Covenant House International, in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, has released a landmark report on preventing youth homelessness. Drawing on the voices and experiences of nearly 450 young people across 20 Covenant House sites in the United States and Canada, the study places lived experience at the center of prevention and elevates youth partnership as essential to policy and practice.
Developed with UC Berkeley’s Youth and Allies Against Homelessness (YAAH) Lab, the 100-page report identifies root causes of youth homelessness and outlines evidence-based strategies to prevent it. The findings emphasize prevention as a shared responsibility — spanning early identification in schools and healthcare settings, culturally responsive mental health care, stable housing, and sustained adult connections that interrupt the pathways into homelessness.
“Young people told us clearly what would have made the difference,” said Bill Bedrossian, president and CEO of Covenant House International. “They need to be seen earlier, supported sooner, and surrounded by care that recognizes their unique circumstances. This research confirms that prevention is not only possible — it’s essential.”
The study engaged young people who were most impacted by systemic inequities and historically underrepresented in prior research. These groups included Indigenous youth, immigrant youth, Latine youth, LGBTQ+ youth of color, and pregnant or parenting youth. Among the most common causes of first-time homelessness were family conflict or rejection, leaving or aging out of foster care, domestic violence or other unsafe home conditions, and unaffordable housing.
“Youth with lived experience are experts in their own lives,” said David Howard, report co-author and research and evaluation consultant at Covenant House International. “When we listen deeply to what they share, the data reinforces what they’ve long told us — prevention starts long before a shelter door.”
Youth leadership was integral to the study’s design. Mikayla Foreman, report co-author, a former Covenant House resident, and president of the Essex County Youth Action Board, served as one of six paid research interns. “When you hold someone’s story in your hands, you realize it’s not just about data — it’s their truth,” said Foreman. “This experience showed us that prevention isn’t only about housing, it’s about belonging.”
The report underscores that prevention requires partnership across systems and sectors. Covenant House affiliates, such as Covenant House Alaska, are piloting innovative prevention models through programs that provide direct cash assistance, flexible funding, and youth-directed navigation supports — ensuring that young people remain housed and connected.
Covenant House builds a bridge of hope for youth facing homelessness, including survivors of human trafficking and young families, through unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support. Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas offering shelter, food, medical and mental healthcare, crisis intervention, educational and vocational services, legal assistance, and supportive programs at no cost. Sites are open 24/7 in 34 cities across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.