FY23

The following performance measures significantly trended upward:

How Well

• #/% of unduplicated unaccompanied homeless youth with a new or updated goal plan based on their individual needs assessment.

Better Off

• #/% of unduplicated unaccompanied high school youth on track to graduate on time (or graduated on time) (Reported at Q4)

The factors that contributed to the upward trends include the following:

• The vendor acquired additional funding and hired two more case managers which increased the service capacity.
• More assessments were completed during HY2 for participants who enrolled in the program at the end of HY1. All participants now have completed assessments.
• The vendor created a McKinney Vento referral Hub in collaboration with Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) in FY23-HY1, which increased the rapid identification of homeless unaccompanied youth and expedited connections to resources and services to help them to remain in school. 
• The hiring of additional program staff significantly increased the percentage of unaccompanied high school youth on track to graduate on time (or graduated on time).

FY22

The following performance measures significantly trended upward:

How Much:

• #/% of unaccompanied high school youth enrolled in the program

How Well:

• #/% of unaccompanied high school youth receiving a customized plan based on their individual needs assessment
• #/% unduplicated unaccompanied high school youth participating in work, volunteer positions, internships, and/or employment activities

Better Off:

• #/% of unaccompanied high school youth on track to graduate on time (or graduate on time)
• #/% of participants who report improved housing stability
• #/% of participants provided with services to obtain housing stability

The factors that contributed to the upward trends include the following:

• The program secured additional funding sources and hired more staff which increased case management effectiveness by reducing caseloads.
• Staff positions and responsibilities were redefined and now includes a Program Administrator who instituted a system to track client progress, goal achievement, participant enrollment dates and closures, etc.
• The newly implemented tracking system at the beginning of FY22-HY2 and the staff cheat sheet listing the due dates for the completion of all documentation enhanced the program’s ability to accurately report client progress.
• New community partnerships and additional financial resources significantly contributed to the program exceeding the numbers served and doubling the number of participants on track to graduate and those who graduated compared to the same period last year.

FY21

• Continued closure of the school system due to COVID-19 caused significant reduction in identification of students experiencing homelessness.
• COVID-19 safety concerns prevented case managers from accessing enrolled students that caused a sharp reduction in formal assessment of needs that then caused further reductions in plan creation, goal setting, and goal accomplishment.
• Youth lost jobs due to furloughs.
• Social distancing mandates reduced opportunities for internships and volunteer positions in the community.
• Significantly increased needs of students enrolled in the program caused the average case load per case manager to be reduced.
• During the year, there were two case managers, with an average caseload of 23-25 youth from the six high schools containing the most students experiencing homelessness.
• In spite of schools being largely closed through the majority of FY21, New Horizons case managers were instrumental in supporting students increased and comprehensive needs during the period. Needs included: food, hygiene items, accessibility to the Internet and phone service, transportation, cash assistance, rental subsidies, educational support and advocacy to ensure that educational needs, academic considerations, and life challenges of students were a consideration while schools were closed.
• The New Horizons program continued to use online intake platforms created early in the pandemic to ensure quick access to services and supports once a youth was identified and on boarded in to the program.
• Staff self-care needs were prioritized and emphasized due to COVID-19 with encouragement to utilize personal time, counseling, and participation in additional professional development training.

FY20

New Horizons Program achieved all of its goals. 55 participants were served which is five above the target number. The program exceeded performance in all three categories compared to last year.

FY19

• There was a significant decrease in the number of referrals made to community services and employment programs during FY19 compared to FY18. The decrease in referrals is a result of the New Horizons staff meeting many of the needs of homeless students through internal supports and connections instead of through referrals.  In addition, students returning from the FY18 school year did not require as much service connection (or still had an active referral/connection) in FY19 as they may have had in the previous year.  
• The percentage of enrolled youth on track to graduate on time or graduate on time trended downward for FY19, compared to FY18.  Some of the challenges that contributed to the downward trend included students who experienced significant mental health problems that lead to poor attendance and/or missed class assignments, and several students struggled with learning disabilities.

FY18

• Factors that contributed to a positive program performance included: working relationships with local school staffs; consistent office hours at each of the schools; availability of youth when New Horizons counselors were in school; the ability to transport youth to referred agencies and community service organizations; capture and monitoring of all participant data within cloud-based case management system ("ServicePoint"), working relationships with support community service agencies; additional counseling staff with Spanish-speaking language skills; and consistent communication with youth provided for participation engagement and program retention.  
• Challenges included: high absenteeism for the majority on enrolled youth; lack of time spent with enrolled youth that would help to establish trust and relationship continuity; problems with identification of homeless youth at some of the school sites (most notably Frederick HS); and inefficient enrollment support at three school sites (Walkersville, Gov. Thomas Johnson, and Tuscarora).      
• Reasons for positive performance measures: FCPS Department of Student Services intervened at times to provide identification of unaccompanied homeless youth in select schools; reinforcement of program objectives and benefits to school administrations and staff; providing of e-school data that assisted New Horizons staff with the ability to know school performance, behavior and attendance records, and make recommendations and adjustments per enrolled youth accordingly; consistency and persistence on behalf of New Horizons staff.

