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HD 5979

A communication from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (see Section 16W of Chapter 6A of the General Laws) submitting the Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth annual report for fiscal year 2024

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Massachusetts transmits the FY2024 UHYC report detailing scale, demographics, and targeted actions to prevent and reduce unaccompanied youth homelessness, with funding and implemen

Placed on file
0
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Bill Summary · HD 5979

Summary: HD 5979 (194th Session) — Massachusetts Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Annual Report, FY 2024

Note: This bill appears as a gubernatorial communication transmitting the UHYC annual report pursuant to Chapter 450 of the Acts of 2014, rather than a typical standalone legislative measure. The summary below focuses on the substantive content and implications of the transmitted report and the statutory framework cited.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • The bill transmits the 2024 Annual Report of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (UHYC) to the Governor, the Clerks of the Senate and House, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, and the Office of the Child Advocate, in compliance with Chapter 450 of the Acts of 2014.
  • The overarching legislative intent is to document the UHYC’s findings, recommendations, implementation progress, and ongoing needs related to unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY) in Massachusetts, with a focus on prevention, service access, and housing stability.

2) Key Provisions and Content of the Report

The transmitted annual report (FY24) contains several substantive elements:

  • Regulatory and Legislative Action Recommendations: The UHYC proposes regulatory and legislative measures, including a timeline for implementation, cost estimates, and potential financing mechanisms.
  • Scope and Prevalence Data:
    • Point-in-Time (PIT) counts indicate approximately 600+ unaccompanied YYA (youth and young adults) experiencing homelessness on any given night (HUD PIT and MA Youth Count alignment).
    • Annual estimates show roughly 2,730 YYA experiencing homelessness at some point during FY24, with about 2,157 at risk of homelessness. More than 300 YYA were stabilized into housing, and over 500 received prevention services resulting in housing stabilization.
  • Service System and Funding Context:
    • Performance-based contracts for 10 homeless youth service lead agencies across regions, supported by:
    • FY24 budget: $11 million
    • FY25 budget: $10.451 million (line item 4000-0007)
    • Regional lead agencies and approximate FY25 allocations (e.g., Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Catholic Charities of Fall River, City of Springfield, etc.).
    • Additional support: $562,960 to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education to provide shelter/services for homeless college students.
  • FY24–FY25 Performance and Outcomes:
    • Data on outcomes, including prevention, crisis response, and housing stabilization.
    • Acknowledgement that outcomes may undercount due to mobility, contact loss, or self-resolution of crises.
  • Prevalence & Characteristics (Massachusetts Youth Count, FY24):
    • 1,412 youth/young adults surveyed; 661 met UHYC definition of unaccompanied homeless youth (not in parental/guardian care and lacking fixed nighttime residence).
    • Living situations among the 661: 49.1% in shelters/transitional housing/hotels; 33.4% doubled up; 17.3% unsheltered.
    • Racial disparities: BIPOC YYA constitute 62.4% of UHY; ongoing overrepresentation in foster care and homelessness systems.
    • Subpopulation insights: Notable rates of exploitation and sex exchange among certain groups; higher unsheltered rates among minors; 17% did not self-identify as homeless despite meeting UHYC criteria.
    • Education and income: 57% of 18–24-year-olds had a high school diploma; 74% reported some income, 24% had no income.
    • Justice and child welfare involvement: 20% reported juvenile/adult justice involvement; 30.7% had foster care involvement (with higher likelihood among BIPOC youth).
  • Findings and Recommendations (Appendices):
    • Emphasis on upstream prevention, access to services, data collection, and targeted interventions for particularly vulnerable groups (unaccompanied minors, those who exchange sex, and young parents under 25).
    • Recommendations for sustained funding (continue line items 4000-0007 and 4000-0300), enhanced prevention/access for minors, expanded support for BIPOC youth, and stronger data/Research-to-Action efforts.
    • Proposed actions to elevate BIPOC voices and expand housing options for aging-out foster youth.

3) Who/What Is Affected

  • Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (UHY) in Massachusetts (under 25, not in parental/c guardian care, lacking fixed nighttime residence).
  • Service Providers: Ten regional Homeless Youth Services Lead Agencies contracted by EOHHS under performance-based funding.
  • State Agencies and Partners: EOHHS, DCF, DESE, DPH/BSAS, DMH, DYS, DTA, Department of Higher Education, and other child welfare and health/human services entities involved in housing, education, and prevention services.
  • Funding Streams: State budget lines 4000-0007 and 4000-0300; budgetary allocations for higher education shelter support.
  • Data and Research Functions: Massachusetts Youth Count and related Research-to-Action briefs informing policy and program design.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Statutory Mandate: Chapter 450 of the Acts of 2014 requires the UHYC to submit an annual report by December 31 to the Governor, clerks, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, and the Office of the Child Advocate.
  • Transmission Date: The Executive Office of Health and Human Services submitted the FY2024 UHYC annual report on March 3, 2026, in the form of a communication from the Secretary of EOHHS.
  • Action History: As of the record, the bill (HD 5979) has been placed on file (April 13, 2026), indicating it is not advancing to enactment as a standalone law but rather transmitting required information.

5) Significance

  • The report consolidates evidence on the scale and characteristics of youth homelessness in Massachusetts and reinforces the state's commitment to prevention, targeted interventions, cultural responsiveness (notably for BIPOC youth), and continuous improvement through better data.
  • It lays out concrete funding levels and regional implementation details, supporting continued (and potentially expanded) federal/state alignment and evidence-based planning to reduce youth homelessness.

If you’d like, I can extract specific figures (budgets by region, or counts by subpopulation) into a concise data table.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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