Homeless Youth Services, within the EOHHS Office of Children, Youth and Families, leads Massachusetts’ effort to make youth homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. Our vision is a future where every young person is safely housed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Through dedicated funding, every region offers prevention and intervention services for youth and young adults under age 25—including crisis housing—to meet immediate needs and promote long-term stability.
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Who we serve
Providers funded through EOHHS Homeless Youth Services support young people under age 25 who meet the official Massachusetts definition of unaccompanied homeless youth, including those experiencing any form of homelessness—whether staying in shelters, outdoors, unsafe settings, or couch surfing—and youth at risk of losing housing.
The definition agreed upon by the Massachusetts Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth in 2013 is as follows:
“Unaccompanied Homeless Youth” shall mean: A person 24 years of age or younger who is not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian, and who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
- “Fixed” refers to a residence that is stationary, permanent, and not subject to change.
- “Regular” means a dwelling at which a person resides on a regular basis (i.e., nightly).
- “Adequate” means that the dwelling provides safe shelter, meeting both physical and psychological needs of the youth.
Services
Massachusetts Homeless Youth Services supports young people under age 25 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. With $10.5 million in dedicated funding for Fiscal Year 2026, services are available across all ten regions of the Commonwealth through a network of local providers.
Services help support young people’s immediate needs while helping them build pathways toward long-term stability and independence.
Available services include:
- Emergency & Transitional Housing
- Homelessness Prevention
- Outreach
- Case Management
- Housing Search and Stabilization
- College Housing Support
- Regional Youth Action Boards (YABs)
For a detailed overview of what’s available in each HYS region, see the List of Services for Contracted Youth Service Providers.
Partnerships
Homeless Youth Services collaborates with multiple state agencies to strengthen the safety net for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Key partners include the Department of Public Health (DPH) and its Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (BSAS), Department of Higher Education (DHE), Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Department of Mental Health (DMH), MassHealth, Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Department of Children and Families (DCF), and Department of Youth Services (DYS).
In addition, Homeless Youth Services provides staff support to the Massachusetts Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (UHYC), which convenes quarterly to study and recommend policies and services for unaccompanied homeless youth and young adults. The Commission is chaired by the Director of Homeless Youth Services on behalf of the EOHHS Secretary and includes state officials, direct service providers, and young adults with lived experience of homelessness. The Commission also oversees the annual Youth Count and related reports, such as the Research to Action briefs.
Authentic Youth Engagement
Engaging youth with lived experiences of homelessness as partners is a crucial part of the efforts to end youth homelessness in Massachusetts. Whenever decisions are being made that impact youth, youth should be involved. This includes more than sharing their experiences, but also involvement with information gathering, idea testing, and meaningful decision making at local and state levels.
Homeless Youth Services supports the following partnerships:
Local Youth Action Boards: A Youth Action Board (YAB) is a group of youth and young adults who have experienced homelessness and work with their local communities to improve the services and systems designed to support them. All ten regions in Massachusetts have YABs. To find a YAB in a particular region, please see the list of MA Homeless Youth Services Providers & Services. We also offer training resources and support for starting or supporting YABs.
Statewide YAB-Collab’: Once a month, members from each of the ten YABs convene for shared learning and collaboration. The goal of this group is to create a network of support to YABs and YAB members. For more information please contact Thaliana Paulino, Statewide Youth Engagement Coordinator at MA.Youth.Engagement@gmail.com.
Statewide Youth Advisory Council (YAC): The goal of the MA State-wide Homeless Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is to educate, inspire and collaborate with the UHYC to eradicate youth homelessness in Massachusetts. YAC members are young adults with lived experience of homelessness who convene on the 1st and 3rd Wed of the month to offer insight and guidance on state-level policies and programming.
Applications for new 2025-2027 YAC members are open. The deadline to apply is 10/6/25. YAC members are hired for a paid two-year appointment. For more information about the YAC, please contact Thaliana Paulino, Statewide Youth Engagement Coordinator at MA.Youth.Engagement@gmail.com.
YAB Supporters monthly Lunch and Learn: On the first Wednesday of every month, YAB adult supporters are invited to come together for an hour of shared-learning and connection. For more information please contact Thaliana Paulino, Statewide Youth Engagement Coordinator at MA.Youth.Engagement@gmail.com