The cover of the 2018 "Street Youth Study" is shown here; the report was done by by the University of Hawaii Center on the Family, Waikiki Health and Hale Kipa.
Select an option below to continue reading this premium story.
Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.
A 2018 report — the “Street Youth Study” by the University of Hawaii Center on the Family, Waikiki Health and Hale Kipa — provided a glance into the problem of homeless young adults in Hawaii.
“Homelessness among youth is a serious and complex problem, with research showing that youth aged 12-17 are at higher risk than adults of becoming homeless,” noted the report (online at 808ne.ws/2lAUdWi). “Older youth between 18 and 24, considered as transition-aged youth, are one of the fastest growing homeless populations.”
It found that nationally, most unaccompanied youth (89%) in the point-in-time estimates of homelessness were between the ages of 18 and 24.
“Transition-aged youth are still developing as young adults and need support until they are able to care for themselves,” the study said. “They require unique housing and services that are different than those tailored for adults or families.”
Hawaii’s 2017 homeless point-in-time count reported 319 unaccompanied youths: 82% of them living unsheltered and 92% between ages 18 and 24. In fiscal year 2016, 624 unaccompanied youths were helped by the state’s homeless service system, nearly all of them (93.6%) young adults aged 18-24.