Hopeways to Home: Transitional Age Youth and Recovery Housing Toolkit

Transitional age youth (roughly 18-25) experiencing homelessness face extraordinary challenges. Up to 10% will experience homelessness annually, with 89% meeting criteria for mental health disorders and 39-70% struggling with substance use. Tragically, these young people face mortality rates nearly 10 times higher than housed peers.

“Hopeways to Home” provides a comprehensive framework for addressing these interconnected challenges. The document identifies critical barriers, including rigid service requirements, lack of coordination and limited resources, while outlining evidence-based solutions grounded in Housing First principles.

The framework emphasizes four critical domains: securing stable housing quickly, creating opportunities through vocational training and education, ensuring access to integrated physical and mental health services, and empowering youth through policy advocacy and proven measurement approaches.

This resource serves as both a call to action and practical guide for service providers, policymakers and communities committed to breaking cycles of homelessness and supporting young people’s recovery journeys.