I'm a special education teacher at a BCPSS high school and one of my students was kicked out of his house and left in the cold and rain. He had a car to sleep in all weekend but no longer has anywhere to stay tonight. He is 15 so he's too old for the kid's shelters, but too young (and quite small) to be safe in an adult men's shelter, which are already closed for the night regardless.

My boyfriend picked him up off the porch of an abandoned row home in West Baltimore and we are just trying to figure out any solution that gets him safely through the night in a warm space on a bed or couch so that we can follow up with CPS tomorrow and hopefully get him an emergency foster care placement.

I will take any suggestions. Is there a church I can connect with? An empty basement apartment with a bed or couch for one night? I would be willing to pay. Just looking for any solution for just one night in a city that seems to have no solutions for this child.

I have worked with him for two years and know him as well as I can.

Thank you 🙏

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

why1200 t1_jab8gov wrote on February 28, 2023 at 4:20 AM

I’m just floored you/our county city teachers aren’t provided the information you are seeking! You are a good soul. Hope it all works out somehow.

PoopIsAlwaysSunny t1_jabfm98 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 5:29 AM

I’m floored that 15 is too old for a children’s shelter. He’s legally a child.

This is disgraceful

markmano33 t1_jacca6t wrote on February 28, 2023 at 12:30 PM

I’m floored that a parent would kick their special needs 15 yr old out of the house.

PoopIsAlwaysSunny t1_jadd7ge wrote on February 28, 2023 at 5:02 PM

I’m not. There are a lot more abusive asshole parents out there than people realize

Animanialmanac t1_jab4bvk wrote on February 28, 2023 at 3:44 AM

You can place him in a hotel near you, make sure he has a working cell phone and charger with him. Then you can pick him up in the morning to work with CPS. That’s what I do. I’m a single woman, not comfortable with someone I don’t know in my home overnight. The hotel option has worked for young men that age in my area.

You and your boyfriend will need to give your ID for the hotel room. You need to impress upon the boy that you will hold him accountable for any damage to the room.

ahbagelxo OP t1_jab4i35 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 3:45 AM

This is the option we are going with in the end. I was hoping to do one that didn't cost so much money but I'm also more than willing to spend the money so that he's out of the rain tonight. I appreciate you sharing your experience and I extra appreciate that you two have looked out for kids in this way ♥️

Animanialmanac t1_jab58am wrote on February 28, 2023 at 3:52 AM

Our old community association had an agreement with the Motel 6 near me for cheaper rooms. We had a special code word to get rooms for $55 for emergency shelter for the night. If you know the community group near you they may have something similar for local hotels. The city doesn’t do a good job taking care of teens and young adults, I wish there were more options. 15 is too old for the children and women’s shelter and too young for the men’s shelter. It’s the right age to get into trouble on the streets, Im glad the boy has you to help him.

DudleyAndStephens t1_jacey0f wrote on February 28, 2023 at 12:56 PM

Parents who do this should be prosecuted.

nzahn1 t1_jab4ady wrote on February 28, 2023 at 3:44 AM

Have you tried 2-1-1? I’m not an expert, but seems like the “right” (but maybe not effective) place to start.

https://211md.org/about/

carthellD t1_jab64iw wrote on February 28, 2023 at 3:59 AM

I'd start here: "https://homeless.baltimorecity.gov/get-help-now". There's also Catholic Charities of Maryland (yeah, yeah, I know): "https://cc-md.org/". When I went to the BCPS, there was at least one student counselor per school. A few decades have gone by, and I am somewhat concerned that your post here would seemingly imply that the ratio of counselors has gotten worse over the years. If your site or region has a counselor, talk to that person.

CPS has a 24-hour line: "https://dhs.maryland.gov/child-protective-services/" There's a local office link on the left side of the web page that you can use for each jurisdiction in the state.

JupiterBass t1_jadr22b wrote on February 28, 2023 at 6:29 PM

The best option would be a hotel/extended stay while you figure out what is next.

I know in MV, they have a week stay hotel/apartment situation. Think its about $85 a week?

jabbadarth t1_jab4wn4 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 3:49 AM

Call 211

Not sure if they can do anything on such short notice but it's worth a shot.

Dazzling-Zone t1_jach3t5 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 1:16 PM

JoyBaltimore.org

gervinho90 t1_jaedbd2 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 8:51 PM

Second this

Elwyd t1_jac5l42 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 11:11 AM

Call your public library and ask them to help you find resources. They will be eager to help you.

elliepaloma t1_jae5qv0 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 8:02 PM

An Ohio CPS worker so may vary by state but here we would say to call 9-1-1 and report the youth abandoned at the school. Police will respond and have the ability to request 1 hr response time of CPS and can remand custody of the child to them via officer acceptance.

PretzelSlinger t1_jaewufj wrote on February 28, 2023 at 11:00 PM

I think the police would take him back to his parents, then he’d just get kicked out again.

PretzelSlinger t1_jae7ewn wrote on February 28, 2023 at 8:13 PM

How is the boy now? Is there a familiar for him? The Good Samaritans in Memorial Church could help. They’re on the corner of Bolton st and W. Lafayette (410) 669-1229

zta1979 t1_jadk3u0 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 5:46 PM

Is there a social worker there that can help with options ?

[deleted] t1_jadkshi wrote on February 28, 2023 at 5:50 PM

[removed]

Ms_Cranky_Pants t1_jad5qn5 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 4:14 PM

aren’t teachers mandated reporters? seems like a call to CPS is in order…

ahbagelxo OP t1_jaday93 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 4:48 PM

They were called yesterday and did not take the situation seriously. They showed up 1.5 hours after the school day had ended so we had no option to get him to safety. They were called again this morning and there was no issue with his safety, but we've since followed up and emphasized that there is. We're doing everything by the book and as firmly as we can. It's just really tough.

aestheticdirt t1_jaegbdw wrote on February 28, 2023 at 9:10 PM

as someone who has had to call CPS a lot i encourage you and anyone else in a situation like this to bother the living hell out of CPS and ask for their supervisors. some of the screeners are just not good and if it’s close enough to when they’re about to go home some will basically refuse to deal with it because they don’t want to stay late. they’re still short staffed in the city so it doesn’t help but call them as much as is needed in order for them to do something

ahbagelxo OP t1_jaejil6 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 9:30 PM

Yes we had to force the issue quite a bit with a supervisor today and it was still an unsatisfying conclusion today. We'll continue putting pressure on them. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Ms_Cranky_Pants t1_jad9kae wrote on February 28, 2023 at 4:39 PM

nvm, i see that you plan to call them, they should respond immediately in this circumstance