Improving Outcomes for Emancipated Foster Youth
An analysis of current programs and strategies
A research proposal submitted to the Urban Studies and Planning Program
University of California at San Diego
Cecilia Aldana
USP 186 Section A03
cealdana@ucsd.edu
January 30, 2012
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to underline the inefficiencies of the aftercare system
currently in place that is meant to facilitate the successful transition from wards of the
state to self-sufficient adulthood for youth that emancipate or ‘age-out’ of the system or
who left care in late adolescence. It aims at demonstrating where there are inefficiencies
in the system and where the system backfires on helping emancipated youth reach selfsufficiency. This study also highlights the work of one San Diego based non-profit
organization that starts off where the traditional after-care system leaves off. By
providing ‘gap services’ and welcoming them in to their “extended family” model of
operations, they have thrived at their mission of improving former foster youth outcomes.
Key findings included that the traditional system is too fragmented, contradictory,
impersonal and convoluted for former foster youth to navigate on their own, leaving them
vulnerable to dismal outcomes. Another key finding was that a program like Just In
Time’s, which tailors its services to the individual and lets former foster youth join a
caring family-type environment, empowers the youth and goes a long way in changing
the lives of those serviced
Key terms: emancipated former foster youth, foster youth outcomes, self-sufficiency,
transitioning youth.
Introduction
Every year countless teens ‘age-out’ or are emancipated from the foster care
system upon reaching the age of eighteen. It is estimated that a large majority of these
youth face dismal outcomes in areas such as housing procurement, education
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achievement, job attainment, financial fitness, health status and overall well-being. This
study looks at current federal, state and local programs aimed at assisting foster youth
during their transition from foster care into independent living. It also focuses on
legislation relating to foster youth that sometimes impedes their ability to transcend
beyond their bleak situations. My research will look at current programs and evaluate
their strengths and weaknesses to help determine whether these are sufficient in securing
successful outcomes for emancipated foster youth in the aforementioned categories. I will
also look into as to why assisting their successful transition into productive adulthood is
not only a moral obligation but, from a community’s fiscal health stance, an
economically sound one.
My research will also ask whether an organization that offers ‘gap services’ to
former foster youth can play an important part in helping improve outcomes compared
with national statistics. It will focus on innovative strategies currently being used,
specifically focusing in on Just In Time for Foster Youth, a non-profit organization based
in San Diego, California. This organization sets itself apart from others by offering a
unique model of management, what they call the “extended-family” model. The
difference in Just In Time’s programs is that they aim at going beyond the traditional
services available to foster youth and providing what they call ‘gap services’ or services
not traditionally available through federal or state programs. Another distinctive quality
of the organization is that their efforts are primarily fueled by an array of volunteers who
according to their FY2011 budget compromised approximately $250,000 in man-hours.1
1
) Just In Time for Foster Youth. “Volunteers.” Retrieved October 17, 2011.
http://www.jitfosteryouth.org/index.html
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The objective for this research is to contribute to the existing literature regarding
programs meant to improve emancipated foster youth outcomes and to present a casestudy of one organization’s attempts at doing so. The goal is that others can learn from
and emulate this model.
People should care about this issue both from a moral and economic standpoint
because as former children of the state, we as members of said state are all responsible
for supplying the tools necessary for their well-being. If we do not invest in their futures,
this segment of the population is more likely to become frequent and extensive users of
our public safety-net services, become incarcerated, become homeless, commit suicide,
have unplanned pregnancies and incur unmanageable financial debt, all of which are
community problems and should be addressed as community planning issues.
Conceptual Framework/Literature Review
The issue of emancipated foster youth outcomes is a topic that has been widely
discussed in existing literature. It is one of great importance because it deals with the
lives and futures of vulnerable youth who have been removed by the state from their
family homes for reasons of abuse or neglect in order to protect them. Many of these
children end up in group-homes, institutions or bounced from foster home to foster home,
where learning the skills necessary to become thriving adults are often insufficient or
simply non-existent. A recent report lead by a sub-committee of the Commission of
Children Youth and Families found that 72.2% of youth in foster care, have had “between
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6-10 or over 10 school placements” while in the child welfare system.2 This disruption in
educational attainment leaves these already vulnerable kids at more of a disadvantage
than the average youth. Furthermore, upon reaching the age of eighteen and being
deemed adults by the courts and popular culture, they find themselves dumped from the
system that has “protected” them with very little life skills to aid them in obtaining even
the most basic of needs.
