On Thursday, July 21, 2022, the Child Welfare League of America, alongside Youth Villages, hosted an open mic to discuss the Access to Foster Care to 21 Act, sponsored by Representative Judy Chu (D-CA). Kristen Torres, from Representative Chu’s Office, joined the call to provide a basic overview. This bill, which was introduced last month,
On Wednesday, July 30, 2022, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption institute (CCAI) held their annual Foster Youth Internship Program Congressional Briefing webinar. The FYI program serves as a platform to uplift the voices of current and former foster youth in federal policy to engage and educate Members of Congress on the issues of foster care
On June 22, 2022, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) introduced the Access to Foster Care to 21 Act, which would extend nationally the age of which a youth is eligible to remain in foster care to 21. This bill would provide financial assistance to states by de-linking youth ages 18-21 from the antiquated Aid to Families
On Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022, the Stoneleigh Foundation in collaboration with Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform hosted, “Improving Outcomes for Youth Involved in Multiple Systems of Care,” the first webinar in a series focused on the Multi-Systems Integration Pilot Program. The Multi-Systems Integration Program, currently being piloted in Delaware and Erie counties, draws
Every year, thousands of kids are incarcerated for “status offenses” including truancy, breaking curfew or running away from home—acts that would not be considered crimes if they were committed by an adult. The Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act of 2022, introduced by Senator Casey (D-PA) and Representative Cardenas (D-CA), would phase out and
On Friday June 3rd, 2022, House Ways and Means Worker & Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth Co-chair Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) introduced the Foster and Youth Driving Act, legislation that would increase the economic and social independence of youth in care by helping them obtain their
On Wednesday, May 25th, 2022, youth serving organizations, in partnership with the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, Congressional Foster Youth Caucus, and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Caucus, held a briefing titled, "Lifting up Lived Expertise: Fixing the System with Their Solutions - A Virtual Congressional Briefing." During this powerful livestream, several young people with
On May 4th, in an op-ed for Fox News, Representative Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and former First Lady Melania Trump highlighted National Foster Care Month, calling on Americans to support families and give older youth in foster care the tools they need to thrive as they transition to independence. They noted legislation that increased support for
iFoster released the Voice of Foster Care Community Report this week, which contains findings from over 1000 youth with experience in foster care, over 1100 caregivers, and 228 frontline workers from 49 states and D.C. The website houses all the data, searchable by state. The report finds that “the overwhelming consensus is that the child
The CLWA recommends Congress extend foster care to age 21 so that every young person in foster care will have an option to stay in care, resulting in improved education, housing, and employment outcomes. In 2008, Congress passed the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (PL 110-351). That law gave states the option
