Family Rejection

According to The National Network for Youth (2018), family dysfunction can be causing violence, rejection, sexual abuse, and parental neglect as well as being affected by poverty.

This type of dysfunction can become heightened when an adolescent member of the family comes out as LGBTQ.

Aging Out of the System

Legally, 18 is considered an adult in the United States. This racks up a number of problems because these juveniles are no longer able to reap youth benefits such as being in the foster care system and have an even more limited pool of resources of being under 18.

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Due to limited earning potential and a shortage of affordable housing, these youths are still at risk to stay in the cycle of injustice. They are less likely to seek services from support systems.

“Approximately 12 to 36 percent of youth ages 19 or 21 exiting the foster care system become homeless which in 2010 translated to approximately 28,000 youth” (nn4youth.org, 2017).

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