On any given year there are close to half a million kids in the foster care
system, with an average of 3,000 to 4,000 aging-out every year.3 These youth are
a population at
high risk of having difficulties managing transition dependent from
adolescence to independent adulthood. They experience high rates of
educational failure, unemployment, poverty, out-of-wedlock parenting,
mental illness, housing instability and victimization. They are less likely
than other youth to be able to rely on the support of kin. The public
policies and corresponding services intended to help them on their way are
limited and fragmented.4
Although there are federal programs and policies to help aid in their transitions to selfsufficiency, they tend to be relatively basic, temporary solutions or not available in all
states or jurisdictions. For example, the Transitional Housing Program for Homeless
Youth, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides housing
2
LEAP (Leadership Empowers All Possibilities) Council report. Released October 2011. Commission
on Children, Youth and Families. www.sandiegoCCYF.org
3
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Foster Care Statistics 2009. Child
Welfare Information Gateway, May 2011, page 5. http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster.cfm
4
Osgood, D. Wayne. "The Transition to Adulthood for Youth “Aging Out” of the Foster Care System." On
your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable populations. Chicago: University Of
Chicago Press, 2005. page 27. Print.
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for only up to 18 months and is not universally available.5 Along with programs not being
widely available, many times eligibility for services rendered is highly contingent on
participation in other programs. For example, in order to qualify for the THP-Plus
housing program, which grants up to 24-months of subsidized housing, the youth must
also be concurrently enrolled in the STEP program, which is an educational/vocational
program.6 This in and of itself is not a bad bargain, but this is not the only scenario out
there.
There are also current policies and practices that are impediments in promoting a
successful transition into independent living for these youth. An example of this can be
found in a report headed by the Children’s Advocacy Institute published last year. The
report cites that although thousands of children in the foster care system are eligible to
receive benefits through the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Benefits
program (OASDI) and/ or the Supplemental Security Income for Aged, Blind and
Disabled program (SSI), many times the foster agencies assigned to protect and provide
for these at risk youth, confiscate the money provided by these program to pay
themselves for the cost of foster care.7 What this means is that while an eligible child in
foster care could potentially be accruing much needed savings, which might serve as a
5
Nixon, Robin and Maria Garin Jones. Child Welfare League of America report. Improving Transitions to
Adulthood for Youth Served by the Foster Care System: A Report on the Strengths and Needs of Existing
Aftercare Services. 2000. The Annie E. Casey Foundation
6 THP-Plus brochure. “Transitional Housing Program for Emancipated Foster/Probation Youth”. Produced
and published by California Department of Social Services.
7
The Fleecing of Foster Children: How We Confiscate Their Assets and Undermine Their Financial
Security. Published by the Children’s Advocacy Institute, First Star and University of San Diego Law
School. Report, 2011.
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stabilizing foundation upon exiting the system, they are instead deprived of it by the same
system that is meant to look out for their best interests.
To add to this injustice, new scientific studies have discovered evidence that
“structurally, the brain is still growing and maturing during adolescence,” which has lead
scientists to conclude that brain maturation doesn’t peak until age 25.8 These new studies
coincide with an increasingly popular idea that young adults are not equipped to be
completely on their own until much later than what current policy predicates they are.
This means that the current foster care system is sending out underprepared and illequipped individuals to fend for themselves and navigate through an aftercare system that
is entirely convoluted and fragmented. Many of these former foster youth have to do so
while simultaneously dealing with emotional and mental problems, with very little
support from family or other essential support networks (social capital).
One recent report produced by the Youth Transition Founders Group (YTFG)
reveals that youth face a harder, and frequently losing, battle into independence if they
are not “connected by 25.” The theory behind this idea is that in order to successfully
transition from adolescence to adulthood, individuals need a stable support network that
will help them develop “knowledge, skills and aspirations; and acquire the relationships
and connections that will last a lifetime.” 9 Without these, the study concludes, former
foster youth have little hope and will most likely fall into the high percentage of youth
whose transition into adulthood end bleakly.
8
Transitions: Building Better Lives for Youth Leaving Foster Care. Childrens Action Alliance. Report,
2005.
9
Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing in Successful Futures for Foster Youth. Prepared by The Youth
Transition Funders Group Foster Care Work Group with The Finance Project. Report, 2007.
