A resolution designating November 2025 as "National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month".

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 538 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 538

  Designating November 2025 as ``National Homeless Children and Youth 
                           Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 9, 2025

 Ms. Alsobrooks (for herself and Ms. Collins) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating November 2025 as ``National Homeless Children and Youth 
                           Awareness Month''.

Whereas, in the United States, public schools identified nearly 1,400,000 
        enrolled children and youth who were homeless during the 2022 to 2023 
        school year, a 14 percent increase from the previous school year;
Whereas every year an estimated 1,200,000 children younger than 6 years of age, 
        and approximately 4,200,000 youth and young adults, experience 
        homelessness as part of the general population, with many of those 
        children, youth, and young adults staying on couches, in motels, in 
        shelters, or outside;
Whereas the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported a 39 percent 
        increase in families staying in homeless shelters or visibly on the 
        streets in 2024, which was the highest of any population and the second 
        consecutive year of increase;
Whereas infants experiencing homelessness are at a higher risk for certain 
        illnesses and health conditions;
Whereas families experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience 
        involvement in the child welfare system and difficulty with school 
        attendance;
Whereas more than 48 percent of students that experienced homelessness during 
        the 2022 to 2023 school year were chronically absent, a rate 22 percent 
        higher than that of other students;
Whereas, in 2021, high school students experiencing homelessness were nearly 
        twice as likely to have seriously considered suicide or made a suicide 
        plan, and such students were more than 3 times as likely to have made a 
        suicide attempt within the past year;
Whereas individuals without a high school degree or general educational 
        development certificate are over 4\1/2\ times more likely to report 
        homelessness than their peers who completed high school, making the lack 
        of education and diminished opportunities for financial stability key 
        risk factors for young adult homelessness;
Whereas, in 2022, the high school graduation rate for students experiencing 
        homelessness was 68 percent, compared to 80 percent for low-income 
        students and 85\1/2\ percent for all students;
Whereas the rate of unaccompanied youth homelessness is the same in rural, 
        suburban, and urban areas;
Whereas 29 percent of unaccompanied homeless youth between 13 and 25 years of 
        age have spent time in foster care, compared to approximately 6 percent 
        of all children;
Whereas youths transitioning out of the juvenile justice system or foster care 
        system often do so without reliable social, educational, financial, 
        employment, or housing opportunities, putting them at increased risk of 
        homelessness;
Whereas homelessness among children and youth is a complex issue that may be 
        correlated with deep poverty, low education and employment levels, 
        substance use disorders, mental health disorders, lack of affordable 
        housing, and family conflict; and
Whereas awareness of child and youth homelessness must be heightened to 
        encourage greater support for effective programs that help children and 
        youth overcome homelessness: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the efforts of businesses, governments, 
        organizations, educators, and volunteers dedicated to meeting 
        the needs of homeless children and youth;
            (2) applauds the initiatives of businesses, governments, 
        organizations, educators, and volunteers that--
                    (A) use time and resources to raise awareness of 
                child and youth homelessness, the causes of child and 
                youth homelessness, and potential solutions; and
                    (B) work to prevent homelessness among children and 
                youth;
            (3) designates November 2025 as ``National Homeless 
        Children and Youth Awareness Month''; and
            (4) encourages businesses, governments, organizations, 
        educators, and volunteers to continue to intensify their 
        efforts to address homelessness among children and youth during 
        November 2025.
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