The state of Washington鈥檚 program 鈥� in which young adults ages 18-21 can continue to receive some support 鈥� could help even more people by expanding participation, providing greater flexibility in eligibility criteria, and extending benefits, according to a recent report from the 糖心少女.
Commissioned by the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, the was completed by , which researches and advocates for policy and practice reforms in the child welfare system. The study was led by faculty in the 糖心少女School of Social Work and conducted with guidance from an advisory group of young people with lived expertise in Extended Foster Care. Along with interviews and data collected by the state, the 糖心少女team reviewed the literature on foster care programs nationwide and on the challenges this population of young adults faces.
The report has been submitted to Gov. Jay Inslee鈥檚 office for the 2024 legislative session, where that would implement recommendations from the report.
鈥淓xtended Foster Care can be very helpful, and the state should try to enroll everyone who is 18 and exiting foster care,鈥� said , associate professor of social work at the 糖心少女and executive director of Partners for Our Children, 鈥淣ot everyone is aware of it and not everyone who is eligible for it is using it. There are issues with how it鈥檚 being implemented, but overall, it鈥檚 a program that works, and it鈥檚 needed now more than ever.鈥�
The state Legislature in 2022 approved the systems assessment of services and benefits for young adults in Extended Foster Care. Legislators were interested in how to address any service gaps to better prepare participants for the transition to adulthood.
Washington state established its Extended Foster Care program in 2012 to provide additional services to young people who would typically 鈥渁ge out鈥� of foster care but need some support to successfully transition to adult life. Among the services and benefits offered are placement supports and stipends for Supervised Independent Living (SIL) settings, health insurance and continued case management. With the help of federal funding, nearly every state offers a version of the program; as of June 2022, 858 young adults were enrolled in Washington.
To qualify for Washington鈥檚 Extended Foster Care, a person must, as of age 18, request continued placement in foster care or a Supervised Independent Living site. They must be enrolled in an educational, vocational or employment program, be working half or full time, or unable to engage in any of these activities due to a documented medical condition.
These can be significant obstacles for young people who have spent time in foster care, the report notes. , as researchers term it, is often described as a time of identify formation, exploration, and being in-between. It is 聽a critical developmental period in which inequalities across education, income and social support accumulate as advantages or disadvantages with lifelong consequences. But it鈥檚 also a time of continued brain growth: Impulse control, reasoning and organizational skills can develop well into a person鈥檚 20s.
鈥淓merging adulthood is such a critical time in someone鈥檚 life, and often the first time people are paying bills, living on their own, and trying to find their place in the world. Without support from our social network and resources from local, state and federal institutions, none of us are able to build the relationships and skills necessary to transition from dependent adolescents into interdependent and self-sufficient members of society,鈥� said , an assistant professor of social work at the 糖心少女and a co-author of the report.
Many have suffered trauma, abuse and discrimination. Some have been incarcerated. According to in the report, roughly one-third of young adults enrolled in or eligible for foster care are parents. , co-designed with young people with lived experience in Extended Foster Care, of 63 current or past participants in the program, nearly half were experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
The 糖心少女report also identified specific subgroups of participants who may be especially marginalized, and whose needs can go unmet. In addition to those who are pregnant or parenting, these groups include BIPOC young people, who are overrepresented in the foster care system; LGBTQ+ young people; and individuals with disabilities.
That鈥檚 why expanded services are needed, the report finds. According to a longitudinal study based on California鈥檚 extended foster care system, called California Youth Transitions, each additional year of services increased the probabilities young people would complete high school and enroll in college. Each extra year also decreased the odds they鈥檇 be arrested or experience homelessness.
Based on such research and on interviews with community partners and social workers around Washington, the assessment team outlined key recommendations for the program:
- Extend participation to all young adults in foster care
- Expand eligibility criteria
- Focus preventive supports on groups such as young parents
- Allocate more funding and resources to long-term housing supports
- Add more peer support networks and services
- Prepare adolescents for Extended Foster Care before age 18
Increase DCYF staff throughout the state, potentially with units devoted only to Extended Foster Care, and add trainings in developmentally tailored and culturally responsive practice
鈥淭his report demonstrates that youth who enroll in Extended Foster Care in Washington have better outcomes than those who do not. But we still have work to do,鈥� Ross Hunter, secretary of the Department of Children, Youth and Families, wrote in a statement accompanying the report. 鈥淏eyond the recommendations in the systems assessment, we need to leverage existing resources to help youth access mental and behavioral health services, prevention services, and early childhood supports when they are pregnant or parenting. We must develop strategies that support them to complete high school, get postsecondary degrees and get on a path to a career.鈥�
For more information, contact Tajima at etajima@uw.edu.