Older Youth

Better Support for Young Adults Transitioning out of Foster Care

The Urban Institute released “Four Ways to Better Support Young Adults Transitioning out of Foster Care” on January 26, 2023. The article examines the intent and outcomes of the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, known as Chafee, which was signed into law in 1999 and provides support to assist

Mental Health Benefits of Gender-Affirming Hormones for Teens

A new study in NEJM concludes that trans and nonbinary teenagers who receive gender-affirming hormones experience less depression and anxiety and more satisfaction with life than before the treatment. This new study adds to a substantial body of research that shows gender-affirming care improves mental health and comes at a time when this care is

Bill Providing Medicaid Coverage for Youth Formerly in Foster Care Takes Effect

The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (or SUPPORT Act), passed in 2018, included a provision titled “Coverage Continuity for Former Foster Care Children Up to Age 26,” on page 10, which took effect on January 1st, 2023. This important provision requires states to cover youth under

Webinar: Missing From Care: Preventing and Responding to Child Trafficking

On January 18th, 2023, the Children’s Bureau Learning and Coordination Center (CBLCC) hosted a national webinar with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) focused upon child trafficking. Featuring NCMEC Executive Director, Melissa Snow, the digital dialogue specifically focused upon understanding the types of child sex trafficking (CST), shifting the language and perspective

New Data and Trends Show Failure of Youth Incarceration

The Sentencing Project released their last publication of 2022 highlighting valuable data on youth incarceration rates and trends. This data and research showed that youth incarceration not only fails to deter youth delinquency, but many studies show that confinement increases negative behavior while reduction in confinement does not lead to an increase in youth criminal

Tobacco Use Among Children and Youth

A new CDC study, published November 11, 2022, found that close to 1 in 9 middle and high school students currently use tobacco products, accounting for an estimated 3.08 million students. For the ninth year in a row, e-cigarettes were the most popular product overall and cigars were the most commonly used form of combustible

Tools for Teens in Foster Care

On November 15th, 2022 the Children’s Bureau released a resource guide containing services and organizations that assist with their mission of empowering you to have hope and goals. Their publication highlighted the need to have tough conversations with youth and to express care, challenge growth, and provide support while acting on their feedback and act

New AFCARs Data Shows Decline in Foster Care Numbers

On November 1st, 2022, the Administration for Children and Families released the AFCARs data for 2021. Again this year, the report shows a significant decrease in foster care placements decreasing from the 2020 figure of 407,493 to 391,098 children in care in 2021, a 3.9 percent decrease from 2020 and a more than 10.5 percent

CCAI Application for 2023 Foster Youth Internship Program

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is accepting applications for the Foster Youth Internship Program until November 20,2022. CCAI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington, DC that is dedicated to raising awareness about the millions of children around the world in need of safe and nurturing families and to eliminating the barriers

Helping Foster Youth Obtain Vital Documents

On November 1st, The Transition Age Youth Coalition, iFoster, and Project ID came together to host a webinar titled iFoster and Project ID: Helping Young People Get their Identification Documents. The webinar highlighted their combined effort to help youth transitioning out of foster care obtain their vital identification documents. Jill Bloch, the East Coast Director

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