Rockville, Md., Jan. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 35,000 unaccompanied youth (under 25 years old) were homeless in 2019. Data is needed to understand the scope and nature of the problem, and which solutions work. To capture that data, Abt Associates will create a new Runaway and Homeless Youth - Homeless Management Information System (RHY-HMIS) for grantees of the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB). With more than 600 organizations receiving funds from FYSB, Congress has mandated the reporting of high quality data and subsequent statistical analyses. Abt will provide both through this $4.85 million contract with FYSB.

The RHY-HMIS will consist of two main components:

  1. RhyPoint, a data intake and consolidation system to support the submission of data by FYSB’s grantees, and
  2. The RHY-HMIS Dashboard, which will provide RHY-funded grantees and federal staff access to the collected data.

In addition to capturing the necessary data, Abt will provide analysis in regular reports to Congress and will train stakeholders to use these digital tools.

“This marriage of digital, data and subject matter expertise is already paying dividends through the Stella interface we created to link local organizations combatting homelessness to HUD, and through our support of homeless data collection for SAMHSA and the VA,” said Michael Link, vice president of Abt’s Data Science, Surveys, and Enabling Technologies division. “We look forward to sharing our expertise with FYSB and doing more to find solutions for this particularly vulnerable population of Americans experiencing homelessness.”

Learn more about the RHY-HMIS project.

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About Abt Associates

Abt Associates uses data and bold thinking to improve the quality of people's lives worldwide. From increasing crop yields and combatting infectious disease, to ensuring safe drinking water and promoting access to affordable housing—and more—we partner with clients and communities to tackle their most complex challenges. http://www.abtassociates.com

Eric Tischler
Abt Associates
eric_tischler@abtassoc.com