Children & Families experiencing Homelessness

The public health crisis has caused hardship to many families in all areas, including Mentor,

leaving many in need of support for basic necessities, including food and affordable housing. Help is available for families seeking shelter and for students who are attending school while their family is homeless and in transition. The definition of homelessness includes:

• living in a shelter, including emergency and transitional shelters for domestic violence and runaway/ homeless youth shelters;
  
• living doubled-up with a friend, relative or someone else due to eviction, foreclosure, natural disaster or economic hardship;
  
• staying in a motel, hotel, trailer park or campground because they have nowhere else to go;
  
• staying in substandard housing; living in places not ordinarily used for sleeping, including cars, parks, public places, abandoned buildings or bus/train stations; abandoned in a hospital;
  
• children and youth not living at home, who were asked to leave home by a parent/legal guardian.
  
• left home without consent of parents (runaways).
  
•  are living doubled-up without a legal guardian due to economic reasons or due to lack of formal custody papers while parent(s) are incarcerated, hospitalized or in a rehabilitation
  
  

The Most Frequently Asked Questions on the Education Rights of Children and Youth in Homeless Situations:

This document, created collaboratively by the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP), and updated in October 2017, provides answers to many of the most frequently asked questions on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the educational rights of children and youth in homeless situations.

Please contact Student Services if you are in need of assistance.  Kerry Bowser, Director of Student Services at 440-974-5243.