1. Midwest Evaluation of Adult Outcomes of Former Foster Youth: Wave 1 Data Mark E. Courtney, Ph.D. Sherri Terao, Ed.D. Noel Bost, MSW

2. Purpose of Study Gather information about services provided to selected foster youth in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin Evaluate adult self-sufficiency outcomes achieved by the youth Provide guidance to 3 states to comply with provisions and overall purpose of John Chafee Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 Plan to follow youth longitudinally across 3 waves Wave 1 – youth’s 17 th birthday Wave 2 – youth’s 19 th birthday Wave 3 – youth’s 21 st birthday

3. Sample Foster youth in 3 states who reach the age of 17 years old while in out-of-home care In care for at least one year prior to their 17th birthday Primary focus on youth who are placed in out-of-home care due to abuse and/or neglect

4. Sample Cases Fielded (784) - Sample (n = 755) - Response Rate: 96.3% In-person interviews took place between April ’02-’03

5. Demographic Data Mean Age = 17.39 years Gender - Total Sample Male: 375 (49.7%) Female:380 (50.3%)

6. Race of Sample White:249 (33.2%) Black:409 (54.5%) Asian/Pacific Islander: 5 (.7%) American Indian/Alaskan Native: 10 (1.3%) Mixed Race: 77 (10.3%)

7. Hispanic Ethnicity Total Sample: 64 (9%) By Race White: 16 (23.5%) Black: 12 (17.6%) Asian/Pacific Islander: * Amer. Indian/Alaskan: * Mixed Race: 36 (52.9%)

8. Caregiver Characteristics CharacteristicNumber% Alcohol Abuse26637.2 Drug Abuse32144.8 Mental Illness14120.1 Mental Retardation182.5 Inadequate Parent29041.1 Skills Spousal Abuse17424.2 Criminal Record18327.3

9. Maltreatment History Abuse Type # of Youth % Abuse 271 37.7 Neglect 439 60.6 Abuse and Neglect 220 29.1

10. Current Living Situation Non-Relative Foster Home: 278 (37%) Relative Foster Home: 225 (29.9%) Group Care/Residential: 122 (16.2%) Adoptive Home: 6 (.8%) Independent Living Arrangement: 68 (9%) Other: 53 (7%) (e.g., living with friends, siblings, biological parent, dorm at college)

11. Total Number of Foster Placements 1 Placement (25.4%) 2 Placements (18.6%) 3 Placements (15%) 4 Placements (9.5%) 5 Placements (7.5%) 6 Placements (4.3%) 7 or more (15.9%)

12. Number of Group Homes/ Residential Trtmt. Centers 1 placement (22.6%) 2 placements (13.4%) 3 Placements (9.3%) 4 placements (5.9%) 5 or more (9.1%)

13. Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Education) Type of TrainingNumber% Career Counseling19125.7 Study Skills Training20527.7 School to Work Supp.14720.0 GED Prep 73 9.8 SAT Prep13017.4 Help with College Apps22730.3 Help with Financial Aid16722.4 College Fair14519.5 Resume Writing Wkshp.16922.7

14. Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Employment) Help WithNumber% Identifying Employers15520.7 Completing Job App35046.8 Develop Interview Skills34145.6 Job Referral/Placement19426.0 Career Resource Library16021.4 Explanation of Benefits14319.2 Obtaining Work Permit29539.7 Explain Workplace Values27536.8 Internship 7910.6 Summer Employ Programs23531.3

15. Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Finances) Type of TrainingNumber% Money Management27536.7 Help w/ Tax Returns17022.7 Use of a Budget27336.4 Open a Checking/33544.7 Savings Account Balance Checkbook31642.1 Consumer Awareness19926.8 Access Info on Credit14419.3

16. Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Housing) Type of TrainingNumber% Help Finding an Apt.19225.6 Help w/ Apt. Applic.11615.5 Security Deposits/18925.2 Utilities Landlord Complaints14919.9 Health/Safety 21929.4 Tenant’s Rights/18624.8 Responsibilities Cleaning Classes20427.2

17. Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Health/Hygiene) Type of TrainingNumber% Home Maint/Repair160 21.4 Personal Hygiene35547.4 Nutritional Needs34345.7 Meal Planning/Prep27737.0 Health/Fitness34546.1 Routine Healthcare26535.5 Health/Dental Insur.19826.5 First Aid Course26435.3 Maintain Health Record20427.2 Birth Control34946.5 Substance Abuse37750.3

18. Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Youth Development) Type of TrainingNumber% Youth Conferences16221.8 Leadership Activities19426.0 Mentoring Services21829.1

19. Independent Living Subsidy Number% Received IL Subsidy8911.8 Currently Receiving51 6.8 Time Received (Months) < 1 month917.6 1 - 3 months1529.4 4 - 6 months1427.4 7 - 9 months2 3.9 10 - 12 months4 7.9 > 12 months5 9.9

20. Mental Health Status 279 (37.3%) youth reported receiving psychological/emotional counseling. 171 (22.8%) reported taking medication for emotional problems. 53 (7.1%) were hospitalized for psychological reasons.

21. Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) Results (n=755) Diagnosis # of Youth %  Post Traumatic 122 16.2 Stress Disorder (PTSD)  Generalized Anxiety Disorder * *  Social Phobia 3.4  Alcohol Abuse 95 12.6  Alcohol Dependence 26 3.4  Substance Abuse 65 8.4  Substance Dependence 46 5.9

22. CIDI Results (Depression) Major Depression # of Youth %  Single episode, mild 11 1.4  Single episode, mod 7.9  Single episode, severe 8.8  Recurrent, mild 10 1.3  Recurrent, mod 7.9  Recurrent, severe 4.5 Total47 6

23. Health Status (Self-Report) Health Rating# of Youth% Excellent: 210 27.8% Very Good:226 29.9% Good: 21428.3% Fair: 9312.3% Poor: 7.9%

24. Health Status 631 (84%) report their last medical exam was less than 1 year ago. 99 (13.2%) report their last medical exam was 1 to 2 years ago. 534 (70.7%) report their last dental exam was less than 1 year ago. 164 (21.8%) report their last dental exam was 1 to 2 years ago.

25. Education Enrolled in School: 623 (82.6%) Type of School: High School - 611 (85.1%) Vocational School - 11 (1.5%) College - 48 (6.4%) Other - 48 (6.4%) Special Education: 357 (47.7%) Received HS Diploma: 90 (11.9%) Received GED or Equivalent: 22 (2.9%) 275 (36.6%) repeated a grade Median Grade Equivalent Reading Score (WRAT-3): 7 th Grade

26. Educational Aspirations How much schooling would youth like to have? 9th - 11th Grade: 3 (.4%) Graduate from HS: 88 (11.7%) Some College: 98 (13.0%) Graduate from College: 363 (48.2%) More than College: 167 (22.2%) Other: 24 (3.2%) Don’t Know: 10 (1.3%) How much schooling does youth think they’ll have? 9th - 11th Grade: 2 (.3%) Graduate from HS: 104 (13.8%) Some College: 118 (15.7%) Graduate from College: 334 (44.4%) More than College: 109 (14.5%) Other: 39 (5.2%) Don’t Know: 47 (6.2%)

27. Employment 279 (37.1%) of the sample are currently employed. 225 (80.6%) are satisfied with their job. 51 (6.7%) are dissatisfied with their job.

28. Feelings About Foster Care 409 (54.4%) agree that they should have been placed in foster care. 459 (61%) are satisfied with their foster care experience. 431 (57.3%) agree that social workers were helpful to them. 218 of 278 (78.4%) of youth responding feel their foster parents were helpful.

29. Future Use of Foster Care System Likeliness in future to ask foster care agency for help with: Financial Help - 342 (46%) Personal Problems - 351 (47%) Employment Problems - 367 (49%) Family Problems - 309 (41.4%) Housing Problems - 366 (49.1%) Health Problems - 286 (38.4%) Other Problems - 334 (45.3%)

30. Relationships with Family Closeness To: Very Somewhat Not Very Not at all Close Close Close Close Current Foster 60.1% 29.1% 4.7% 6.1% Family Relatives 68% 26.2% 3.1% 2.2% (live with) Group Home33.6% 40.2% 11.5% 14.8% Birth Mom 36.7% 26.4% 14.8% 21.4% Birth Dad18% 16.9% 13.5% 49.6% Siblings 66.5% 19.2% 5.7% 5.9% Grandparents43% 20.2% 6.8% 16.2%

31. Visits with Family In The Past Year Family Member Median # visits Birth Mom: 15 Birth Dad: 10 Siblings: 24 Grandparents: 11

32. Visits with Social Worker In the Past Year Median #% no calls or visits Visits12 3.0% Phone Calls6 17%

33. Legal Involvement Respondents: (n=755) Males254 (68.5%) Females176 (46.4%) Question Males Females Arrested 230 (62%) 160 (42.2%) Convicted of crime 116 (31.3%) 61 (16.1%) Jail, prison, J. Hall 173 (46.6%) 98 (25.9%)

34. Delinquency Questions Behavior over the past year Response  Paint graffiti on property 64 (8.5%)  Deliberately damage property 158 (21%)  Lie to parent (figure) about whereabouts 477 (63.6%) or who you were with  Take something from a store without paying 317 (42.3%)  Got into a serious physical fight 513 (68.4%)  Hurt someone badly enough to need 290 (38.7%) bandages or doctor’s/nurse’s care  Run away from home 332 (44.3%)

35. Delinquency Questions Behavior over past yr. Response  Drive a car without the owner’s 122 (16.3%) permission  Steal something worth more than $50 73 (9.7%)  Go into a house or building to steal 90 (12%) something  Use/threaten use of a weapon to get some 81 (10.9%) from someone else  Sell marijuana or other drugs 170 (22.7%)  Steal something worth less than $50 288 (38.5%)  Participate in a fight involving a group of 266 (35.4%) your friends against another group  Were loud, rowdy, or unruly in a public place 366 (48.8%)

36. Victimization - Past 12 Mos. 28.2% of youth have had a knife or gun pulled on them. 3.5% of youth have been shot 15% of youth have been stabbed 68.5% have been in physical fight 32.1% have been jumped

37. Perpetrator - Past 12 Mos. 13.1% of youth have pulled a gun or knife on someone 5.7% shot or stabbed someone 5.8% of youth carried a weapon

38. Optimism About Future Very Optimistic437 (58.2%) Fairly Optimistic247 (32.9%) Not Too Optimistic31 (4.1%) Not At All Optimistic30 (4.0%) Don’t Know6 (.8%)