Transitional Living for Teen Parents

Safe and Stable Housing

The Transitional Living Program (TLP) at UAY provides safe and stable housing for homeless young people. These sites are supervised by TLP Advocates who provide support and education to help youth become independent and live on their own. The program is about support and education as much as it is about housing.

TLP has housing options in 2 types of settings: shared apartment, and scatter-site individual apartment living locations. Most youth begin in a shared apartment site.

TLP Advocates provide support and education. They also teach youth in the TLP the skills they need to live on their own. Homeless teens are eligible for residential housing assistance for up to 21 months.

Who is eligible?

• Homeless youth 17-21 years of age
• Priority is given to teen parents and their children
• Young people living in Johnson, Iowa, Washington, Cedar or Muscatine Counties in Iowa.
• Teens identifed as a Child In Need of Assistance (CINA) by the Iowa Courts are NOT eligible.

How It Works

TLP is not “emergency housing” or a homeless shelter for teens, but TLP staff can help homeless teens get emergency services they need, such as food, clothing and shelter.

Before young people can receive housing thorugh the Transitional Living Program, they must complete an outreach and screening process with a TLP Advocate, which can take 4 - 6 weeks. The TLP Advocate completes the outreach step by helping the young person get emergency services, like food, clothing and shelter. Then the TLP Advocate goes through the screening step with the youth, to see if the TLP is right for them. After the Advocate has done the outreach and screening process, the young person may be placed in a housing unit with the Transitional Living Program.

To live in TLP housing, a young person is required to:

• Complete an Individualized Living Plan, the youth’s roadmap toward meeting their personal goals.
• Take part in an educational program and/or maintain employment.
• Not take illegal drugs and alcohol.
• Attend a weekly TLP group.
• Participate in two service learning projects every year.
• Pay a portion (up to 30%) of their income toward rent.
• If they are a parent, take part in family support services.

While in the program, youth will learn valuable skills to successfully live independently. TLP advocates, along with local experts will provide information on:

• Maintaining a household
• How to handle money: budgets and credit
• Nutrition
• Cooking
• Time management
• Health, wellness and self-care
• Career counseling
• Finding housing they can afford

Young people in the program will also have access to:

• Mental health and substance abuse counseling
• Healthcare services
• Career counseling and job traiining
• Support with their educational goals
• Recreational activities

For more information about the Transitional Living Program contact Katy DeMeulenaere at UAY:

phone: 319-338-7518
email: Katy.Demeulenaere@unitedactionforyouth.org