Rising Youth Homelessness in Indiana
Indiana public schools have reported a significant increase in the number of homeless students over the past few years. From the 2020-21 to the 2023-24 school years, there was an estimated 44% rise in the number of homeless students. This trend mirrors a national increase of 32% in youth homelessness across the United States. The data comes from the Department of Education, which under the McKinney-Vento Act of 1987 defines homeless children as those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
Community leaders and advocates emphasize that breaking the cycle of chronic homelessness must start with supporting youths who don’t have a place to call home. Without early intervention, the trauma of being homeless—both physical and emotional—can leave lasting scars on individuals and ripple effects throughout communities.
Victor Hutchinson, now 24, recalls his childhood spent bouncing between homeless shelters and staying with friends alongside his mother. He is currently a participant in Outreach Indiana, a local nonprofit working to equip and empower young Hoosiers aged 14–24 experiencing homelessness. For many Hoosiers, youth homelessness is an invisible issue, often hidden, undocumented, and underreported. It looks very different from adult homelessness, as homeless youth may sleep on the street one night and on a friend’s couch the next. This kind of intermittent homelessness makes it harder for them to qualify for state assistance programs, which often prioritize chronically homeless adults.
Understanding the Scope of Homelessness in Indiana
According to the IndyStar, there were an estimated 22,114 homeless students (Pre K-12) in Indiana during the 2023-24 school year. This represents a 44% increase from the five-year low of 15,373 in the 2020-21 school year. Of these homeless students, 28% lived in Marion County in the 2022-23 school year, according to SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan.
Youth homelessness is fueled by various factors, including family breakdowns, forced evictions, and cultural beliefs that turning 18 marks the end of parental responsibility, often forcing young adults out of their homes. Trinity Hopkins, a 24-year-old local author and current Outreach participant, shared her experience: “I always felt like I was on the journey by myself, because we didn’t have adults around us who could give us proper guidance.”
Impact on Academic Performance
Homeless students consistently fall behind their housed peers in academic performance. According to the Brightlane Learning Homeless Education 2024 Report, only 57% of homeless students were proficient in third-grade early literacy assessments, compared to an 82% proficiency rate among housed students. Several factors contribute to this gap:
- Lack of quality sleep, essential for a child’s development and learning.
- Higher rates of serious health issues, such as asthma, which affect nearly twice as many homeless students compared to their housed peers.
- Food insecurity, with homeless students having reduced access to nutritious meals and being twice as likely to skip breakfast.
Challenges During Summer Break
Summer break can be particularly challenging for homeless kids. Barbara Duffield, Executive Director of SchoolHouse Connection, noted that food insecurity is further exacerbated during the summer months, as many students rely on school for guaranteed meals like breakfast and lunch. Loss of safety and structure is another concern, with nearly 80% of homeless students “doubled up,” meaning they share housing with others due to economic hardship. Constant movement makes it difficult to maintain stability, and homeless students often miss out on summer enrichment programs when they move between school districts.
College students also face renewed homelessness during the summer, as many campuses close dorms, leaving unhoused students without shelter. Andrew Neal mentioned that students returning to Indianapolis often find themselves homeless again.
Racial Disparities and Systemic Inequities
Statewide data reveals a troubling racial disparity in youth homelessness. According to SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, Black or African American students made up 31% of homeless students in Indiana (2022-23), despite representing only 11% of the overall student population. This overrepresentation reflects broader systemic inequities, highlighting the urgent need to address racial bias and structural barriers in housing, education, and social services.
Strategies to End Youth Homelessness
To curb the rise in youth homelessness, several strategies are recommended:
- Allow minors to apply for health insurance independently, such as Medicaid, without requiring parental consent.
- Eliminate racial disparities in housing, including discriminatory evictions, loan denials, and high housing costs.
- Repeal laws that criminalize homelessness, shifting the focus from punishment to support.
- Intervene early in a young person’s housing crisis to prevent long-term or chronic homelessness in adulthood.
The Public Policy Institute at Indiana University emphasizes the importance of strengthening programming for unhoused youth, including allowing unaccompanied minors to access healthcare and addressing racial inequities in housing.
The Cost of Criminalizing Homelessness
Criminalizing homelessness is not only inhumane but also financially inefficient. A national study found that placing a homeless youth in the criminal justice system for one year costs $53,665, compared to just $5,887 to permanently move that same youth off the streets. Between 2021 and 2023, Indiana’s corrections spending nearly doubled, from $849 million to an estimated $1.7 billion.
Success Stories and Compassionate Approaches
Other cities have found success with more compassionate approaches. In 2015, Milwaukee County launched a Housing First Initiative, providing housing without preconditions. The results were dramatic: municipal violations dropped by 82%, and the homeless population fell from 1,521 to 900.
Andrew Neal of Outreach Indiana emphasized the need to focus on upstream factors when a young person first becomes unhoused. The longer a youth remains on the streets, the more trauma they experience and the more likely they are to face long-term, chronic homelessness.
Outreach Indiana and Its Impact
Organizations like Outreach Indiana are already making a difference, offering essentials like fresh clothes, hot meals, showers, and a safe, welcoming space for youth in need. Trinity Hopkins described the organization as a "safe home" and expressed hope for more housing options. Outreach goes beyond basics, helping youth build futures by providing support for things like driver’s license exams.
Victor Hutchinson, who recently started working at a moving company with Outreach’s support, shared his advice to other young people facing homelessness: “It takes a lot of patience, so just endure. Endure all of it. Because you know, within time, something will come up. Something will get better.”
Resources for Young People in Need
For young people in need, the following resources are available:
- Outreach Youth Hotline: (317) 699-1994
- Stopover 24-Hour Crisis Line: (317) 635-9301