The problems and barriers of RHYA as social policy

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) has been the dominant social policy for homeless youth in the United States since 1974. The Act has actually gone through a number of incarnations over the last three plus decades creating a complex and confusing guide in understanding and solving the problems of the various populations that fall under RHYA's umbrella. In this paper, first we trace our society's attitudes towards homeless youth, from the “Whole Child” movement of the early 20th century, through the Social Security Act, and the emergence of and changes in RHYA. Second, we suggest that part of the difficulties RHYA has in serving homeless youth lay in the differing perspectives of childhood and youth over the course of the twentieth century and our discordant view of youth populations that live their lives outside of mainstream society. Part of the reasons the United States has such difficulties in helping, and sometimes even recognizing homeless youths involve the definitions and social discourse we have developed for these populations — especially when compared to international definitions. Given the barriers RHYA as social policy, we suggest broader policy level solutions that involve more inclusive definitions of homeless youth, and acknowledge them as ‘citizens of the world’.