Trend Report Reveals Rise in Youth Connections for Help Prior to Running Away

CHICAGO, June 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Runaway Safeline (NRS), the communication system for runaway, homeless and at-risk youth in the United States, today announced the release of its 2015 Crisis Connection Trend Report which highlights emerging trends on youth in crisis through analysis of NRS data collected over the past decade. The report summarizes the types of individuals in crisis and the key characteristics associated with why they contact NRS for help through its hotline (1-800-RUNAWAY), online (1800RUNAWAY.org), texting (66008) and offline resources.

"Through strategic initiatives such as this bi-annual report, NRS closely monitors the changes occurring among youth in crisis," said Maureen Blaha, NRS executive director. "Understanding who these youth in crisis are, and how the group as a whole is changing, are key to designing effective responses that keep youth safe and off the streets."

Highlights from the 2015 Crisis Connection Trend Report include:

• Youth are increasingly reaching out for help before the crisis point of running away. There has been a 20 percent increase in connections from home over the past year, 54 percent over the past three years and 57 percent over the past decade.
• Family dynamics remains the most commonly raised issue for youth in crisis, with 30 percent connecting to talk about this issue in 2014.
• At 16 percent, physical, sexual, emotional and verbal abuse and neglect is the second most common issue raised by youth in crisis in 2014. Connections about abuse and neglect represented a six percent increase over the past year, 19 percent over the past three years, and 21 percent over the last decade.
• GLBTQ issues have been a focus of more crisis connections than in the past, with a rise of 20 percent over the past three years.
• More connections are coming from youth-serving agencies, with an increase of four percent over the past year and 44 percent over the past three years. This increase may be related to NRS' initiatives to cultivate stronger relationships through NRS' Runaway Prevention Curriculum and increased community engagement efforts.
• Parent connections to NRS have been declining steadily, with a drop of 15 percent over the past year, 27 percent over the past three years and 96 percent over the past decade.

To download the full report, visit www.1800RUNAWAY.org.

SOURCE National Runaway Safeline

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