Policy on Unaccompanied Youth at Risk for Homelessness

While we do not want to set up any unnecessary enrollment barriers to students, many of us lost our homes after Hurricane Katrina and understand that  students in this position are dealing with multiple issues that could potentially impact their academic success.  The goal of this process is to identify all pertinent issues and our institutional ability to effectively address them.

We anticpate that we will follow the guidance in Best Practices in Homeless Education: Determining Eligibility for Rights and Services Under the McKinney-Vento Act for making these determinations

Each individual's circumstances are unique. Documentation will be required from students who apply as an unaccompanied youth who is at risk of homelessness and is also self-supporting. We ASSUME that student's applying under this clause will need to demonstrate that they earned the minimum income listed in the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines.

• SAMPLE FORMS AND RESOURCES:These may be used to document a student's status. 
  • Checklist for Identifying Homeless Students
  • Financial Aid and Filing a Federal Income Tax Form
  • Residency Questionnaire - Dependent Students
  • Residency Questionnaire - Students requesting a waiver of parental data
  • Application Evaluation Form - to be completed by Loyola University New Orleans' staff
• All documentation should be submitted to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid , Loyola University New Orleans, Room 410 Thomas Hall, New Orleans, LA. 70118 ATTENTION: Cathy Simoneaux .The documentation will be reviewed by a Committee which may include academic advisors from the student's college, University Ministry, Center for Intercultural Understanding, Women's Resource Center , Academic Resource Center and Student Affairs.
•   Students will normally receive a written response within 10 working days outlining our decisions.

Appeals: You have the right to appeal any decision of ineligibility to to receive financial assistance. Your appeal must be filed within 30 days of notification that aid eligibility has been lost, and it must be made in  writing to Salvadore Liberto (liberto@loyno.edu ) , Vice-President and Assistant Provost for Enrollment Management. Mr. Liberto heads the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.

Students must annually complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid ("FAFSA") to apply for all federal, state, and institutional "need-based" aid funds.  We will annually re-evaluate the situation of any student who meets the federal definition for Title IV programs as an "unaccompanied minor at risk for homelessness/ currently homeless"

Potential Resources and Services Available  for Students:

The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) is the voice and social conscience for the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. NAEHCY accomplishes this through advocacy, partnerships, and education. They have created the following resource sheets for college financial aid administrators who are dealing with homeless youth:

• Access to Medicaid for Unaccompanied Youth
• Access to Social Security Benefits for Unaccompanied Youth
• Access to Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) for Unaccompanied Youth
• Access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/Food Stamps) for Unaccompanied Youth
• Access to Shelter and Housing for Unaccompanied Youth

 Return to overview of Homeless Youth and Youth at Risk for Homelessness

Updated January 3, 2012