Rural Homelessness: Research/Resources

Davidson, Osha Gray. (1990). Broken Heartland: The Rise of America’s Rural Ghetto. New York, N.Y., The Free Press-A Division of Macmillan, Inc.

Through interviews with more than two hundred rural residents, social workers, government officials, and scholars during a three-year period, Davidson vividly portrays life in dying communities riddled with farm foreclosures, plant closings, and conglomeration. This powerful expose is the first in-depth study of the disintegration of rural communities and the spread of homelessness, hunger, poverty and despair throughout the nation’s heartland. Davidson argues that, far from being an anomaly, current rural problems are an extension of a long-drawn battle over concentrations of land and wealth in the hands of a few and the vanishing Jeffersonian idea of a nation of small farmers whose investment in the land guaranteed their political engagement. Davidson examines the current trends in rural economic development (industrial recruitment, enterprise zones, and the proliferation of home work) and identifies why such strategies are far from offering solutions. Instead they are deepening rural problems.

McKenzie, Richard B. (1999). Rethinking Orphanages for the 21^st Century. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Rethinking Orphanages for the 21^st Century is a compilation of information involving 19authors spanning universities and colleges-economics and finance education, private accounting firms, child research institutes, law, social work, residential education, and homes for children, juvenile court and criminal justice, psychology, and management. The book combines research and critical thought in answer to the question "Why is it considered acceptable, if not attractive, to send a young person from a supportive, affluent family away to a residential boarding school, whereas it is considered destructive to send a young person from an unsafe, unhealthy home environment to a nurturing, educational, residential setting?" Critical issues relating to residential education of at-risk, disadvantaged young people are presented. Care systems for children are evaluated spanning treatment centers, juvenile detention facilities, and foster care. New research on the results of orphanage care are identified and obstacles are presented and assessed for developing some modern form of permanent residential education for children---a place to grow. The information suggests an alternative for homeless children and families who value education and need personal support to attain it. Moreover, it brings to thought the many times wish of educators to have residential service provisions for students and families within public education.

Whitbeck, Les B. & Hoyte, Dan R. (1999) Nowhere To Grow: Homeless and Runaway Adolescents and Their Families. Hawthorne, N.Y., Aldine de Gruyter.

This book represents a personalized study of over 600 runaway adolescents in four states in the Midwest emphasizing survival strategies and risks of premature independence. The demise of the adolescent's early positive starts in education is identified. Dropping out, suspensions, special education diagnoses, expulsions, etc. mark the profiles of adolescents who have found no permanent safe, and healthy place they can call home. Street social networks, subsistence strategies, sexuality, and street victimization are profiled to bring out the strategies and risks of premature independence. Hope for education and a better life have not left the minds of these adolescents and they do not give up the search for a way. Parent characteristics and their ability to care for children are compared between runaway and non-runaway adolescent parents indicating the importance of the need for support and direction. These adolescents involved provide advice on the kind of services they need to succeed. This work continues at the Institute for Social and Behavioral Research, ISU, Ames, Iowa and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. The information reinforces the importance of a place to grow and its impact on education.

National Coalition for the Homeless. Homelessness in America. Phoenix, Arizona. Oryx Press. 1996.

Twenty articles edited by Jim Baumohl examine the challenges and realities of homelessness. Those who know from first-hand knowledge and study completed the articles. The articles identify the interdependence of poverty, homelessness, and social reform. Homelessness is presented as a troubling issue for the United States and its advocates, politicians, and researchers. This book represents how far we have come in understanding the problem and how far we have yet to go in solving it. Strategies are identified to address the elimination of homelessness. The solutions are a huge challenge of our will.

Stronge, James H. & Reed-Victor, Evelyn. (2000). Educating Homeless Students: Promising Practices. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education.

This book represents a compilation of information identified by eighteen authors from many different positions spanning universities and colleges; legal concerns; federal, state and local government; homeless coalitions; institutes on poverty; housing services; technology; special education; early preschool through secondary education; sociology; planning and leadership. A generic view of problems and concerns related to educating homeless students is provided in addition to promising practices that may serve as potential ideas to maximize success of homeless children and youth in many communities. Students, families, schools, and communities are the focus of the book. It contains developmental perspectives on the needs of homeless infants, children and youth; strategies and perspectives on the protective roles of adults; strategies for schools to increase awareness and overcome barriers and develop comprehensive services; strategies to increase community service collaboration; and advocacy and partnerships with colleges. A variety of resources are identified to complement the suggested strategies and areas of concern including web sites for quick Internet accesses. This compilation of information spans research and best practices providing an up-to-date broad scope of what is occurring to increase the potential of homeless children and families. It provides a solid foundation for new exploration and for complex planning.

Veale, James & Morley, Ray & Erickson, Cynthia. (2002). Practical Evaluation for Collaborative Services: Goals, Processes, Tools, and Reporting Systems for School-Based Programs. California: Corwin Press, Inc.

A resource for those who are new to collaborative services evaluation and issues in program development. The book offers a guiding framework for evaluating a school-linked services initiative and offers a host of tools that can be used by anyone planning collaborative services. The work is based on ten years of collaborative services work completed in Iowa by many agencies and organizations in rural and urban communities. Emphasis is on linking schools with community services providers such as primary health care providers, mental health and other human services, and employment and workforce centers. Families and children are the focus of the work with specific focus on at-risk populations including homeless. Twenty-seven local programs participated in developing and capturing this work for others to help guide the development of new initiatives.

Payne, Ruby. (1998). A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Baytown, Texas. RFT Publishing Company.

This book was developed to assist everyone working with poverty to understand key points to help individuals move from poverty to greater wealth. The framework offers key points to remember in devising and delivering services including education. Hidden rules among classes of people are identified, resources and support systems are provided, and the creation of relationships is pointedly addressed. Much of our difficulty in addressing poverty is our lack of understanding the issues. This book creates a framework to help understand the challenges. Moreover, it provides a framework for addressing poverty and achieving greater success.