Resources for Age-Out Unaccompanied Youth
The immigration process can be a difficult journey for many unaccompanied youth as they navigate complex legal systems alongside you, their attorneys. Throughout this journey, they experience many emotions and feelings while also transitioning into young adulthood. It is essential that their basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, healthcare, and safety, are consistently met to support their healthy development. When unaccompanied youth age-out of Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) care, they often face overlapping challenges in meeting these fundamental needs in a way that honors their agency and dignity. While ORR provides post-18 planning to unaccompanied youth, the following list provides additional resources to help support their basic human needs.
Given the current immigration climate, it is important that youth are equipped with resources to nurture their holistic well-being. Advocates can review and consider sharing the following resources with youth to support them and help them meet their basic needs. CILA adds many youth-facing resources to our youth webpage that is available in English and Spanish. Additionally, CILA’s Working with Unaccompanied Children Aging Out presentation can be helpful to reference. To access more of CILA resources, advocates working with immigrant youth can create a FREE CILA account here.
Safety Planning:
- CILA - Protections & Information for Unaccompanied Children and Youth - English
- CILA - Protecciones e Información para Menores no Acompañados - Spanish
- CILA - Post 2024 Election Compilation of Safety Planning and KYR Resources
- ILRC - Red Cards/Tarjetas Rojas
- NIJC - Know Your Rights If You Encounter ICE
- MALDEF - What Your Need to Know/Immigration Enforcement in Schools
Housing:
- Covenant House - Find a Shelter
- The National Runaway Safeline
- State programs and local nonprofit organizations
Housing assistance can sometimes be more challenging to obtain. If you are working with a youth who needs to find housing, submit a social work technical request here, and the CILA team will assist you in identifying local nonprofits in your area that offer shelter to unaccompanied youth.
Food Assistance:
- SNAP State Directory of Resources
- Feeding America - Find Your Local Food Bank
- State Department of Social Services/ Health and Human Services webpage (varies by state)
- Local nonprofit organizations
Education:
- CILA - Understanding and Navigating the Public Education System in the United States- A Guide for Unaccompanied Youth - English
- CILA - Comprendiendo y Navegando el Sistema De Educación Pública en Los Estados Unidos- Una Guía Para Jóvenes No Acompañados - Spanish
- Communities in Schools
- YMCA
- State universities and local community colleges
- Local nonprofit organizations
Mental Health:
- CILA - A New Path: My Toolkit for Navigating Life in the United States - English
- CILA - Un Nuevo Camino: Mi Kit de Herramientas Para Navegar la Vida en los Estados Unidos - Spanish
- CILA - Working with Unaccompanied Children: Mental and Behavioral Health Toolkit
- CILA - Emotional Wellness Workbook for Youth - English
- CILA - Libro de Actividades Para El Bienestar Emocional De Jóvenes - Spanish
- Immigrants Rising - Mental Health Resources for Undocumented People
- Immigrants Rising - Mental Health Connector
- National Alliance on Mental Illness - Find Your Local NAMI
- National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- United We Dream
- Local nonprofits and other mental health providers may offer free or sliding scale fees for mental health counseling/therapy
CILA hopes this list serves as a helpful starting point in supporting your clients to meet their basic needs and build a strong foundation for growth and stability. Remember, for specific case support and questions, you can submit a social services technical assistance request to CILA.
By CILA social work team