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AYA Youth Collective reports ARPA‑funded progress reducing youth homelessness and expanding on‑site health services
Summary
AYA Youth Collective told the Kent County committee that $2 million in ARPA funds expanded a countywide comprehensive health initiative, increasing enrollment in benefits, co‑located primary care, transportation supports and measurable reductions in weeks of youth homelessness.
Lauren Gameland Van Kuehlen, CEO and cofounder of AYA Youth Collective, told the Kent County Community Health and Safety Committee that ARPA funds awarded to the organization have expanded services countywide for people aged 14–24 experiencing housing instability.
AYA said it received $2,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to grow a comprehensive health initiative that pairs relationships, resources and housing to increase long‑term stability. “We create communities rooted in belonging for youth who are experiencing instability to own their futures,” Van Kuehlen said.
Stephanie Collier, vice president of programs, described program components: a downtown Grand Rapids drop‑in center offering meals, showers, lockers and workshops; on‑site primary care partnerships with Catherine’s Health Center for exams and behavioral‑health triage; and an on‑site Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) eligibility specialist who enrolls youth in Medicaid and other public benefits. Collier said the on‑site benefits specialist increased successful enrollment rates from under 3% to 100% for youth who engage with the service.
AYA presented 2024 performance data: 792 unique youth served (487 new), 425 in category 1 (homeless in shelter or on the street), about 3,000 youth reached through health fairs, more than 1,000 direct connections to the MDHHS specialist, 366 “major stability accomplishments” (examples given: obtaining an apartment, a job, a vehicle or a driver’s license), and 673 bus passes, bikes and ride shares distributed. Van Kuehlen said the organization tracks the median weeks of homelessness for youth and reported a decline from about 142 weeks in 2022 to 38 weeks in 2024.
Van Kuehlen described cost comparisons presented by AYA: approximately $53,000 per year is cited as the average cost to maintain a young person engaged in the criminal justice system, while AYA reported roughly $15,000 as the average cost to move a youth from homelessness to long‑term stability. She said colocation of health care and benefits is intended to reduce emergency department and 911 usage over time.
Commissioners asked about program impact, transportation and partnerships. Van Kuehlen said AYA partners with Full Circle Driving Academy for driver training and has a 4‑to‑1 donor match program that helps youth save toward vehicle purchase. Commissioners praised the results and expressed concern about the sustainability of federal and HUD funding that support parts of AYA’s work.
The group said its goal is to house 307 youth by the end of 2027 and that continued investment, including HUD and federal funding decisions, will affect the program’s long‑term trajectory.
