Chapin Hall

The youth homelessness response system in Chicago and suburban Cook County is fragmented, difficult to navigate, and deficient in housing options. Consequently, it fails to meet the diverse needs of young people experiencing homelessness. With funding from a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) grant, the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY) is partnering with Chapin Hall and a broad coalition of stakeholders to create a more coordinated, equitable, and youth-centered homelessness response system in Chicago and suburban Cook County.   

As part of that project, Chapin Hall is leading a comprehensive assessment of the current youth homelessness response system to understand the range of housing programs and services available to young people experiencing homelessness, the system’s capacity to deliver services effectively, gaps in the system’s capacity, and young people’s experiences with the system. The system assessment includes a survey of youth-serving organizations; interviews with public officials, service providers, funders, and advocates; focus groups with young people experiencing homelessness; and analysis of Homeless Management Information System data.    

Findings from the system assessment will inform the development of a strategic plan that outlines actionable steps to improve coordination, expand access to services, and address inequities. ICOY and the other coalition partners will seek funding to implement the strategic plan.  

Young people with lived experience are central to this work. A dedicated Youth Action Board is contributing to each component of the system assessment and will be involved in the development of the strategic plan to ensure that it is informed by authentic youth voice. In March 2026, Youth Action Board members traveled to Washington, D.C. for the National Summit on Youth Homelessness + Hill Day, sponsored by the National Network for Youth, where they had the opportunity to speak with staffers at the offices of U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin and Representative Danny Davis. In May, they will co-present on their experiences with the systems assessment at the Home Illinois Summit in Springfield.  

By fostering collaboration, engaging young people as leaders, and grounding decisions in data, this project seeks to build a homelessness response system that provides young people in Chicagoland with the housing and other services they need. For more information, contact Dr. Amy Dworsky.