2008
CCH successfully advocates for $3 million for Illinois’ first state-funded homeless education program to assist school districts in facilitating the enrollment, attendance and success of homeless school-age students. Both houses pass a state budget including a $1.7 million increase for shelter, transitional housing and transitional jobs for homeless youth, which the
Governor vetoes a month later.
2007
CCH releases a new report on homeless youth providers’ needs and outcomes at a press conference. The report, based on a survey of homeless youth service providers statewide, indicates that homeless youth programs are forced to turn away 52% of youth who need housing, largely due to lack of space.
2005
CCH’s Youth Committee coordinates a statewide study on youth homelessness and statewide conference; the statewide census indicates that there are 24,968 unaccompanied homeless youth.
2004
CCH’s Youth Committee helps override a Governor’s veto of $500,000 in funding for homeless youth programs. The new funding goes to fund a statewide census and survey of youth homelessness and to fund three programs serving pregnant and parenting teens.
CCH creates the Mobile Legal Aid Clinic for homeless youth staffed by a new attorney.
2003
CCH's Youth Committee and Law Project advocate successfully for legislation to amend the Illinois Emancipation of Mature Minors Act to allow homeless minors aged 16 and 17 to consent to services in transitional housing programs.
1998
CCH's Statewide Homeless Youth Initiative works with the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to increase funding for homeless youth programs from $2 million to $4 million.
1996
CCH works with the State of Illinois in order to prevent the transfer of the Homeless Youth Services Division of the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) to the Department of Corrections.
1994
CCH’s Youth Committee coordinates a state campaign to increase the state budget for programs serving homeless youth to $2 million.
1993
CCH releases "Alone After Dark," a first of its kind report on homeless youth in Illinois that receives significant attention from the media and gives government officials a credible source of information on homeless youth. CCH researches and releases its "Statement of Need and Recommended Service Delivery System for Homeless Youth in Illinois."
1992
CCH creates the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), a leadership group comprised of Chicago-area homeless youth.
1990
The CCH Youth Committee convinces the State of Illinois to allocate funds through the Illinois State Board of Education to 26 community-based agencies for educational outreach
activities.
1987
CCH succeeds in its work to legalize the creation of shelters for homeless minors.
Previously it was illegal to shelter homeless minors.
1986
The Youth Committee brings pressure on the State of Illinois, resulting in the funding of the first five shelters serving homeless youth.
1985
CCH works with the Governor's office to convene the first ever Governor's Task Force on Homeless Youth in Illinois and releases a report indicating that there are more than 21,000 youth that are homeless in Illinois.
1983
CCH founds the Homeless Youth Committee in response to the murder of a homeless youth in Chicago's Uptown community.