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When looking at national statistics for homeless adults or incarcerated persons, an
overwhelming percentage of them were at one time or another former foster care
recipients. One report states that in any given year,
foster children comprise less than 0.3% of the state’s population, and yet
40% of persons living in homeless shelters are former foster children. A
similarly disproportionate percentage of the nation’s prison population is
comprised of former foster youth.10
This should be concerning to all community members both for ethical reasons and
economic ones too. Providing tertiary services to these youth ends up being more costly
all around than investing in their futures through preventative services, like mentoring
programs, more exhaustive independent living programs and possibly more permanent
housing strategies. One San Diego non-profit group that targets chronically homeless
individuals within the city of San Diego, has found that investing in more permanent
solutions, such as housing and supportive services has been key in significantly reducing
the amount of public money spent on emergency services for this population.11 This
return on investment is a benefit that should not be overlooked both from a financial and
social standpoint.
Similarly, a 2007 study published in the Southern Economic Journal,
communicates the importance of enhancing economic incentives to foster care
10
Expanding Transitional Services for Emancipated Foster Youth: An Investment in California’s
Tomorrow. Published by Children’s Advocacy Institute. Funded by A California Wellness Foundation.
Report, January 2007.
11
Home Again: Ending Chronic Homelessness in San Diego. “Project 25.” Retrieved October 17, 2011.
http://homeagainsd.org/our-progress/project-25
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placements in order to promote more stability to children in the foster care system.12 The
authors note that increasing the amount of money given to foster parents each month, can
help decrease turnover in foster placements. Since instability and lack of a safe and
secure environment are a major part of unfavorable outcomes after emancipation,
investing more money while in the child welfare system might be another idea in
improving outcomes and curbing adulthood dependence on social services.
My main focus of study will involve the acknowledgement of the ‘gap service’
model as a viable option to improving the outcome of former foster youth. Gap services
can be defined, but are not limited to, emergency funds for food, car repairs, interview
clothing for successful job attainment, laptop computers for those enrolled in higher
education or vocational programs, furniture for youth who have attained housing but do
not have money to furnish it, and other items that many times are supplied by parental
figures. Also, I will focus on the “extended-family” of mentoring, which allows youth to
create meaningful and lasting relationships that are richer and broader than the average
mentoring program offers its beneficiaries.
Research Design/Methods
My research is taking place between November 2011 and February 2012. It will
consist of several different methods of study, analysis and gathering of information. The
most important element of my research design was the acquisition of an internship
position at the previously mentioned non-profit organization, Just in Time for Foster
Youth. While working at this organization I was exposed to valuable information
12
Duncan, Brian and Laura Agys (2007). Economic Incentives and Foster Care Placement. Southern
Economic Journal. (pgs.114-142)
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pertinent to my research. While a lot of my data relating to the current programs and
legislation was obtained via internet and library investigations, participatory observation
and inquiring with the organizations’ staff members also uncovered useful leads to
relevant information.
The purpose of presenting current information on programs and legislation relevant to the
self-sufficiency of emancipated and former foster youth is to present a complete picture
of the present state of affairs. This will aid in illustrating where there are inconsistencies
and gaps in the current system that curb its primary purpose of promoting successful
transitions into self-sufficient adulthood and also to further place the case-study of Just in
Time’s efforts in context.
National statistics on former foster youth outcomes will be obtained from
documents and reports available online via government websites, other statistics
collecting agencies and reports. The purpose of retrieving this information and presenting
it in conjunction with the Just in Time (JIT) case-study is to juxtapose national former
foster youth outcomes with outcomes of former foster youth serviced by JIT to see how
services rendered by JIT might help improve outcomes. Admittedly, there are limitations
to these comparisons, as national former foster youth statistics are gathered and tabulated
using the general former foster youth population. Outcome information obtained from JIT
will include only serviced youth, which is limited to a presorted population that has met
certain criteria set forth by JIT administrators. This, however, does not mean that
important lessons cannot be learned from an in-depth case-study of Just In Time’s
procedural and service models on helping improve outcomes for former foster youth.
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My research will also include survey information gathered from former foster
youth upon initially requesting services from Just In Time. Further information obtained
in follow-up surveys executed by JIT staff members, a small portion of which I helped
acquire during my tenure as an intern, will also be reviewed and included where relevant
and necessary. This information will assist in supporting my thesis by hopefully
presenting an efficient formula for helping improve outcomes for former foster youth. I
will also limit my criterion to those observed and measured by Just In Time.
The last component of my research deals with the economic incentives to helping
this population for the city and respective community. Information for this component
will be gathered via internet resources and directly from JIT financial reports provided by
staff. Financial accounts will not be broken down to precise amounts, but rather will be
presented as averages costs, which can nevertheless communicate the cost-benefits I hope
to portray.
