In 2024, the Out Wayne County Continuum of Care, in partnership with Monroe County, was awarded HUD’s Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement (YHSI), a 30-month planning grant aimed at transforming the youth homeless response system in Wayne and Monroe Counties. YHSI is a youth-led initiative that centers the voices and experiences of youth with lived experience in homelessness through the creation of Youth Action Boards (YABs) that hold decision-making power and direct the work and priorities of the YHSI project.
The YAB also works alongside the Regional Planning Committee (RPC), which is a group of representatives from organizations and agencies throughout the region involved in the planning and implementation of YHSI projects and tasks.
There are currently three subcommittees under the RPC:
- Needs Assessment – responsible for designing, planning, and implementing a youth-focused community needs assessment
- Conference Planning – responsible for planning questions and format for a convenings, such as: Round Table event in May 2025, sessions for a two day conference in October 2025 to discuss initial findings of the needs assessment, and a regional conference in Spring 2026 to discuss final needs assessment findings and the regional action plan
- Youth Leadership – responsible for increasing youth leadership opportunities across systems and within programs, as well as providing training and mentoring opportunities to YAB members, and incorporating feedback systems for youth in systems / programs
Regional Planning Committee Members & Attendees
Youth Action Board Members
- Covenant House
- Detroit Phoenix House
- Growth Works
- Eastside Community Network
- Community Homes & Supports
- HAND
- DWIHN
- MDHHS
- Homeless Youth Coalition/Bedford Public Schools
- Monroe County Community College
- Youth Opportunity Program at Monroe County Intermediate School District
- Salvation Army Family Manor
- Do’chas II
- Monroe Public Schools
- Paula’s House
Out Wayne
- Laelin Burklow
- Madison Henley
- Sarah Kinnunen
- Rhonda Panek
- Elijah Williams
Detroit
- Mateo Bey
- Latavia Hereford
- Monica Louis
Macomb
- DeLorean Ishmon ll
Monroe
- Kaylee Smith
Get Involved:
There are several ways to get involved and we invite people and organizations across systems and the region to get involved in the YHSI project!
- RPC Subcommitee Meetings – descriptions can be found above. Each subcommittee meets bi-weekly and you can find the schedule in the calendar below
- Youth Action Board (YAB) – there are three local YABs (Monroe, Out Wayne, Detroit) and Regional YAB that is comprised of members from the local YABs. Our membership for the boards is currently complete, but if you are between the ages of 18-24 and have lived experience in homelessness and are interested in serving, please fill out the interest form. Note: even though the YABs are currently closed to new members, you can still attend our subcommittee meetings and have your voice heard in those spaces!
Want to stay in the loop?
We have a weekly newsletter that shares YHSI updates and meeting reminders.