FY23

This program continued to work with all of their community partners noted in the FY22 summary listed below. During FY23, this program sought additional funding and added new community partners that include the following:

Transportation

• The program’s executive director worked with Frederick Transit to establish a call ahead/extended stop to give program participants access to other resources outside of the typical bus routes.
• The executive director also established a partnership and process with the Motor Vehicle Administration and the Frederick County Health Department allowing unaccompanied homeless youth under 18 to obtain a state ID and a copy of their birth certificate.

New Funding Sources

• The City of Frederick
• The Ausherman Family Foundation
• The Rotary Club of Carroll Creek and the Rotary Club of Frederick
• The Community Foundation of Frederick County
• Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development  
• Maryland State Department of Education

FY22

• The Student Homeless Initiative Partnership (SHIP) and THRIVE Host Home Network offers youth housing, financial support, and additional case management.
• Frederick Community Action Agency provides health services, food, and rapid re-housing.
• The Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs hosts the emergency family shelter.
• Frederick County Public Schools provides referrals, access to extracurricular opportunities, transportation, and hosted the New Horizons Summer Academy.
• Family Partnership offers GED training, childcare, and served as a referral source.
• Tech Frederick provides laptops and technology.
• Frederick Community College (FCC) coordinates the enrollment process for youth who are enrolling in FCC.
• Hood College provides support to youth who are enrolling in college and assistance with completing FAFSA applications.
• The Mental Health Association of Frederick County provides walk-in services to youth who are experiencing mental health crisis, including those who are uninsured.
• Frederick County Health Department provides a variety of health and prevention related services for New Horizons youth including harm reduction routine, emergency dental care, immunizations, and COVID19 vaccines required for youth to participate in school and work.
• Frederick Health Hospital is a referral source. 
• Second Street and Hope provides access to vision care.
• America’s Best Eyeglasses provides vision exams and glasses.
• The United Way of Frederick County provides tax preparation services and transportation through the "Lyft Ride" program.
• The Phillips Foundation provides funding for driver's education.
• Frontline Driving School provides driver education in Spanish or English.
• The Frederick Center coordinates services and programming to address the barriers experienced by LGBTQIA homeless youth and provides training and professional development for the New Horizon's staff.
• Heartly House provides and accepts referrals for those who have experienced intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault. 
• The Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland is a referral source and provides youth with legal consultation and language support services.

FY21

• SHIP’s THRIVE! Host Home Network: Youth-specific housing and financial support
• Frederick County Health Department: Access to health insurance, healthcare services, dental services
• Frederick County Public Schools: Educational support, access to extracurricular opportunities, transportation
• Frederick Community Action Agency - health services, food
• Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs - dental cost coverage, family shelter
• Frederick Health/Monocacy Dental Associates - oral health
• Trauma-informed Frederick: advocacy
• Trauma Center of Frederick: mental health support
• Transit: transportation
• Frederick County Government - funding
• Frederick County Office of Children & Families - organizational support and guidance
• City of Frederick - funding
• The Temple, Paul Mitchell School - grooming and hygiene for youth
• Frederick County Family Partnership - GED training, child care
• Clark Computer Services - laptops for youth
• Ausherman Family Foundation - funding
• Rotary Club of Carroll Creek and the Rotary Club of Frederick - funding
• Community Foundation of Frederick County - funding, organizational support
• Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development - funding and organizational support
• Maryland State Department of Education - funding and organizational support

FY20

The New Horizons program facilitates services for young people through collaboration and flexible support with a number of Frederick County community organizations. Through these partnerships, the program offers a wide spectrum of wraparound services to meet the needs of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. These organizations include:

• SHIP’s THRIVE! Host Home Network: Youth-specific housing and financial support
• Frederick County Health Department: Access to health insurance, healthcare services, dental services
• Frederick County Public Schools: Educational support, access to extracurricular opportunities, transportation
• Frederick Community College: Financial Aid and enrollment support, career program exploration and development
• Frederick County Department of Social Services: Temporary Cash Assistance, SNAP benefits
• Frederick Community Action Agency - health services, food
• Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland: Legal support, language translation
• Mental Health Association of Frederick County: Walk-in mental health services and benefits navigation
• Frederick County Workforce Services: Job training and employment access
• Goodwill Industries: Job training and employment access
• Lions Club: Eyeglasses Support
• The Frederick Center: LGBTQ counseling and support groups 
• Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force: Awareness and tools for identification
• YMCA of Frederick County: membership scholarships, access to recreational facilities
• United Way of Frederick County’s Prosperity Center: Budget coaching
• Advocates for Homeless Families: Rapid re-housing
• Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs - dental cost coverage, family shelter

