Support for Families Experiencing Homelessness The Department of Children and Families uses a multi-generational approach to support families who are experiencing homelessness. The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 created provisions to bridge the barriers families experiencing homelessness have when accessing high-quality care. YoungStar is working to assist child care providers with identifying and supporting all families in need. Homelessness Defined The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines people experiencing homelessness as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." This definition includes children who are sharing the housing of other people, living in residences due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations, living in emergency or transitional locations, or are abandoned in hospitals. The Wisconsin Family Impact Seminars has more information on the number of people experiencing homelessness in Wisconsin and strategies for addressing the impact and outcomes for children. Head Start prioritizes families experiencing homeless whether due to loss of housing, natural disasters, or emergency situations. Head Start programs are required to coordinate with local McKinney-Vento liaisons to ensure access for eligible families and children. In these instances, families are provided flexibility around necessary documentation timelines and provided with programs and services available within the community. Information on how to find and apply for a Head Start program in your area. Supporting Homeless Families The Department of Public Instruction has compiled a guide with Tips for Supporting Young Children Who are Homeless for schools and child care providers. Each district and charter school must have a staff person designated as the Homeless Liaison, and this person is the primary contact between families and service providers. Search for your local liaison. The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is the U.S. Department of Education's Technical Assistance Center for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program. NCHE provides online professional development opportunities, as well as, the NCHE Homeless Education Helpline where parents, community organizations, and people who are interested in legislation can find resources and support through email or call 1-800-308-2145. The Department of Children and Families welcomes your feedback on resources that assist families in crisis. Please feel free to contact DCF at yshomelessness@wisconsin.gov with additional supports that child care providers could use to support children and families experiencing homelessness. New resources available to help support families and children experiencing homelessness: Tipsheet - Better Together Winter 2020, Identifying Children Experiencing Homelessness Serving Homeless Families in Early Care and Education Programs - A Wisconsin Toolkit Supporting Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness - Head Start Modules DCF Resources Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy supports low-income working families by subsidizing a portion of the cost of quality child care while the parents or caregivers are working or participating in another approved activity. Additional supports are available for families experiencing homelessness. Find and contact your local agency or visit ACCESS to see if you might qualify. YoungStar Family engagement is a vital part of high-quality child care and essential in identifying families in crisis. YoungStar requires programs that earn a three, four, or five star rating to earn 1-2 points within the YoungStar Family Engagement Criteria. Toxic stress can have a devastating effect on the long-term outcomes of young children. The YoungStar media campaign created a video on Toxic Stress highlighting the effect that high-quality child care has on negating effects of toxic stress in children. Professional Development Support and Technical consultation can be shaped to fit a child care provider's individual needs. Each YoungStar Technical Consultant has access to community resources and fundamental supports necessary for families to be successful. Find your local YoungStar office. Parent Cafés Wisconsin Parent Cafés were created with the idea that families in need of support can be reached through a comprehensive system of child care, training, and local support. Each Parent Café provides families with detailed information about supports available in their communities. While families are not required to identify their housing situation, each Café provides information for supporting families within the community. Information about available Parent Café Opportunities. Collaborating Partners Collaborating Partners - Diversity: Homelessness/Poverty is a resource for professional development around the effect of homelessness and poverty on the development of Young Children. This includes an archive of webinars, state, and national resources. Newly added to the Collaborating Partners Homelessness web page is a toolkit for Serving Homeless Families in Early Care and Education Programs. Connections Count for Wisconsin Families Connections Count is a new voluntary program for families with children 0-5 years and who live in high need communities or neighborhoods. The goals of this program are to engage children and their families with support available in their local community, assist families in accessing benefits and services that meet their needs, and to connect adults to neighborhood leadership opportunities. Programs are currently located in Manitowoc at Lakeshore CAP, Inc. and in Milwaukee at the Children's Hospital and Health System, Inc. Statewide Resources Head Start Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) provides a wealth of knowledge and resources for child care providers and programs that are looking to better support families experiencing homelessness. Interactive Homelessness Lessons: Including topics of identification, outreach, partnering with families and community collaboration National Head Start Locator Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies Wisconsin's Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies can provide assistance to families in crisis and searching for high-quality care for their children. Each agency can provide referrals for available child care, as well as local community supports to avoid homelessness. Family Resource Centers Family Resource Centers (FRCs) support families and their children from prenatal through early childhood. Each center is unique to the community it serves and can provide families with information on group and individual services, available respite services, family outreach and visiting programs, connections to public and private agencies, and assistance with access to any services available. Food Assistance FoodShare Wisconsin was created to ensure that people in Wisconsin have access to the food and nutrition necessary to improve their health. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that provides food to pantries and meal sites throughout Wisconsin. Call 2-1-1 for a referral to a distribution site in your area. WIC provides pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children with food necessary for maintaining their health and well-being. Call 1-800-722-2295 to determine if you or your family is eligible to participate. The Maternal and Child Health Hotline (including interpreter services) is available 24 hours a day. No Kid Hungry provides information about free summer meals for kids in your neighborhood. Text "food" to 877-877 for more information. Housing Wisconsin Department of Health Services collects resources for Housing Assistance Programs in the state. HUD.GOV Rental Help: Wisconsin HUD.GOV Homeownership Assistance Transitional Housing - Wisconsin Medical Care BadgerCare+ and Medicaid are available to eligible children, individuals, and families. Healthcare.gov can assist families with finding appropriate levels of insurance coverage. Free or Low Cost Clinics Federally Qualified Health Centers are community-based organizations that provide comprehensive health care for people of all ages Rural Health Centers Tribal Health Centers Children with Special Needs and Disabilities Well Badger Resource Center assists families with resources for children and youth with special needs and disabilities. The hotline, 1-800-642-7837, is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and a Parent Specialist is available to chat Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Wisconsin Public Health Hotline On-Line Resource Directory is available to search for local contact information. Domestic Abuse Milwaukee Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Resources: This page links to 24-Hour Help Lines, Shelters, information for adolescents, children, and counseling support End Abuse Wisconsin provides resources for connecting with domestic abuse programs within communities. Job Support Job Center of Wisconsin provides a method for searching available employment opportunities, resources for securing employment, and a directory of job center locations. Aging and Disability Support Aging and Disability Resource Centers are community organizations that assist adults and families in regards to aging, elderly, or disability resources Addiction Resources Addiction and Rehab Centers in Madison Tip Sheets Identification of Families in Crisis Specific Resources for Milwaukee County Residents Milwaukee Early care Administration (MECA) is responsible for providing access to affordable, high-quality child care in Milwaukee County. MECA staff are located at 1220 W. Vliet St. - 2nd Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53205 (Monday - Wednesday and Friday between the hours of 7:30 a.m - 4:30 p.m., and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. - Noon). Milwaukee Public Schools Homeless Education Program provides support to families and children experiencing homelessness. Head Start Milwaukee Public Schools Head Start Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) provides a wealth of knowledge and resources for child care providers and programs that are looking to better support families experiencing homelessness. Also available from ECLKC: Homelessness Modules Child Care Resource and Referral 4C for Children Wisconsin's Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies can provide assistance to families in crisis and searching for high-quality care for their children. Each agency can provide referrals for available child care, as well as local community supports to avoid homelessness. Family Resource Centers La Causa, Inc. supports families through a Crisis Nursery & Respite Center, Early Education and Care Center, as well as adult and youth programs Empowering Families of Milwaukee: Home-visiting collaboration between the City of Milwaukee and community partners providing support for families COA Youth and Family Centers support early childhood development, youth programs and community supports Family Resource Centers (FRCs) support families and their children from prenatal through early childhood. Each center is unique to the community it serves and can provide families with information on group and individual services, available respite services, family outreach and visiting programs, connections to public and private agencies, and assistance with access to any services available. Food Assistance FoodShare Wisconsin was created to ensure that people in Wisconsin have access to the food and nutrition necessary to improve their health. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that provides food to pantries and meal sites throughout Wisconsin. Call 2-1-1 for a referral to a distribution site in your area. Hunger Task Force WIC provides pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children with food necessary for maintaining their health and well-being. Call 1-800-722-2295 to determine if you or your family is eligible to participate. The Maternal and Child Health Hotline (including interpreter services) is available 24 hours a day. No Kid Hungry provides information about free summer meals for kids in your neighborhood. Text "food" to 877-877 for more information. Housing Milwaukee County Housing Division Cathedral Center: Emergency shelter serving unaccompanied women and families of all sizes including single fathers Mercy Housing has location in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, and Neenah for those in need of supportive or senior housing Transitional Living Center, Inc (Racine County) City of Milwaukee Housing Resources Shelter Listings: Search for locations within your community Medical Care Free and Low-Cost Clinics in Milwaukee Free Mental Health Resources in Milwaukee Psychiatric Crisis Line - 414-257-7222 Provides 24/7 emergency counseling and referral services Substance Abuse Recovery Services Milwaukee County Community Access to Recovery Services Transitional Housing - Confidential hotline and list of addiction resources WCS Recovery Services (414) 290-0400 Children with Special Needs and Disabilities WellBadger assists families with resources for children and youth with special needs and disabilities. The hotline, 1-800-642-7837, is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and a Parent Specialist is available to chat Monday throughFriday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Wisconsin Public Health Hotline On-Line Resource Directory is available to search for local contact information. Milwaukee County Disabilities Services Division Domestic Abuse Sojourner Resources and Services provides multiple locations for pathways to change for victims of family violence Sojourner 24-Hour Hotline 414-933-2722 Milwaukee Women's Center provides comprehensive services for individuals and families Community Advocates Transportation Milwaukee County GO Pass Job Support Employ Milwaukee Workforce Development Transform Milwaukee Jobs Program Milwaukee Job Corps Center CareerOneStop: Careers and Career Information Job Center of Wisconsin Aging and Disability Resources Aging Resource Center (ARC) of Milwaukee County Disability Resource Center (DRC) of Milwaukee County Hunger Task Force Stock Box: Supplemental food delivered to eligible senior citizens at housing sites in Southeastern Wisconsin. Income and eligibility requirements can be found here. Tip Sheets Identification of Families in Crisis