Several limitations in my research deserve attention. When compiling statistics on
outcomes for former foster youth, a lot of data was frequently several years old. Also,
Just in Times enhanced outcomes for serviced youth could be attributed to their limiting
those deemed serviceable to those that qualify using their own scale of self-sufficiency.
Findings and Analysis
National Statistics
Looking at national studies on statistics related to outcomes in the categories of
housing, education, employment, financial health, incarceration and long-term social
connections, former foster youth face an uncertain and precarious future once they leave
in-home care. For example, in the area of housing one study found that 32 percent of
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former foster youth had lived in 6 or more places within the first 4 years of first leaving
foster care.13 This population’s homeless rate is also concerning. One study reported that
25 percent of those sampled had been without a place to live for at least one night since
their departure from the child welfare system.14 Needless to say, this population faces
issues of housing instability that current after care programs and resources are not
alleviating effectively.
When it comes to education, studies show that this population is less likely to earn a
high school diploma or GED, much less go on to earn a college degree. One such study,
conducted in 2001, found that 37 percent of their sample population of former foster
youth had not completed high school or obtained a GED within 18 months of leaving
care. An earlier report found that 66 percent of eighteen-year-olds exiting care between
1987 and 1988, had not completed high school. Expectedly this leads to low rates of
college attendance amongst former foster youth. Those who do attend are more likely
than the average student to drop out due to financial hardships or lack of other vital
support. It is estimated that only 1 to 3 percent of former foster youth graduate college.15
When looking at rates of employment and economic self-sufficiency (or financial
health), one also encounters astonishingly poor outcomes as well. Former foster youth
have higher unemployment rates and tend to earn lower wages than the general
Osgood, D. Wayne. On your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable
populations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Print.
14 Osgood, D. Wayne. On your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable
populations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Print.
13
15
Just In Time for Foster Youth. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
http://www.jitfosteryouth.org/index.html
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population.16 Several studies report that former foster youth have a higher dependency on
public assistance than do members of the general population. One national study, found
that 30 percent of young adults who were previously foster youth, were receiving some
form of public assistance. Another study, found that 32 percent of participants had
received some sort of public assistance after leaving care. Most common type of public
assistance among females in this study was Aid to Families with Dependent Children,
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or food stamps. Males receiving public
assistance most often collected Supplementary Security Income (SSI).17
Another area that is of concern for this population is their involvement within the
criminal justice system. It is estimated that approximately 70 percent of state penitentiary
inmates were former foster youth.18 Also several studies found that arrest and
incarceration rates were higher than the average population upon exiting the foster care
system. Of the youth in the 2001 Courtney et al. study, 18 percent reported having been
arrested within eighteen months of leaving foster care. The same percentage reported
being incarcerated, with 27 percent of them being male and 10 percent female.19
Finally, former foster youth also tend to experience lower degrees of social capital
because of their largely unstable living situations while in foster care and after. Social
capital, as defined by famed ethnographer Mario Luis Small, is the number of friends and
16
Osgood, D. Wayne. On your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable
populations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Print.
17
Osgood, D. Wayne. On your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable
populations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Print.
18 Just In Time for Foster Youth. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
http://www.jitfosteryouth.org/index.html
19
Osgood, D. Wayne. On your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable
populations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Print.
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acquaintances an individual has, including the trust they have towards others in their
communities, and the number of times they devote to local volunteer activities.20 One
report found that only 68 percent of the studied population had maintained a positive
relationship with a caring adult other than a parent since the age of fourteen. Of this
percentage, only roughly about half of the group reported keeping weekly or more
contact with their mentor.21
These statistics compared to those of similar groups in the general population
remain low and troublesome. While these shortfall issues may derive from other factors,
such as youth stemming from a lower socio-economic background, the majority of
emancipated youth leave the child welfare system ill-prepared to tackle the challenges
that await them outside. This, coupled with being on their own at such a precarious age
without a proper support system to turn to in their moments of need, is why their
outcomes continue to rank depressingly lower than those of their non-foster youth
counterparts.
Legislation, State and Local Programs
In November of 1999, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Foster
Care Independence Act of 1999 or HR 3443. This bill included provisions to aid
former foster youth during their transitions from wards of the state to self-sufficient
adulthood, while also providing funds for programs for children still in care that will
help ease their transitions into independence. These provisions include aid for
obtaining high school diplomas, post secondary education or vocational training,
career advising, securing housing, job acquisition and preservation, assistance with
20
21
Small, Mario Luis. Villa Victoria. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2004. Print.
