Reform Efforts
Transition Supports Reform Efforts
In an attempt to support older youth in the child welfare system and those transitioning out, the child welfare system has attempted several reform efforts that offer economic and social support. These reform efforts have helped to offer housing, education, and employment support but are drastically underfunded, often give youth little to no agency, and continue to fail in meeting the needs of the majority of youth.
Example of Youth Support Reforms
Federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 - Extended Foster Care: This federal legislation allows for states to extend foster care for youth still in care until the age of 21 if the youth meets one of the 5 requirements [education (high school or postsecondary), employment, program to address barriers, or disability]. The extended foster care allows youth to continue to be supported with foster care payments which can go to support room and board, to a home, or directly to the youth, depending on the implementing agency. This program has led to further stability and education and employment opportunities for some youth who have experienced the foster care system but, depending on the state, may still have high barriers to retaining eligibility. Other youth reject this support due to the connection to an agency that caused trauma for them. The extension of foster care is also an option left to the state, so not all states give access to the extension or may drastically limit access.
The John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee program) offers dedicated resources to older youth in the child welfare system and those who have transitioned out of the system. These resources include life skills supports, education and employment vouchers, housing supports, and other supportive services. The Family First legislation allowed states to extend the age limit on the independent living programs from 21 to 23, although not all states have implemented this extension, and the education and training voucher from 23 to 26. The program continues to be underfunded and the resources vary greatly across the country with many jurisdictions still using the money for poorly administered life skills classes and high barrier transitional living programs that have not shown successful outcomes.
Family Unification Program (FUP) offers a dedicated but limited set of housing choice vouchers (federal subsidy) for youth and young adults with a child welfare history. There are still far too few vouchers available to meet the need, they lack access to supportive services funding stream, and are limited to those youth who have been in out-of-home (foster care/group home) placements at the age of 16 or older.