Austin must take measures to increase resources for homeless youth
November 12, 2015
Austin is home to more than 2,300 homeless people, 28 percent of which are under age 18. Laura Poskochil, youth shelter director at the Austin shelter and rehabilitative program LifeWorks, sees many of these youths on a regular basis. She approximates that around 20-30 percent of them have been through the foster care system or phased out of the foster care system and many have faced abuse in their lives. Homeless youth are especially difficult to place, she explained, because she said they may not feel comfortable in regular homeless shelters.