Together Organizing Data Access for Youth Programs in New York City (T.O.D.A.Y.)

The goal of this research-centered pilot project is to improve the ability of New York City (NYC) runaway and homeless youth (RHY) service programs to efficiently and effectively respond to the needs of RHY. Failing to properly address these youths’ needs can result in chronic homelessness and exacerbate existing challenges, increasing long-term dependency on resources and adverse outcomes for youth. The current capacity of shelter and accompanying services are extremely limited, underscoring the need for a central virtual platform that will (i) empower youth to proactively manage their needs, (ii) streamline communication between youth and service providers, (iii) reduce administrative data entry burden allowing for staff to focus on “value-added” tasks such as case management and (iv) accelerate youth access to comprehensive services. Using a collaborative community-based approach, research partners in consultation with Civic partners are aiming to develop a universal information exchange platform to improve data collection, management, engagement and information sharing processes between youth and service providers, prioritize youth agency and control over personal data and expand educational and workforce opportunities for RHY.