Midwest Evaluation report, 2001. Courtney, et al.
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financial matters, nutrition and health related matters and family planning, amongst
others. The 1999 act also allowed for states to increase the age of eligibility for
Medicaid to up to 21 years, while also extending coverage to all former foster youth
that meet certain specified income requirements, not just low-income unmarried
women with young children, as was the case before.22
Today, more commonly known as the John Chafee Act, this piece of legislation
supplies individual states with flexible funds to design independent living programs
(ILP’s) to assist former foster youth ages 18 thru 21 in their aim at self-sufficient
independence. One of the most popular programs is the THP-Plus, which provides
temporary (up to 24 months) housing to former foster youth in conjunction with a
supportive service plan. The Chafee Act also reserves funds for educational grants or
Educational and Training Vouchers (ETV) as they are called, which are administered
by each state.23
Locally, entities such as South Bay Community Services, the County of San
Diego Health and Human Services Agency, and other agencies like the YMCA, are
contracted by the state to dispense transitional services to former foster youth and
other transitioning youth (agency services are not exclusive to former foster youth).
South Bay Community Services located in the city of Chula Vista, for example, offers
independent living programs ranging from affordable transitional housing (Trolley
Trestle), job skills and educational achievement (Excel), to educational support and
financial literacy.24
22
http://www.ssa.gov/legislation/legis_bulletin_112499.html
http://www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/ChafeeETV.htm
24 http://southbaycommunityservices.org/services/youth-family-development/
23
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San Diego Youth Services is another agency that provides independent living
skills programs to former foster youth in the North and Eastern part of San Diego
County. Their services are similar to those offered through South Bay Community
Services, with temporary transitional housing provided to youth, along with other
services aimed at improving their chances at successful independence from the
system. These efforts often include case management and are often subject to
eligibility, housing availability and require program participation to receive housing
and related services.
Other efforts available locally through the San Diego independent living skills
(ILS) office include rental assistance through the HOME Emancipated Youth Housing
Program. This program offers low-income youth a chance to find a housing situation
on their own, which may include a room with a former foster parent, a shared
apartment or a single affordable unit. Former foster youth who qualify would only
have to pay 30 percent of their monthly income and are eligible for this benefit for
up to 24 months.25 Job acquisition would solely rely on the youth, including the
furnishing and expenditures related to setting up their living situation.
While various mentoring programs do exist throughout San Diego county, like
those offered through San Diego Youth Services or thru South Bay Community
Services, few go beyond offering the basics and most are reliant on a youth
participating in a program of some sort. While the mentoring programs are a
good way for the youth to develop connections with caring adults, they can hardly
measure up to the monetary contributions and unconditional support that a family
25
http://www.fosteringchange.org
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environment can supply these transitioning youth.
Problems with These Efforts
The problem with current efforts to help former foster youth during their transition
to self-sufficiency is that they tend to be fragmented, difficult to access, contingent on
various criteria, too basic or insufficient and almost exclusively exceedingly temporary
solutions. For example, while former foster youth may qualify for educational grants to
pay for tuition for colleges or universities, there are no provisions made for such
essentials as bed linens, apartment furnishings and other housing essentials typically
provided by parents to an average college age youth. Other educational tools like books
and school supplies, not to mention laptop computers for youth to gain that necessary
competitive age in today’s educational environment, are rarely obtainable through current
state programs and funding.
When former foster youth leave dependent care upon reaching the age of 18, many
times they have not learned the basic skills needed to properly take care of themselves.
These can include proper nutrition and other healthy personal habits. Many have not
graduated from high school and do not have the knowledge to access sometimes
extremely complicated application processes required to gain federal financial support for
further schooling and vocational training. As mentioned before, many have not profited
from a suitable education, possibly because of unstable living situations that may have
caused them to change schools various times or because of volatile living environments.
Of those youth that do manage to graduate from high school or obtain a GED, few go on
to post secondary school, mostly because of financial hardships or trouble accessing or
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knowledge of financial programs that could pay for further education.
While former foster youth are entitled to various benefits through state and local
programs, many times accessing them can be difficult for this population. They may not
be informed of their existence or they may not qualify due to programs having certain
restrictions or limitations. Availability of certain state programs is also dependent on
whether a county has requested funding for such and made it available to their local
population. For example, if a county does not wish to participate in the THP-Plus
program, which provides transitional housing and other independent living skills
programs to youth, it is not lawfully obligated to do so. This can be troublesome for
youth because it diminishes already scarce resources.
