Runaway and homeless youth in Los Angeles County, California

Data collected over one year from agencies in Los Angeles County serving homeless youth suggest that shelter and outreach/drop-in agencies serve different populations. Shelters serve about equal numbers of males and females, almost half of whom are 15 years old or younger. Slightly more than half of these young people are minority youth who live in Los Angeles County. Seven of 10 go on to live in a stable environment. Outreach/drop-in agencies serve predominantly males, almost all of whom are 16 years old or older. These clients are primarily white and from outside Los Angeles. Four of 10 get off the streets. Both shelters and outreach/drop-in agencies serve primarily multiproblem chronic runaway or homeless youth who have neither families nor independent living skills and have survived as best they could. To help these young people, more emergency shelter beds and transitional living programs are needed. The geographic location and program structure of services however must be carefully considered.