Juvenile Justice
State Operated Programs
Students living in detention centers or in the custody of DJJ do not meet the definition of homeless as specified in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act. If students are released to housing that is not fixed, regular, or adequate, they should be connected with the appropriate homeless liaison to determine eligibility for services and school enrollment.
State Operated Programs Homeless Liaison:
Laurie Cooper, 804-786-1812, laurie.cooper@doe.virginia.gov
Additional Resources
- Collaborating for Change: Addressing Youth Homelessness and Juvenile Justice is a project launched by the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) in June 2016 to decrease the likelihood that homeless youth become involved with the juvenile justice system and prevent homelessness among justice-involved youth. CJJ's website includes reports on homeless and runaway youth in the juvenile justice system [pdf], school personnel's role in addressing the intersection of homelessness and juvenile justice [pdf], and a judicial guide [pdf] to identifying and serving youth experiencing homelessness.