While a good step towards helping former foster youth gain independence, many of
these programs are extremely basic and temporary. Most housing options are available in
limited supply and do not go beyond 24 months. This means that if a youth gained a spot
in a transitional housing program at the age of 18, they would be forced to leave
subsidized housing at the tender age of 20. This would be especially difficult if a youth
were balancing school, a job and needing to pay for market rate housing, which would
include furnishings and rental deposit. Along with housing programs being extremely
temporary, other services available through the state are simply not enough. There is no
funding for transportation costs or emergency situations, such as car repairs or money for
food. Former foster youth are expected to overcome too many years of instability and
hardship with very little support from the state, which became responsible for their wellbeing the moment they were removed from their family home.
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Just in Time for Foster Youth: Case Study
Just in Time for Foster Youth (JIT) is a grassroots organization that began as the
sole efforts of former child advocacy lawyer and San Diego resident, Jeanette Day in
2002. In her years as a lawyer in the San Diego’s juvenile court system, Day witnessed
numerous foster youth exiting the system with very little support from caring adults to aid
during their transitions from wards of the state to self-sufficient adulthood. JIT’s initial
efforts began as homemade gift baskets put together by Ms. Day, Diane Cox (current
Board President) and other concerned women whose intention was to provide basic
household items to youth leaving foster care and venturing out on their own for the first
time. Today, Just In Time for Foster Youth is a full-fledged 501(c)3 non-profit status
corporation boasting a full-time staff but whose efforts still remain fundamentally
energized by its many volunteers.
Currently the organization’s efforts are compromised of five distinct programs
aimed at providing both tools for self-sufficiency and assistance with basic necessities.
They include the 1) Emergency and Basic Needs program, 2) My First Home program, 3)
College Bound (Educational) Program, 4) Career Bound (Vocational) Program, and
finally, 5) Financial Fitness Program. Developed in reaction to nationally recognized
shortfalls for this target population and also in direct response to feedback provided by
youth serviced, Just In Time’s programs are both innovative and unique in their
approach. The idea behind Just In Time is to serve as an “extended family” to former
foster youth and provide for them, much like a real family provides guidance and
monetary support during a youths transition into independence. By tailoring their services
to the individual and focusing on needs not met through traditional independent living
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programs (what they call “gap services”), Just In Time manages to create an arena where
youth can receive much needed support without the contingencies and limitations that
they may encounter at other programs.
Just In Time’s extended family model is at the heart of how the organization
operates. Eligibility for services is available to any former foster youth between the ages
of 18 to 26 regardless of duration of stay within the child welfare system and without
consideration to what other programs or services the youth may be participating in
simultaneously. The extended family model embraces all former foster youth who are
striving at self-sufficiency by working, pursuing an education or both. Upon acceptance
into any of the JIT programs, youth must agree to maintain the standards of eligibility
(working and/or going to school) and submit to three requirements; they must complete
the organizations Financial Fitness training, agree to receive assistance from at least one
JIT mentor (called JIT Champions by the organization), and finally, the youth agree to
complete yearly self evaluation surveys every year until they have graduated from the
program or upon reaching age 27.
A contributing factor to the extended family environment is the inclusion of
former foster youth in the ranks of staff members. This vital element creates a symbiosis
for staffers and serviced youth by enabling staff members to give back to their own
community while also bringing an acute understanding of what being a youth in
transition without familial support is like. Future plans are to eventually have the entire
organization manned by former foster youth, an endeavor that is will help reinforce JIT’s
commitment of creating a family type setting. This venture can only empower the foster
youth community by producing role models for younger youth who have recently aged
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out of the system, and by strengthening ties between serviced youth and organization
staff members who will have a greater sensitivity when dealing with the youth.
Youth are usually referred to JIT by other agencies or by word of mouth. When
requesting help from the organization, youth must initially fill out an application for the
individual program that is of interest. Each youth must fill out an intake form that will
determine their eligibility (based on whether they are working, in school or both) and will
also numerically rate the youth on a self-sufficiency scale that was assembled by JIT staff
in order to help track the youth’s progress and impact (outcome) after having received
JIT services. This scale determines self-sufficiency levels and program needs for
individuals applying for services.
The 6 categories used to measure self-sufficiency are; housing, education,
employment, financial fitness, connection to a caring adult, and community service.
