmithFoundationforCaliforniaCommunity

Collegesjsmith@foundationccc.org