Learn more about the youth at CHW

Risk Factors

Poverty

One out of three children in the District lives in poverty, making it the jurisdiction with the highest child poverty rate in the United States.

More than 1 out of 4 - 26.9 percent - of D.C. families with children live at or below the poverty line. This is the highest rate of family poverty in the nation.

Inadequate Housing

Nationally, 62 percent of the homeless population has a high school diploma, and 44 percent are employed.

One-third of U.S. households - 36 million - rent their housing.

It takes more than $16.31 an hour to afford a two-bedroom rental in the District of Columbia.

The majority of the homeless are relegated to minimum wage jobs. The minimum wage in the District of Columbia is $7.00 per hour.

Homelessness

The fastest growing segment of the homeless population in the United States is made up of families and children. It is estimated that as many as half a million families and more than one million children stay in homeless shelters each year.

In 2006, 9,369 individuals and families were homeless in the District of Columbia

Teen Pregnancy

One in three teen girls becomes pregnant at least once before age 20 (750,000 pregnancies per year). One-quarter of teen parents have a second child before they turn 20.

Only 40 percent of teen mothers graduate from high school

Teen fathers earn less than older fathers

Teen childbearing costs taxpayers approximately $9.1 billion annually.

Single Parenting

More than half (55 percent) of all children in the District live in single-female-headed households, while another 38.3 percent of children live in married-couple families.

Children in households headed by a single woman are more likely to be poor than those in other family types.

In 2005, 52 percent of children in a single-female-headed family lived below the federal poverty level.

High School Dropout

In 2005-06, only 36 percent of all District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) and public charter students tested at a proficient or advanced level in reading.

In 2005-06, only 27 percent of all DCPS and public charter students tested at a proficient or advanced level in math.

One in three adults in D.C. read at or below a third grade level

Child Abuse & Neglect

The number of cases filed with D.C. Superior Court for child abuse decreased by 32 percent in 2005. However, child neglect cases increased sharply by 33 percent.

Most alleged reports of child abuse and neglect do not culminate in cases in D.C. Superior Court; those cases that reach the Court involve removal of the child from the home and placement in foster care. There were 933 such cases in 2005.

Substance Abuse

Various surveys indicate that up to 75 percent of homeless youth use marijuana or other drugs. Youth sometimes use substances to self-medicate for the trauma and pain that they have experienced. Many of these youth have co-occuring substance abuse and mental health disorders.

Violence

In the District, violent deaths to older teenagers rose in 2004. There were 43 violent deaths to teenagers age 15 - 19, an increase of 23 percent compared to 2003. Violent deaths made up 90 percent of all deaths to this age group.

In 2004, there were 67 deaths to young adults age 20 -24 in the District, a 34 percent decrease from 102 deaths in 2003. Most of these deaths occurred to males and were violent in nature. Homicide remained the leading cause of death for young adults.

Mental Health Issues

Nationally, researchers estimate that between 1 million to 1.6 million youth per year experience homelessness (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2006). Research further suggests that most of these youth have experienced traumatic events. Thus, clinicians and researchers are not surprised to find that homeless youth can experience significant mental health problems.

From various studies of homeless youth, rates of sexual abuse range anywhere from 17% to 35%. Rates for physical abuse and neglect range from 40% to 60%. These types of abuse (many times of a multiple nature and/or occurring during childhood) put homeless youth at a higher risk for anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, and character disorders.

Studies examining the rates of serious mental health disorders for homeless youth who have experienced trauma range anywhere from 19% to 50%.

Unemployment

In 2005, the District’s unemployment rate was above the national average (5.1 percent), as well as the average for the metropolitan region (3.4 percent).

In Wards 7 and 8, located East of the Anacostia River and including areas with high concentrations of poor families, the unemployment rates were 9.4 and 15.6 percent respectively.