NEW ALBANY — About two times a month, Laura Fleming-Balmer’s phone rings. It’s a representative from a school in Clark County, calling to say a student’s parents are about to kick out their child once he turns 18. That teen will then be homeless.
Fleming-Balmer, executive director and CEO of Clark County Youth Shelter and Family Services Inc., then tries her hardest to help that teen.
She and nine others from the community came together Thursday evening to watch a documentary on homeless teens and young adults and talk about the area’s services aimed at helping those youth. The film, "The Homestretch," is being shown statewide as part of an initiative to raise awareness with November —National Homeless Youth Awareness Month — coming up.
“It was a small group, but they were engaged,” said Robin Donaldson, with Indiana Youth Services Association, who led the discussion. “The biggest thing [we want people to know] is that homeless youth are not bad kids. They are individuals with potential. They are kids who need help.”
That sentiment was reiterated by Jessica Basham, a former foster child herself and current CASA, or Clark County Court Appointed Special Advocate, volunteer.
“They can’t help the situation they were put in,” Basham said.
She said she was taken from her parents when she was 5. She stayed in the system until she was 21. She was one of two teens who were the first to take part of what is now called Collaborative Care, aimed at helping 18 to 21-year-olds who had been in foster care, continue to receive help, such as having a place to live.
“I was their guinea pig,” she said. “They helped me get a cellphone, apply to college and fill out the FAFSA. She helped me do all the things I felt like I couldn’t do myself.
“If it hadn’t been for Collaborative Care, I probably would have been a homeless youth and I wouldn’t have gone to college or turned my life around. I’m pretty excited about how I’ve turned out.”
Basham is expected to graduate this May from Ivy Tech Community College.
Yvonne Moore, Collaborative Care supervisor, said to participate, youth have to be working, in a training program or attending school. She said she also gets a couple of calls a month, seeking help for teens kicked out of their home once they turned 18.
The film gave insight to similar teens who also needed help. Some of those featured went on to college and succeeded. Others went directly into the workforce. All the ones featured utilized various services, such as free housing, to help achieve their goals.
Those at the panel discussion said this area has great services for those teens here too, but more is needed to meet the demand.
Many of those at the discussion said the main thing needed now is more foster parents. They also said funding for more services and housing would be beneficial.
Ashley Nelson, assistant director of the Clark County youth shelter, said her facility is often at or over-capacity, sometimes even having to turn some children away and refer them to other programs.
“[Most] are runaway kids. We know they don’t run away just to run away. There are problems at home,” Nelson told the group. “I turned away two kids today. That kills me as a person that I don’t have room to help that kid.”