Tomorrow (April 24, 2015), Washington Governor Jay Inslee will sign legislation into law to prevent and reduce youth and young adult homelessness in Washington state. The Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Act (HYPP Act) passed through the state legislature with bipartisan support.
The HYPP Act will establish the Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Programs at the state level to help provide young people with stable housing, family reconciliation, permanent connections with adults, education and employment opportunities, and social and emotional well-being.
“On behalf of our coalition members, we are thrilled that Governor Inslee and our elected representatives have taken action, and we are particularly grateful for First Lady Inslee’s dedication to this issue,” said Jim Theofelis, Chair of the Washington Coalition for Homeless Youth Advocacy and Executive Director of The Mockingbird Society. “We applaud our leaders for setting the goal that Washington state will not discharge youth and young adults from systems of care to homelessness. We also believe that this Act lays the foundation for our state to ensure that youth and young adults experiencing homelessness no longer have to leave their communities of origin to access the services they and their families need to reunify and thrive.”
The True Colors Fund shares in The Mockingbird Society’s excitement and congratulates and thanks Governor Inslee and Washington lawmakers for making youth experiencing homelessness a state priority.
Learn more about the HYPP Act, and celebrate this victory with us on Facebook and Twitter!