

Quick Facts & Stats
State Ranking: 44
Overall Score: 35
Last Year's Score: 42
Performance Breakdown
- Law & Policy: 37% of metrics met
- Laws authorizing comprehensive supports and services for youth experiencing homelessness: 33% of metrics met
- Preventing youth experiencing homelessness from coming into contact with the criminal and juvenile justice systems: 38% of metrics met
- Providing unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the opportunity to seek legal independence and live independently: 38% of metrics met
- Addressing the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness: 17% of metrics met
- Allowing youth experiencing homelessness to access critical supports and services: 44% of metrics met
- Systems: 61% of metrics met
- Environment: 0% of metrics met
State Highlights
Wisconsin has not moved the needle relative to other states in any key areas, but there are individual policies worth highlighting.
Law & Policy
- The state allows youth in foster care to access extended foster care services to age 21 under some circumstances and allows eligible youth who have exited the foster care system after 18 to re-enter care until age 21.
- The state allows shelters to take in youth experiencing homelessness with a delay or waiver of notification requirements.
- The state allows unaccompanied youth under 18 to apply for health insurance coverage on their own.
Systems
- There is a current state plan to end homelessness that contains a youth-specific strategy component.
- There is a state interagency council on homelessness.
- The state does not require parental consent for youth to obtain state-issued identification cards.
Environment
- None.
Recommendations for Improvement
There is room for improvement throughout the metrics for the Badger State, with emphasis on the Law & Policy and Environment categories. Laws authorizing comprehensive supports and services for youth experiencing homelessness, addressing the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness, providing unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the opportunity to seek legal independence and live independently, and protecting the rights and interests of LGBTQ youth should be prioritized.
Law & Policy
- Enact and fund a state law similar to the federal RHYA to provide key intervention and emergency services for youth experiencing homelessness.
- Declassify running away as a status or delinquent offense.
- Enact law that gives homeless youth contract rights or allows them to enter into binding contracts for certain purposes (e.g. necessities).
- Allow partial and alternative school credit accrual for youth experiencing homelessness.
Systems
- As part of the state plan to prevent and end youth homelessness, include a strategy to address homelessness among LGBTQ youth.
- Create a state entity - such as an Office of Homeless Youth Services - that focuses solely on designing, implementing, and evaluating youth homelessness programs.
Environment
- Organize and maintain a self-governing youth action board or council to inform youth homelessness policy within the state.
- Require training about sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, healthy sexual development, or issues specific to LGBTQ youth for staff working in runaway and homeless youth systems.
- Promote safe and inclusive environments in child welfare, juvenile justice, and runaway and homeless youth programs by providing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Ban controversial and ineffective service provision that includes conversion therapy.