Analysis of the Fiscal Resources Supporting At-Risk Youth, Ages 13–24, in Hawaii Executive Summary Hawaii’s largest populations of at-risk youth include those youth who have dropped out of school, are at-risk of not completing high school, and youth who have completed school but are still not prepared for the workforce. Depending on estimates used, between 20 and 25 percent of Hawaiian youth are at risk of dropping out school. For older youth, 28 percent of 16 to 19 year olds and 14 percent of 20 to 24-year olds are neither employed nor enrolled in school. Efforts to address the needs of at-risk youth are critical to future success and stability of Hawaii’s economy. The costs incurred by high school dropouts from one year alone (2008) is estimated to cost Hawaii $1.4 billion over the course of their lifetime in lost wages and other costs. To achieve key goals for at-risk youth in Hawaii, state leaders need information on which programs are currently used to support youth, what resources are available to fund initiatives for youth, and how resources can be used to deliver services to youth. The Hawaii Community Foundation commissioned The Finance Project (TFP) to conduct a fiscal mapping study to identify the public and private funding available to support at-risk youth, ages 13 to 24. This report also analyzes the extent to which the state is using funding effectively to sustain services for at-risk youth. Several questions guided the research. • What are the major funding sources that support youth, ages 13 to 24? • Where does the funding come from (i.e., federal, state, or other sources)? • Which state agencies administer funding? • How does funding align with key goals for youth and their families? • Who does the current funding support (e.g., eligibility, age groups, and special populations)?
1