Each category is scored from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). A combined score is used to
determine an overall level of self-sufficiency or SS. These levels are labeled as In
Crisis, At Risk, Safe, Stable and Thriving. Youth are also asked to rate themselves on
overall self-sufficiency upon intake. See sample scale and diagram of self-sufficiency
scale on page 21 (provided by JIT Board member in charge of outcomes, Dr. Patricia
Benesh). This scale, along with the self-evaluation surveys serviced youth commit to
filling out and returning each year, is an essential tool for JIT staff to determine
whether their services are helping improve outcomes amongst their target
population.
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SAMPLE RESULTS:
Self-Sufficiency (SS) Score:
Based on 6 Program Component Levels (1=lowest-5=highest)*
Sample Youth Outcome Showing 4 Years
Component/Level
Joe Entering
Joe YR1
Joe YR2
Housing
1
2
3
Education
2
3
3
Employment
1
3
3
Finances
1
2
3
Connection
2
3
3
Service
1
2
3
SS SCORE**
1.3
2.3
3.0
SS LEVEL
In-Crisis
At-Risk
Safe
* Determined by online data collection
** Cumulative sum divided by 6 (the number of programs)
Key: SS Rating System
In-Crisis
At-Risk
Safe
Stable
Thriving
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1.0-1.9
2.0-2.9
3.0-3.9
4.0-4.4
4.5+
Joe YR3
Joe YR4
4
5
4
3
4
4
4.0
Stable
5
5
4
4
4
5
4.5
Thriving
There are several ways that Just In Time’s efforts go beyond what is traditionally
available through state and other federally funded programs. First of all, through their
Emergency and Basic Needs program, youth can apply to receive funds for just about any
situation imaginable. Requests by youth for Basic Needs have included money for car
repairs, rental deposit, help with monthly bills, grocery gift cards for food, bus passes,
money for school books, money for new clothes and even business attire donated for job
interviews. Current program director and one time JIT recipient, Meredith Hall
Praniewicz, once received money to obtain much needed reading glasses when she
was having trouble viewing the board while attending classes at UCSD. These items
are things that a former foster youth would never be able to obtain through the
traditional avenues available to them. However, they are essential in making or
breaking an already precarious attempt on the road to self-sufficient adulthood for
these youth.
Youth receiving check from JIT staff member. (source JIT
website)
Another highly utilized program available to the youth is the My First Home
program. This program provides the youth with all the essentials that go into setting
up into a new apartment or home. Items include gently used and new furniture,
mattresses donated from a partnership with Sleep Train, pots, pans, towels, linens,
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microwaves and even décor items. JIT volunteers and staff come together to help
with the actual setup and delivery of the items to the youth’s new home. All items
are collected via yearlong donations and through fundraisers conducted throughout
the year by the organization.
Furnishings donated by JIT. (source, JIT website)
JIT’s College Bound Program provides youth with extensive tools to help
make their college or educational venture a success. This program offers the youth a
variety of academic essentials including computers, printers, software, books and
school supplies while also providing furnishing for those moving into dorm rooms
or college apartments. College Bound also connects the youth with a volunteer
mentor that can serve as a valuable source of knowledge and support for the youth
while in school. This program has an annual award ceremony where budget
guidance is provided and tips on legal matters are available.
Another exceptional program available at Just In Time is the Career Bound
program that provides youth with up to $500.00 of educational or vocational tools
along with pairing them with a volunteer mentor who is successful in their chosen
profession. This program, also known as Career Horizons for Young Women, is
currently only accessible to the female youth population because of funding issues,
but will be expanding to include male youth in the near future. During its 6-month
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long duration, youth learn skills and valuable information, including job shadowing
from the various volunteers in this program. They are also exposed to different
careers and introduced to new opportunities they might have never encountered
otherwise. During my tenure as an intern at JIT, this program held a fashion show
mixer at Macy’s in Fashion Valley. The youth and volunteers met to discuss proper
business attire, including tips on hair, make-up and interviewing techniques, all
important skills for successful job attainment.
Youth receiving a laptop. (source JIT website)
The last program, and the one I find the most innovative and exceptional, is
the Financial Fitness Program. This program exposes the youth to ‘financial training’
that can include simple things like how to open a bank account, balance a check
book or pay a bill to more advanced topics such as saving for your future and even
investments. The remarkable part about this program is the ‘matched savings’
portion, which allows youth to receive up to $4,500.00 from JIT in matched savings.
