EDCO 215, Fall 2011 Getting Former Foster Youth into College: A Group Presentation by

Introduction 1) We can have someone explain about the population we are covering and about the structure of the foster system (1 person)

Problems Facing Foster Youth Internal 2a) problems faced by foster youth (maybe have two people cover this since there are alot of problems) (2 persons) Two primary areas: Education Health

Problems Facing Foster Youth Education Find cool graphic Health Find cool graphic

Problems Facing Foster Youth Education o Based on high birth trauma and many life challenges, 50% of foster youth experience developmental delays, which is 4-5 times more than the rate found among children in the general population.

Problems Facing Foster Youth Health o Former foster youth are found to suffer from post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 2 times the level of U.S. war veterans. o 33% of all foster care alumni have no form of health insurance. o Youth transitioning from foster care have disproportionately high rates of physical, developmental, and mental health problems.

Problems Facing Foster Youth Health (cont'd) o Children in foster care are more likely than other children on Medicaid to have a mental health or substance abuse condition. o Nearly 50% of foster children suffer from chronic health conditions such as asthma, visual and auditory problems, dental decay and malnutrition. o 50-60% of children in foster care have moderate to severe mental health problems.

Problems Faced By Foster Youth External 2b) problems faced by foster youth (maybe have two people cover this since there are alot of problems) (2 persons)

consequences of not furthering education

What happens to some former foster youth if they do not pursue a higher education? Unemployment Incarceration Dependence on public assistance Substance abuse Non-marital childbirth Other high-risk behaviors.

Unemployment  Nationally, 80% of foster youth did not earn enough to be fully self-supporting 4 years after leaving care  45% of California’s emancipated youth are unemployed, 30% are on welfare  1/3 of former foster youth have incomes at, or below, $6,000 per year - substantially below the federal poverty level of $10,400 for a single individual. An annual income of $25,693 is needed for a single adult to be self sufficient in San Francisco A study compared the outcomes of over 600 former foster youth to those of young adults in the general population and found that 19 year old former foster youth were nearly 3 times more likely than other youth to be out of work and school.

Homelessness In California, 65% of youth leaving care do so without a place to live In California, 1 in 4 emancipated youth are homeless. Of emancipated youth in the Bay Area, it is estimated up to 44% have experienced homelessness Nearly 40% of transitioning youth will be homeless within eighteen months of discharge Without housing, youth are less likely to complete their education, find employment, and gain access to health care, all of which jeopardize their ability to make a successful transition to independence

Incarceration One shocking statistic best explains how the system has failed them: over 70% of all State Penitentiary inmates have spent time in the foster care system according to the May 12, 2006 Select Committee Hearing of the California Legislature. 25% of former foster youth will be incarcerated within two years of their emancipation

Non-Marital Childbirth Almost 2/3 of young women formerly in foster care become mothers within 5 years of leaving foster care Several studies indicate that girls who emancipate from foster care are almost 3 times more likely than their peers to have a child by the age of 19 Parents with a history of foster care are almost twice as likely to see their own children placed in foster care

“Seventy-one percent of the young women in the Midwest Study [of former foster youth] reported having been pregnant, and half had been pregnant since their most recent interview. Repeat pregnancies were more the rule than the exception. Among those who had ever been pregnant, 62 percent had been pregnant more than once….Half of the young men in the Midwest Study reported that they had ever gotten a female pregnant….In fact, 38 percent had gotten a female pregnant since their most recent interview. Only one-third of the females and one-fifth of the males had received either family planning services or information about birth control since their last interview.” Mark E. Courtney et al., Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth: Outcomes at Age 21 (Chapin Hall Center for Children 2007). Non-Marital Childbirth cont.

Substance Abuse In 2006, “[n]early half (49.4%) of the young adults [in a sample of former foster youth aged 19-25] indicated having ‘alcohol problems’ according to a screener. In the general population, 15.1 percent of 18 to 25 year olds are defined as heavy drinkers.” Havalchak, et al., Casey Family Programs Young Adult Survey 2006: Examining Outcomes for Young Adults Served in Out- of-Home Care (Casey Family Programs 2007)

possible solutions to their problems 4) possible solutions to their problems or info about programs that have been effective, (1 person)

Current Solutions So, we've covered a lot of the reasons why foster youth have trouble transitioning out of foster care, and the hindrances they encounter, which hold them back from getting further educated. The following are some of the current measures (most of the established in the past decade) that are trying to address these issues.

Foster Youth Government Initiatives Federal o Foster Care Independence Act of 1999: John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP)  30% of funding for room and board services  Medicaid eligibility increased to age 21 o Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) Programs for Youths Aging out of Foster Care  Funding level for 2009 is $140 million for CFCIP and $45 million for ETV State o California - Assembly Bill 12 o State Housing Programs

Academic Foster Youth Success Initiatives Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO), also similar initiatives in other states o Tuition grants for foster youth College Cost Reduction Act o Enables Foster Youth to claim independent status to receive more financial aid Support from Higher Education Institutions: Foster Youth support groups, similar to EOP programs Scholarships for Foster Youth o ex) John Seita Scholarship Program at West Michigan University

Transition, Housing and Work Nonprofit General Transition Support Programs o ex) Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, Larkin Street Youth Services (SF) Employment Assistance and Job Training o Workforce Investment Act (Department of Labor)  Youth Activities  Job Corps Housing Assistance o Department of Housing and Urban Development's Family Unification Vouchers Program - foster youth eligible up to 18 months o Department of Health and Human Services' Runaway and Homeless Youth Program

Conclusion There are many issues that foster youth face in being emancipated from the foster care system, further obscuring opportunities for advancement into higher education and life advancement. Stable Housing, Employment, Follow up Tracking of Foster Youth, Financial Aid, Counseling/Support Systems, Academic Help, Health Care and Family Planning

Future Solutions In addition to existing efforts to aid foster youth, here are some solutions that have not been sufficiently addressed: More foster youth programs needed in community college Lack of support in k-12 for foster youth: Need academic retention and counseling support prior to emancipation as well as after, mentoring programs that connect foster youth in HS to students in college (Collaboration of high schools with community college outreach programs)

Future Solutions Lack of awareness and motivation in foster youth to continue education: Educate foster youth on importance of higher education o Mandatory programs in high school that provide information for higher education, targeting low- income and disadvantaged students such as foster youth o Including information regarding financial aid Increased financial aid specifically for foster youth Work-Study programs that will provide financial assistance as well as work experience