Eleventh Annual Urban Child Symposium
Housing and the Urban Child:
Exploring the Landscape
April 4, 2019
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
John and Frances Angelos Law Center Moot Court Room
1401 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
2019 Urban Child Symposium
Presentation Materials
The Problem:
Understanding How/Why Children Experience Homelessness
- Mark Bell
Students Experiencing Homelessness in City Schools
- Allen N. Blackwell
Family and Unaccompanied Youth Homelessness in Baltimore City
- Terry Hickey
- Rebecca Lorick
The Solution
Toward a Child - Centered Housing Strategy
- Barbara Samuels
Home, Together: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness
- Rexanah P. Wyse
View a full length audio and video recording of each session:
Among the many stressors that threaten the health, well-being, and long-term success of urban children and youth, the experience of homelessness and housing insecurity during the most critical developmental years is one of the most challenging and impactful. A recent study has found that on any given night, 17% of the U.S. population is experiencing homelessness, including an estimated 1.4 million students enrolled in school. The overall number of homeless people has increased almost one percent between 2016 and 2017, with the largest percentage increase among unaccompanied children and youth. Children who are homeless are more likely to have chronic health problems, asthma, and behavioral problems, and they have reduced access to medical and dental care. Homeless children are twice as likely to repeat a grade, be expelled or suspended, or drop out of high school. One quarter of children who experience homelessness have witnessed violence, including domestic violence, and more than half suffer with anxiety and depression. CFCC’s Eleventh Urban Child Symposium examines the issue of homelessness through the lens of its profound impact on children.
Featured Speakers
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Barbara Babb, Associate Professor of Law and Director, Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts
Ronald Weich, Dean, University of Baltimore School of Law
Keynote Address
Peter Edelman, Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Law and Public Policy at Georgetown University Law Center and Faculty Director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality
Panel One: The Problem
Defining homelessness and gathering accurate data about its impact on urban families presents challenges. families with children and unaccompanied youth who are “doubling up” with relatives or friends may not define their experience as “homeless,” and they may not understand that resources are available to help them. What does homelessness look like for urban children and families? How is housing instability among children and youth connected to other family challenges—from domestic violence to substance abuse? What are the daily realities and long-term impact of homelessness on the children who experience it? What are the unique challenges posed by the rise of unaccompanied homeless youth in Baltimore and other cities?
Panelists:
Mark Bell, Assistant Director of Diversity Initiatives and Recruitment, UBalt School of Law
Allen Blackwell, III, Homeless Liaison, Baltimore City Public Schools
Terry Hickey, Director, Mayor’s Office of Human Services
Rebecca Lorick, Director, My Sister’s Place Women’s Center
Moderator:
Katie Davis, Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts (CFCC) Truancy Court Program Attorney
Lunch (Lunch will not be provided. Download a listing of local dining locations).
Panel Two: The Solution
What have we learned about the needs of families and children through the study of homelessness? How have programs serving families facing homelessness and housing insecurity evolved in response to this knowledge? How are schools, nonprofits, and local, state, and national government agencies stepping up to identify and support these vulnerable populations? What role does the family justice system play in addressing the multiple challenges of families experiencing homelessness? As we look to the future, where is there hope?
Panelists:
Ingrid Lofgren, Director, Homeless Persons Representation Project Homeless Youth Initiative + Youth Leader
Matt Hill, Attorney and Team Leader, Human Right to Housing Project, Public Justice Center
Barbara Samuels, Managing Attorney – Housing, ACLU Maryland
Rexanah Wyse, Esq., Policy and Program Analyst U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Moderator:
Spencer Hall, Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts (CFCC) Truancy Court Program Coordinator
Closing Remarks
Barbara Babb, Associate Professor of Law and Director, Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts
For more information, contact Katrice Williams at kwilliams2@ubalt.edu or 410-837-5615.
Thank you for your interest in the 2019 Urban Child Symposium!