FY19

The New Horizons program work with the community organizations to provide direct services, increased resources, professional development for staff and advocacy to close service gaps. By working with community partners, the program provides wraparound services to meet the needs of homeless unaccompanied youth. The organizations and community partners listed below provided services in the following areas:

• YMCA of Frederick County: membership scholarships
• United Way of Frederick County’s Prosperity Center: Budget coaching
• Frederick County Health Department: Health insurance, healthcare services, dental services
• Advocates for Homeless Families: Rapid re-housing
• Frederick County Public Schools: Educational support, access to extracurricular opportunities
• Maryland Human Trafficking task force: Awareness and tools for identification
• Frederick County Department of Social Services: shared resources
• Mental Health Association of Frederick County: Walk-in mental health services and benefits navigation
• Frederick County Workforce Services: Job training and employment access
• Goodwill Industries: Job training and employment access
• The Frederick Center: LGBTQ support groups

FY23

Program participants are better served through strategic tiered case management involving semester-based service planning, transportation, employment, education, and housing planning assessments.

• Strategic Tiered Case Management - Program participants are provided services on a tiered system based upon their self- assessment of protective and promotive factors. Based upon their level of service, visits are conducted at regular intervals with goals and progress monitored. Service planning is critical to participant engagement and successful outcome measures.
• On-track status for graduation is closely monitored through semester-based educational goals. Staff and participants develop educational “Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timed" or "SMART" goals to ensure the participant progresses towards on-time graduation. The progress of the participants goals are reviewed on a biweekly one-on-one case management meeting. Program staff support participants by building capacity and advocacy skills to remove barriers and increase opportunities to academic achievement.
• Employment Pathway Planning – All program participants are connected to employment opportunities and career skills development. An employment resource guide was created and serves as a referral source for student career pathway and employment opportunities.

FY23

• The program secured additional funding to hire 2 additional case managers and increase their efforts to provide wrap around services and doubled the capacity for the numbers served.
• Services were provided to 115 unaccompanied homeless youth.
• The successes of the participants served include the following:
  • 4 participants were connected to volunteer and employment opportunities at the board of elections during the 2022 election
  • 15 referrals were made to THRIVE host homes resulting in stable housing
  • 8 of the 14 youth who came to the program who were not enrolled in high school were reconnected back to their high school education
  • 43 participants were connected to institutes of higher education via college tours, applications, and completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • 4 teen parents reconnected to education, 2 graduated on time with peers, and 2 expected to graduate late summer
  • 31 enrolled in driver’s education
  • 86 participants reported employment
  • 54 of 56 high school seniors graduated on time with peers
  • 43 graduates were accepted to colleges including Frederick Community College, Hood, George Washington University, Mount St. Mary’s, Monmouth, Shepherd University, and McDaniel
  • 4 graduates entered the military
  • 2 graduates entered a trade school
• The program established quarterly newsletters for FCPS staff that outlined the services provided, eligibility criteria, and list of community partnerships   
• The program advocates for equity of programming and wraparound services in the areas of transportation. The program’s executive director worked with Frederick Transit to establish a call ahead/extended stop to give program participants access to additional resources
• The program established a partnership and process with the Motor Vehicle Administation and the Frederick County Health Department allowing unaccompanied homeless youth under 18 to obtain a state ID and a copy of their birth certificate.

FY22

• The New Horizons (NH) program served 53 participants, exceeding their annual goal of 50 participants served.
• Of those served 26 students graduated high school and 21 moved to the next grade.
• The Phillips Foundation grant provided drivers education for 10 students which paid for permit fees, practice hours, and car rentals for road tests.
• The New Horizons Summer Academy was able to secure funding for 3 paid interns as Youth Peer Mentors. They were able to run a food, health, and hygiene program.
• The Tech Frederick organization accepted a proposal from New Horizons to build a platform for communication and collaboration. This platform won an award for “Most Impactful” project at the Tech Frederick Hack-a-thon.
• Heartfield Assisted Living collaborated with New Horizons and provided “grab n’ go” meals for students who were enrolled in the Summer Academy. 
• Aldi Grocery “Product Rescue” program sponsored the New Horizons Summer Academy and provided daily snacks and other grocery needs for 75 students over the course of the program.
• The United States Military Recruiting office of Frederick County collaborated to bring health and wellness activities to youth who participated in the Summer Academy.