Who do you turn to in times of crisis? For those fortunate enough, it’s a family member or close friend, or a neighbor willing to lend a helping hand. But for too many young people, these relationships are out of reach. Youth and young adults facing housing crises often lack the connections and resources to find the right doorways to stability and permanent housing. This is particularly true for youth and young adults exiting the child welfare system, juvenile detention and rehabilitation centers, behavioral health facilities, and other systems of care.
The Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP) is a big step forward in helping more young people in crisis. YDIP responds to our state’s commitment, through House Bill 1905, to ensure that youth exiting publicly funded systems of care find safe and stable housing.
Funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Office of Homeless Youth and private contributions from the Raikes Foundation and the Schultz Family Foundation, YDIP began as a pilot project, launched in January 2023 across five Washington counties: Pierce, Clark, Yakima, Walla Walla, and Spokane.
Connecting Young People With the Communities They Trust
At its core, YDIP disrupts the status quo, ensuring there is “no wrong door” for young people seeking support as they transition out of care. The project employs a strengths-based approach known as Diversion, which helps those in housing crises move quickly into stable housing through client-led conversations and flexible funding. YDIP combines the Diversion approach with centralized support that gives young people flexible financial assistance to secure stable housing.
Young people seek support from the communities they trust and identify with. But not all community-based organizations have the same capacity, and most are constrained by their specific contract funding. This is an equity issue that prevents our system from meeting young people where they are. YDIP’s centralized model gives these organizations streamlined access to flexible funds—the financial support to help young people secure stable housing—through a single Fiscal Administrator.
Big First Year Impact
In its first year, YDIP has already made a substantial impact, serving 218 households across the five participating counties. A significant portion of those served were people of color, with the majority being young adults over the age of 18. Notably, more than 20% of the clients reported being pregnant and/or parenting.
The real success of YDIP, however, is best illustrated through the stories of those it has helped. One YDIP client, who spent years in foster care and experienced homelessness from ages 15 to 19, shared how YDIP’s flexible funding made it possible for them to secure stable housing. When the client was ready to move into their own place, the YDIP provider helped the client get a Section 8 voucher to help with housing costs.
After completing inpatient substance use disorder treatment and moving into a clean and sober house, the client was ready to move into their own place, but faced prohibitive move-in costs. Their provider, empowered by YDIP, was able to deliver the necessary financial assistance when other sources had long wait times.
This timely support not only enabled the client to secure housing but also helped them regain custody of their child and maintain sobriety, which they credit with their continued stability.
Strengthening Systems to Better Support Young People
Building Changes and our partner, A Way Home Washington, leveraged our deep experience working with homeless response systems to select communities according to need, geographic distribution, and existing capacity. Together, we worked to maximize YDIP’s impact during this first year.
YDIP is more than just a pilot project; it’s a lifeline for young people transitioning out of care. By providing quick access to flexible funds and tailoring support to individual needs, YDIP ensures that every young person can find the stability they need to thrive. YDIP not only transforms lives—it moves our state closer in creating a more equitable and effective system, opening doors for every young person in need.
Learn more: See our Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP): 1st Year Evaluation Report
