According to the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, nearly 500 foster youth turn 18 and "age out" of the foster care system every year.
And, according to the foster care advocacy groups like the Seattle-based Treehouse for Kids and The Mockingbird Society those kids deserve the same support and resources as they move forward into adulthood as kids who grow up within their biological families.
That's why they are pushing for the passage of House Bill 1128 (compantion to SB 5245 in the Washington State Senate), a measure that would make sure that kids have other options than homelessness when they age out of the system. Specifically it would ensure safe housing for foster kids until they are 19 years old.
The bill would allow Washington to "opt-in" to the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 and thus enhance the state's safe housing program for those aging out, the Washington's Foster Care to 21. In fact, Washington State child welfare legislative leaders played a pivotal role in the development and passage of the Fostering Connections Act when they passed landmark legislation in 2006, and again in 2007, that provided safe housing to youth exiting from state care. Now the Act provides up to a 50% federal match to all states that provide safe housing to youth. By opting into the federal program, state leaders say, Washington can continue and expand current its successful safe housing programs without investing new state dollars.
This week HB 1128 passed out of the House Early Learning, Children and Family Committee. It must next survive a vote of the House of Representatives in order to be considered by the state Senate. Companion bill SB 5245 has had a first reading in the Senate but has not yet been considered in committee.
In January of last year, the Washington Institute of Public Policy in Olympia did a Cost/Benefit study of the state's current safe housing programs. The institute's review showed that for every dollar invested in Washington's Foster Care to 21 program there is a $1.35 benefit to the taxpayer and $5.16 to the youth participants. How? Kids who receive support after leaving the foster care system are:
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More likely to graduate from high school or receiving a GED and attending college
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Less likely to become homeless;
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Less likely to engage in criminal behavior; or
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Less likely to become parents at an early age.
Each of these things costs or saves Washington State millions of dollars on welfare, criminal justice and other systemic costs, lawmakers and child welfare advocates say.
With the federal match, lawmakers say the Foster Care to 21 program could serve twice as many youth.
Cheryl Murfin is owner of NestingInstincts.org, a doula service, and associate to the publisher at Seattle’s Child.
