Project Prism Awarded Money For Youth Homelessness Support

A program that assists LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness will get a boost with new funding.

Indiana Youth Group started Project Prism in October.  It pays for housing and case management for up to three years, for youth experiencing homelessness.

Indiana Youth Group CEO Chris Paulsen said a new grant from Anthem will allow more staffing for the program to take a deeper dive into support services.

“Into education, and job training and mental health services,” Paulsen said, “that are also needed by these youth who have been experiencing homelessness.”

The project started with funding from HUD’s Youth Homeless Demonstration Program and falls into the city’s Continuum of Care.

Paulsen said Project Prism will be able to serve more than those youth who are not housed.

“So, not only will we be able to help youth that are coming off the street, but also youth who are couch surfing or maybe in a family that is not supportive,” Paulsen said.

So far, the project has helped 15 youth.  Over the next two years it will be able to house up to 90 youth. 

Nationally, 40 percent of youth experiencing homelessness are in the LGBTQ+ community.