Natalie Ferguson

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A6: TNOYS often hears about the need for better support for YYA transitioning to adulthood, including how to get/ use insurance, how to take care of mental health, etc. Check out what Jorge and Sabrina had to say! https://t.co/8hjUJuFZ7H

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q6: Youth and young adults (YYA) often do not have the resources they need for the transition into adulthood. What do YYA need to know about taking care of their health and mental health as they prepare for independent living? #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A5: We need more flexible options for YYA who are parenting, going to school, and pursuing higher education!

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q5: YYA often uplift the need for better reproductive health education and health/ mental health supports for young parents. What do we often hear? What challenges can YYA face as they are pregnant/ parenting? #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

Expanding access to transportation is so important for better access to healthcare.

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q3: What are ways to improve both health access and health education so that YYA can better understand their options and how to stay healthy? #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A2: Folks can learn more in the CSEY Manual and link to this section: https://t.co/M3GEfPtLvF

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A2: Many young people are at-risk of homelessness when transitioning to adulthood, & the risk is especially high for young people who have been in foster care. There is a huge need for services that wrap around the entire youth & set them up for long-term success and independence

[Grace Place @MGPHouston]

A2: There is not enough Youth Voice in the work that is being done to stop the amount of youth that are CSEY. To really see numbers change, the old mindsets and old ways of thinking have to change. Innovation is inevitable so allow the new generation in. #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A1:We should note: TNOYS prefers to use the term Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth (CSEY) instead of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) to demonstrate that older youth (ages 18-25) still require specialized attention & support separate from adults over age 25

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q1: Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth (CSEY) involves the sexual abuse or exploitation of a young person in exchange for something of value (e.g. money, material goods, or basic needs). What is the relationship between CSEY and youth homelessness? #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A2: By providing access to healthcare and behavioral health services, we can help youth to manage their physical and mental health, hear what our past YALC cohort have to say about this: https://t.co/0C7Yy7zIEV

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q2: How can we help youth experiencing or at-risk of systems-involvement to manage their health and prevent greater challenges? What barriers exist? #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A8: #HB320 by @jarvisjohnsontx is a good bill that supports youth experiencing homelessness as they transition to adulthood by creating a homeless liaison on college campuses and prioritizing housing for this population. #TNOYSTownHall #txlege

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q8: Systems-impacted YYA transitioning to adulthood often face limited support and an uncertain future. What does this look like? How can #txlege support these YYA? #TNOYSTownHall #txlege

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A3 (2/2): They also wish that they had recieved this support in school. #SB948 by Sen. West and #HHB2451 by Rep. Allison are good bills to get resources to schools to support students. #TNOYSTownHall #txlege

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A3(1/2): TNOYS has held many listening sessions with systems-impacted youth and young adults and what we often hear from them is they wish they had access to mental health support and education earlier in life.

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q3: The legislature is considering a wide range of funding priorities this session. How should #txlege invest in youth, young adults (YYA), and the providers that serve them? #TNOYSTownHall #txlege

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A4: It is so important to increase mental health supports to young people by providing dedicated funding to school districts to provide or contract for mental health services for youth.

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q4: What does health and behavioral health care access look like for those at risk of CSEY and for survivors? What more needs to be done to improve services and make sure they are trauma-informed? #TNOYTownHall #EndHumanTrafficking

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A3. A great place to start is listening to and learning from young people w/lived experience. TNOYS has many opportunities throughout the year to learn from young people w/lived experience, including our youth listening sessions and Annual Conference!

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q3: How does CSEY affect youth of color and those in the LGBTQ+ community? What needs to be done to make services more equitable? #TNOYSTownHall #EndHumanTrafficking

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A9. TNOYS offers a range of paid opportunities for YYA to get involved in our work, using Hartt's Ladder of Youth Engagement as a model. #TNOYSTownHall #endyouthhomelessness

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q9: Why is it so important to work in partnership with young people who have experienced homelessness? How can providers better listen to and amplify the voices of youth? #TNOYSTownHall #endyouthhomelessness

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A6. It’s so important for youth to get factual, youth-informed resources about the vaccine. TNOYS created a toolkit for providers on this topic, including youth-friendly brochures about how vaccines were created/ why they are important: #TNOYSTownHall https://t.co/RVDZW1y9qe

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q6: The COVID-19 pandemic has created many obstacles for YYA experiencing homelessness. How can providers make sure the needs of young people are met so they can stay healthy and safe? #endyouthhomelessness #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A5 . Lack of healthcare literacy means that YYA's health needs go unaddressed, making it more challenging for them to escape homelessness. #endyouthhomelessness #TNOYSTownHall

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q5: For YYA experiencing homelessness, health and mental health needs can go unmet because of limited access and a lack of health literacy. What barriers exist, and how can we help youth overcome them? #endyouthhomelessness #TNOYSTownHall

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A7: It is so important to listen to and learn from YYA as we work to better serve Opportunity Youth. The Emerging Leaders board is an opportunity to engage YYA with experiences of systems-involvement on this issue #TNOYSTownHall
#opportunityyouth

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q7: Texas is home to about 500k youth and young adults ages 16-24 who are not in school nor working. How can youth-serving providers engage these Opportunity Youth to help them reach their dreams? #TNOYSTownHall #opportunityyouth

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A3 (2/2) TNOYS works to understand how to implement trauma-informed workplace practices and why they are so important. #TNOYSTownHall #educationmatters

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A3 (1/2): Having a trauma-informed workplace is crucial when it comes to employing YYA with lived experience. #TNOYSTownHall

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q3: Youth and young adults who have experienced systems-involvement often have unique needs in the workplace or in school. What can this look like? #TNOYSTownHall #educationmatters

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A2 (2/2): A lack of access to these documents can create barriers when furthering education or starting a career. #TNOYSTownHall
#agingout.

[Natalie Ferguson @Nat_Ferguson1]

A2 (1/2): Many YYA lack access to important documents such as birth certificates and ID cards, especially when they are transitioning out of the foster care system or experiencing homelessness.

[Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) @TNOYS]

Q2: What challenges do systems-involved youth and young adults (YYA) face when furthering their
education, starting a career, and making the transition into adulthood? #TNOYSTownHall #educationmatters #agingout