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A Call to Action For Transition-Aged Foster Youth During the Pandemic: Fulfilling the Promise of the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act and Building a Bridge to Thriving in the Recovery.
Pokempner, Jennifer.
Cancel, Sixto.
Think of Us.
Youth Law Center (San Francisco, Calif.)
Technical Report
35 p.
Copyright
Published: September 2021
Youth Law Center
832 Folsom Street
#700
San Francisco, CA 94107
Tel: 415-543-3379
Fax: 415-956-9022
info@ylc.org
Available From:http://www.ylc.org/
Download: https://www.ylc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/A-Call-to-Action-For-Transition-Aged-Foster-Youth-During-the-Pandemic.pdf
This report calls on Congress to extend the aid and deadlines provided in the older youth provisions of the Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act. It explains the older youth provisions of the Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act, Division X of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (Division X of the CAA), was enacted with bipartisan support to provide targeted aid to youth in foster care and young adults who recently left foster care. This law provided new funding and expanded services to create a lifeline of support to young people, however, its intended aid has not yet reached all eligible young people with the speed hoped for. It explains many provisions of the law will expire on September 30, 2021, and if not extended thousands of young people will age out of foster care without having a plan for stable housing and many more will be cut off from financial and other assistance and case work support. Following an introduction, the report describes the current needs of young people with experience in foster care as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, key implementation challenges that have contributed to the slower than expected implementation of the Congressionally enacted emergency assistance to youth and young adults from foster care, how the challenges are being addressed, and strategies for completing effective implementation of the law. Specific recommendations for Congress are made and include: extend and enhance existing provisions of Division X of the CAA; begin far reaching re-visioning of policies and supports for transition-aged youth with experience in foster care; and develop law and policies that meaningfully engage young people with experience in foster care at all levels. 32 references.
Keywords:
FOSTER ADOLESCENTS; EXTENDED FOSTER CARE; INDEPENDENT LIVING; INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS; INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS; AGING OUT; FOSTER CARE ALUMNI; FEDERAL AID; STATE AID; COVID-19; DISASTER RESPONSE; HOMELESSNESS