I live in South Carolina and I am homeless; running on Survival Mode

[Unregistered]

In December of 2015 i had asked my parents if i could leave the house; which in SC that is legal at 17. however after about 2 months out i realized that was going to be extremely difficult to do. i tried returning home, but parents told me i was no longer welcome. now my days are spent mostly sleeping at school because if fall asleep in public i can get arrested; and falling asleep under a bridge just yields intense back pain and feeling even worse as i toss and turn trying to get comfortable on a box spring mattress. so now i'm in a rut . staying with friends is an issue as i have already exploited that option. staying with family isn't going to happen either since none of them want me in their homes. im quickly running out of options. a dss case was closed on this already because my parents claim i am welcome back home. help would be great.

[ccsmod16]

Re: I live in South Carolina and I am homeless; running on Survival Mode

Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to us. It is really brave of you to reach out and seek for help. So you moved out of your home two months ago and it has been extremely hard for you. You wish to go back home but you are not welcomed. You have had to sleep under the bridge and at school just to find shelter. Your case with the department of social services has been dropped because your parents have falsely said you are welcomed at home.
You definitely have a right to open up your case at the department of social service. Even though your parents have told them something correctly, your living conditions are proof to DSS that you are being neglect by your parents. You are not of legal age until you are 18 years old and your parents are to provide basic needs until then.
Making a report can be difficult to do however, if you wish to take this route, there is support around you. You can speak to a counselor at your school, a teacher or another trusting adult like an office or neighbor. If there is support from you extended family they possible help you through it. We are also available to help you if you would like to call in.
We can also help you find shelters in your area. Calling in or chatting with us online will be easiest in helping you find a place close to you and your school. There are people at the shelter that can possibly help you through making a report with DSS. They are mandated reported so they will have to report once you share that your parents are not allowing you home again. The National Safe Place can also be a great resource for you to stay safe. You can look them up at nationalsafeplace.org.
We are available to speak with you 24 hours every day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). You are a very strong person to have to go through this and still have the energy to seek guidance. We are here to support you. We hope everything starts to get better.
Best wishes,
NRS