A family reunification intervention for runaway/homeless youth: The home free program

Given the critical role that family members play in promoting the health and well-being of runaway and homeless youth, the National Runaway Safeline created a family reunification intervention called the Home Free Program (HFP). This program provides crisis intervention services and a free bus ride back home, with the goal of reuniting runaway youth with their parent/legal guardian. This presentation will describe the three components of the HFP and present data from a mixed-methods evaluation of the HFP. Data from phone-based interviews with 107 parents/guardians whose children (ages 14-20) had run away from home and received the HFP will be presented. Qualitative data revealed changes in interactional patterns between parents and children related to physical reunification, clearer family expectations, increased communication, improved communication, and increased awareness of differing perspectives. Quantitative data revealed decreases in family conflict and increases in family expressiveness that did not vary across child's age or time spent homeless. Additional changes in family dynamics were revealed as well—73.5% of parents reported resolution of the initial conflict that lead to the runaway episode at the time of interview. Positive youth outcomes were also recorded, with decreases in runaway episodes, alcohol/substance use, unprotected sex, fighting and breaking the law. The findings from the HFP evaluation support comprehensive reviews of prior interventions for runaway/homeless youth that have demonstrated an array of positive outcomes from interventions that actively involve parents/family members and that work toward reunification of the youth with her/his family home after a bout of homelessness.