On NPR two days ago
This is an important NPR segment about youth leaving foster care which ran two days ago. It’s about a report from the Chapin Hall Center at the Univ of Chicago, showing the disturbing results for youth who are discharged from foster care at 18.
This was the case in Vermont until 2007, when the age here was changed from 18 to 22, and I am proud to say it was Spectrum which led the fight on this. In fact, Governor Douglas signed the bill in our drop-in center. And in the ensuing three years the results have been impressive in terms of helping youth to find employment, stay in school, and eventually move on to independent living. Our SRO (Single Room Occupancy) on Maple Street in Burlington is a prime example of this, and in my opinion is a model not only for this State but for the nation.
States think they are saving money by discharging kids out of foster care at 18, when we know they are not ready to live on their own. But kids like this don’t disappear. Many end up homeless, on welfare, or eventually in prison. Not a good scenario for anyone, including the taxpayer, but especially the kids.
April 12th, 2010 at 10:02 am
I aged-out of foster care at 21 in Rhode Island. When I think about what my life was like at 18…I cannot imagine how the new policy in our state (well, not NEW, it was enacted in 2007)is functioning with foster youth aging out at 18. I am am an advocate for college access among foster youth, which is one of the few ways we can simultaneously receive housing and an education to help us along in life…. Only 2% of foster youth receive bachelor’s degrees compared to 24% of the general populous. Is that not disturbing?
April 15th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Leah, That is very disturbing and the stats on homelessness, incarceration, unemployment are equally disturbing. I was so disappointed in R.I. because the very year we campaigned successfully to move the discharge age to 21 in Vt, R.I. backed it down to 18! I couldn’t believe it because I used to point to R.I. as a state that was enlightened on this issue, but to “save money” (which they really don’t), they cut foster kids off at 18.
Please keep up your advocacy as we need people like you to fight for what is right in this arena. Mark
July 28th, 2010 at 10:59 am
I find I keep coming back to your blog. Wonderful content. Many thanks for posting.