National Communication System for Runaway and Homeless Youth Data Collection

The Family and Youth Services Bureau’s (FYSB) Runaway and Homeless Youth Division has a legislative requirement to fund a National Communication System, which is currently operated by the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). The NRS provides information, referral services, crisis intervention, and prevention resources to vulnerable youth and families of youth at risk of running away and/or becoming homeless at no cost. When necessary, the NRS refers runaway and homeless youth to shelters, counseling, medical assistance, and other vital services. The NRS collects information from all contacts with youth and adults connecting with the NRS (i.e., parents, family members, legal guardians, service providers) on a voluntary basis to inform crisis services and develop an annual report on the information collected during calls, chats, emails, and forum posts from young people who reached out to the NRS’s crisis services. The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA), as reauthorized by the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008 (P.L.110-378) through FY 2013 and more recently reauthorized by the Juvenile Justice Reform Act through FY 2019, mandates the Secretary shall make grants for a national communication system to assist runaway and homeless youth in communicating with their families and with service providers. The NRS is required to have a system for collecting and analyzing data on calls, emails, chat, texts, and online messages received as well as other information, such as prevention resources, referrals, demographics, and visitors to the NRS website. The NRS must submit monthly and semi-annual reports that includes the following: • Number of calls received, answered, and missed. • Number of chats, emails, and texts received; number of chats, emails, and texts answered; and number of chats, emails, and texts that were missed and did not receive a response, in which the users are youth in crisis, runaway youth, and youth experiencing homelessness. • Number of parents, legal guardians, and service providers contacting the NRS and the type of resources, interventions, and technical support/assistance requested and provided. • Number and type of prevention materials disseminated to communities, especially to underserved populations. • Number and type of unique visitors to the NRS’ website. • Information on referrals provided and where youth were referred for services. • Information on the callers' or users' demographics and where they were located when contacting the NRS. • Information on the prevention materials developed and disseminated by the NRS. • Information and analysis of the latest trends and their impact on runaway prevention. The NRS uses two forms, one form to collect relevant information disclosed during calls, emails, and forum posts, and then a second form to collect information from chats. All data will be provided to FYSB in the aggregate and no personally identifiable information are collected. This nonsubstantive change request is to remove an outdated Executive Order referenced as an Authorizing Statute.

The latest form for National Communication System for Runaway and Homeless Youth Data Collection expires 2026-05-31 and can be found here.

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Federal Enterprise Architecture: Community and Social Services - Social Services