Foster Youth S

 Children and youth who have been removed from their birth parents or other custodial adults by state authority because of abuse or neglect. S

 500, 000+/- on any given day are in state foster care  59% are children of color  39% in care less than one year  28% in care for three years or more  46% live with foster licensed parents  20,000+ age out (emancipate) from foster care annually. R

 High School Graduation =< 46%  Receive special education services =30%  7 or more school changes =65%  College enrollment rate=10% (70% want to attend)  4 year degree completion rate=2% R

 K-12 Experience  Academic/learning gaps ▪ Multiple schools  Few engaged in college prep courses  Lack of educational and career advocacy  Low high school graduation rates  Emotional/mental health issues  Records transfer and confidentiality issues  Long term effects of abuse and neglect – trust issues.  Individual Educational Program (IEP) R

Academic Support & Challenges  Long term impacts of abuse & neglect  Lack of Support ▪ On their own at a young age ▪ Survival mode dominates ▪ Lack knowledge of college  Inadequate college aspirations and preparations ▪ Career ▪ Educational  Lack of role models, college advocates, mentors/coaches RB “I just needed to hear somebody tell me I could do it. I had never heard that before.”

 Finances  Responsible for all personal costs ▪ Food ▪ Shelter ▪ Health costs ▪ Medical Care ▪ Insurance ▪ Cell phone B

 Housing  40%-50% of emancipated foster youth are homeless within 18months of emancipation.  Few college programs are aware of their support needs ▪ Seattle University ▪ California Community Colleges ▪ San Jose State University ▪ Texas Community Colleges “I think that for me feeling secure about where I’m going to live is always in the back of my head… I don’t know if I’ll have a roof over my head. And that is very scary to think about.” “ I was afraid I wouldn’t have a place to stay and I wouldn’t be able to do as good in college as I did in high school.” S

 Encourage students:  serve as a mentor  Set aside extra time to help students:  select a major, select classes, & develop an educational plan  Have a strong referral network for:  housing, mental health, food, health care, employment & other barriers students will encounter  Refer students to CSU’s Academic Advancement Center A

 TRiO Student Support Services program serving students from the following backgrounds:  low-income  first-generation college students  students with disabilities  foster youth  Program purpose  help students be successful in college  retain students in college until they earn their baccalaureate degrees A

 Services  Academic guidance  Tutoring  Mentoring  Study and life skills workshops  Intensive help for students on academic probation  Graduate school information  Academic major and career planning  Social and cultural events A

 Academic Advancement Center TRiO Student Support Services 117 Gibbons Building (East side of the Oval) Fort Collins, CO

 Educational Training Voucher  Provides funding for ▪ Books ▪ Food ▪ Housing ▪ Childcare  B

 Foster Club  Internships  Networking and support  B

 Foster Care Alumni of America  Colorado chapter  Community focus  Advocates for political change  B

 Orphan Foundation of America  Scholarships  Mentoring  Internships  B

 Ball State University  Overview of Post-Secondary Support Programs for Former Foster Care Youth  rtguide.pdf rtguide.pdf  Chapin Hall  An independent policy research center  Dedicated to children & families  S

 Casey Family Program:  Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care A framework for program enhancement ▪ overview of foster youth in higher education ▪ program development tools ▪ core elements for support programs ▪ program models & examples ▪ resources  Request this free Casey S

An overview of post-secondary support programs for former foster youth (2007). Ball State University, Muncie, IN A road map for learning: Improving educational Outcomes in foster Care (2007). Casey Family Programs, Seattle, WA Community Colleges Step up to Support Foster Care Students (2008). Community College Journal Helping Former Foster Youth Graduate from College, Campus Support Programs in California and Washington State (2009) Chapin Hall, University of Chicago, IL Helping Foster Children Feel at Home in College, (2005), Chronicle of Higher Education Supporting Success: Improving Higher Education outcomes for Students from Foster Care-A Framework for Program Enhancement (2008). Casey Family Programs, Seattle, WA

Andrea Fortney Career/Retention Specialist Academic Advancement Center Brittany Janes Graduate Student in Student Affairs in Higher Education Colorado State University Ruben Guerrero Foster Care Recruitment Coordinator Larimer County Siri Newman Collegiate Success Coordinator CASA