Youth service experts from agencies around the state outlined their concerns about the impact of poverty, homelessness, and housing insecurity on the state’s 119,000 at-risk or disconnected youth Tuesday during a discussion at Mansfield Town Hall.

The event, which was organized by the 119K Commission – which is a collaborative effort of Dalio Education and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities – was the second in a series of eight planned talks with the stated goal of helping the at-risk young people identified in a report from Dalio Education last year.

Stacey Violante Cote, Deputy Director of the Center for Children’s Advocacy, said that the last time Connecticut counted its youth who were experiencing homelessness was in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, she said, 700 youth under the age of 17 were identified as homeless in Connecticut, meaning they were sleeping in cars or on the streets or in abandoned buildings. 

“This is a shocking number we should be concerned about,” Violante Cote said, adding that a portion of the homeless students were identified as being “doubled up,” which meant that they had a place to sleep on a couch or a floor or in a room with several other people.

She said there’s a stigma attached to the lack of a home address that prevents discussion.

“Young people don’t want to tell us about this,” said Violante Cote, who offered that a possible remedy is to make sure that all school personnel are trained to identify the signs and symptoms of homelessness and to understand the legal rights of students in that situation so that they can help.

Violante Cote explained that front desk staff, classroom teachers, central office workers, physical education teachers, and coaches all need training so that they can help young people who are hiding their homeless status. And, most importantly, she said there needs to be student ambassadors, because students talk to their peers. She highlight a state Department of Education program called “No Matter What” that provides steps for educators to take to ensure that “no matter what,” students can be in school.

Violante Cote said it’s critical that the system as a whole is improved, including not only education but access to transportation and affordable housing.

The 119K Commission’s discussion series is highlighting different parts of the disconnected youth crisis each month. According to the commission’s website and the report commissioned by the Dalio Education foundation last year, one out of every five 14- to 26-year-olds in Connecticut are at risk of dropping out of school or already have dropped out and are unemployed. Ultimately, the goal of the panel series is to come up with solutions that will be included a comprehensive, long-term plan being compiled by the commission.

Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone, one of the commission’s co-chairpersons, began the meeting by saying that the reasons for the disconnect are as unique and as individualized as the communities in Connecticut.

Another panelist, Michelle Conderino, of Open Doors, spoke about financial literacy being a step toward escaping poverty for young poeple, as well as statewide transportation and childcare services. In addition, she said it’s critical to ensure that all services offered to youth are aligned, and the also needs to make sure there is enough housing for those who need it.

“Connecticut had the opportunity to look at rent caps and chose not to go in that direction,” Conderino said. “But I would strongly encourage us to re-look at that. We are seeing unbelievable rent increases.” 

Lucy Freeman, of Inspirica Inc., suggested that another place to start is the state’s 211 system, which she said is not working. 211 is a phone line that is supposed to provide information and to connect people to the services they need. In addition, Freeman said poverty is generational, and that often there is no parental help for youth who have no role models, and that leads to hopelessness.

Joe DeLong, CCM’s Executive Director and CEO, concluded the meeting by thanking the packed room.

“This is so important, the stakes are so high,” DeLong said. “We have to find a way through this because nothing is more important and the only way to do that is to do it together. I don’t see success without it being done together. It has to be that way.”

DeLong asked attendees to stay engaged.For more information about the 119K Commission, visit its website at  www.119kcommission.org/news. The next meeting is scheduled for May 29 at 6 p.m. in Trumbull at a specific location that has yet to be determined. The discussion will focus on child welfare and justice system involvement.

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