Tag Archives: Aging Out

Housing for Newly Independent Youth

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, recently published a literature review on housing needs and outcomes common among youth who age out of foster care. These youth face unique housing challenges; they often quickly transition from being dependents of the State to being independent young adults. Because of these fast transitions, many have difficulties finding and maintaining suitable housing, and they often have little to no support from family members or the State. The review gives a detailed summary of the issue and focuses on programmatic initiatives geared toward tackling the problem. Link to Literature Review

Chafee Housing Funds for Youth

A new report prepared by the Urban Institute and funded by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) explores States’ use of Chafee Foster Care Independence Program funds for housing for transitioning youth. Chafee provides $140 million annually for Independent Living services for youth exiting foster care. States are permitted to use up to 30 percent of their respective Chafee allocations to meet the housing needs of youth after they leave care. The report examines how States use these funds, in addition to other State and Federal funding sources, to provide housing to this population. Link to pdf Report

Identity Theft Tip Sheet For Child Welfare Staff

Michigan Dept. of Human Services: As foster youth transition to adulthood, it is important for him/her to have a clean credit report for numerous reasons. If a youth applies for an apartment, student loans, or a car loan, she/he will need to have a good credit report. Unfortunately children in out-of-home care are at a higher risk of being a victim of identity theft. Link to pdf Tip Sheet

Implementing a Post-Care Service System in Child Welfare

The last decade has seen a growing recognition of the need for post-permanency services as a means of achieving the wellbeing of children and youth who were in foster care. Ensuring the availability and sustainability of an array of post-permanency services to support former foster children and their permanent families—whether birth, kinship, or adoptive—can be viewed as the next challenge for child welfare agencies. The development of the Child Wellbeing Project in Catawba County is an example of a local community rising to meet this important new challenge. Comprises three separate Briefs. Link to pdf Brief 1 Link to pdf Brief 2 Link to pdf Brief 3