On June 12, 2025, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare held a hearing, “Aging Out is Not a Plan: Reimagining Futures for Foster Youth,” which explored recommendations to reform and improve the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (the Chafee program). The purpose of Chafee is to help youth in foster care transition to adulthood. It can help provide access to college, and other basics such as housing, food and getting their driver’s license.
Chairman Darin LaHood (R-IL) opened the hearing by welcoming the young adults who were participating in the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth’s Shadow Day. The Chairman noted the Subcommittee’s history of bipartisan work to address child welfare policy reform, particularly in the reauthorization of Title IV-B last year. Chairman LaHood teed up several key themes in his opening remarks, such as the Chafee Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs), the issue of housing and homelessness for young people who transition from foster care to independence, and the recent GAO report that details how states are failing to use their Chafee dollars.
Ranking Member Danny Davis (D-IL) echoed Chairman LaHood’s focus on bipartisanship and also thanked the young people with lived experience who share their stories and ideas with Members of Congress, citing recent examples of successful advocacy from older youth in passing the Family First Prevention Services Act and the pandemic relief funding for Chafee. Ranking Member Davis highlighted the need to promote stable relationships and focus on healing for older youth.
The four witnesses elaborated on numerous issues faced by older youth exiting foster care. Ms. Kimberly Webb, a young person in extended foster care in Missouri, and Mr. Raymond Nelson, a former foster youth involved in FosterClub, shared their personal experiences, the challenges they faced, and the supports that helped them navigate independence that should be available to every young person from foster care, such as extended foster care, housing, and driving support.
Dr. Maggie Stevens, President and CEO of Foster Success in Indiana, and Ms. Lisa Guillette, Executive Director of Foster Forward in Rhode Island, spoke about the programs that they each lead, noting the successes that young people have found with well-coordinated supports and caring, comprehensive case management. Ms. Guillette in particular spoke about the need to better coordinate Chafee program funds and purposes with other programs serving older youth, like the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) housing program.
Members of the Subcommittee were engaged and interested in the topic at hand, with several staying in the hearing room for the majority of the hearing to listen to the testimony and questions. Members on both sides of the aisle asked thoughtful questions of Ms. Webb and Mr. Nelson related to their lived experience – Mr. Nelson focused part of his testimony and several of his answers to questions on the need to provide better information and resources to young people transitioning out of foster care to independence. Ms. Webb noted the additional support that she receives from continuing in extended foster care, responding to a question from Representative Judy Chu (D-CA), who is the lead sponsor of the Increasing Access to Foster Care Through 21 Act, which CWLA endorsed in the 118th Congress. Representative Chu indicated that she would be reintroducing this bill in the current Congress. Ms. Webb also called on Congress to support specialized case managers for older youth, to better help them navigate independence.
Several members of the Subcommittee noted the high rates of homelessness and housing instability for transition age youth (TAY) and asked questions about the interaction between FYI housing vouchers and Chafee; Ms. Guillette stated that additional support for agencies to use Chafee funds to provide the supportive services required for TAY to participate in FYI would help these two programs better compliment one another. ETVs were also discussed in several exchanges, with recommendations to expand the program to include technical and trade education and to increase flexibility for young people who have not yet attained their diploma or GED.
The overall tone and tenor of the hearing was positive and collaborative, signaling an opportunity for the subcommittee to work together to make policy improvements for older youth in the coming months.