A youth who joins this program must save for 3 months consecutively until reaching
one of the 5 different match modules (match modules are $250, $500, $750, $1000
and $2000). To receive the full $4,500.00 the youth must begin with the first module
and proceed accordingly. A youth does have the option of skipping to one of the
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higher modules first but this means they forfeit the lesser quantities. How this
works is, a youth must save for at least consecutive months, upon reaching chosen
module she/he brings in proof of savings in form of bank statement and is then
matched by JIT staff upon discussion of what the funds are being used for.
This program is one of the more important ones at JIT because it provides the
youth with techniques on money management while also providing a wonderful
incentive to do so. On the whole, Just In Time’s programs are different than any
others available locally. They provide services to former foster youth that are
tailored to the individual but fundamentally promote self-sufficiency by keeping the
youth on track towards bettering their futures through education, career and other
job skills, money management all in a warm and caring environment by people that
have been in their same shoes.
Economic Incentive for Helping this Community
As a community it makes sense to help former foster youth for different reasons.
First, as former wards of the state, they are essentially the responsibility lies within the
community to ensure that these youth receive all the necessary tools to become welladjusted, successful contributing members of society. Another key incentive is the
potential financial expenditures we may have to make as a community if we do not invest
into this segment of our population.
Here I will present average annual cost of an incarcerated person in California,
average annual cost of a SSI/Welfare recipient and also look into homelessness costs and
emergency medical treatments used by uninsured/homeless individuals in which the city
ends up footing the bill. I will then present Just In Time’s annual expenditures.
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Expenditures that help this population stay on their feet and on the path to selfsufficiency.
JIT Assists
800
668
700
676
600
500
385
400
277
290
300
414
192
200
194
138
100
185
2006
2007
2008
Total Youth Assisted
2009
2010
Total Youth Assists
$
JIT Budget
$500,000
$450,000
$400,000
$350,000
$300,000
$250,000
$200,000
$150,000
$100,000
$50,000
$JIT Budget
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2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
$104,000
$179,000
$277,000
$395,000
$453,926
Conclusion
While the issues of insufficiently prepared youth leaving the foster care system
will likely continue to be a problem as long as the child welfare system remains the same,
we understand that there are people out there working on improving this population’s
outcomes. Just In Time has found a niche for itself by providing services to youth not
traditionally available via state and other local programs. By providing these ‘gap
services’ to former foster youth and welcoming them into their ‘extended family’ model
of operations they are doing a good service in helping increase their target populations
level of self sufficiency. By measuring incoming levels upon intake they have also
devised a tracking system to inform themselves whether their efforts are making an
impact on the youth serviced. While the issue of securing housing is an important one for
former foster youth, especially in the Southern California region where housing in
general and affordable housing in particular remain elusive, unfortunately JIT does not
provide it. However, their Emergency and Basic Needs Program ensure that youth who
have secured a place to call home can stay in it even when facing hardships.
Finally, I will talk about a recent assembly bill passed that extends foster care up
to the age of 21. Youth can opt out of foster care any time after their 18th birthday, but
have the option of returning to foster care anytime before their 21st birthday if they so
choose.
Appendix
I plan on adding chart(s) on improved outcomes based on JIT surveys. I am
having trouble accessing them, but I think they will be a good component to add.
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Bibliography
1) Just In Time for Foster Youth. “Volunteers.” Retrieved October 17, 2011.
http://www.jitfosteryouth.org/index.html
2) LEAP (Leadership Empowers All Possibilities) Council report. Released October
2011. Commission on Children, Youth and Families. www.sandiegoCCYF.org
3) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Foster Care Statistics 2009. Child
Welfare Information Gateway, May 2011, page 5.
http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster.cfm
4) Osgood, D. Wayne. "The Transition to Adulthood for Youth “Aging Out” of the Foster
Care System." On your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable
populations. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 2005. page 27. Print.
5) Nixon, Robin and Maria Garin Jones. Child Welfare League of America report.
Improving Transitions to Adulthood for Youth Served by the Foster Care System: A
Report on the Strengths and Needs of Existing Aftercare Services. 2000. The Annie E.
Casey Foundation.
6) THP-Plus brochure. “Transitional Housing Program for Emancipated Foster/Probation
Youth”. Produced and published by California Department of Social Services.
7) The Fleecing of Foster Children: How We Confiscate Their Assets and Undermine
Their Financial Security. Published by the Children’s Advocacy Institute, First Star and
University of San Diego Law School. Report, 2011.
8) Transitions: Building Better Lives for Youth Leaving Foster Care. Childrens Action
Alliance. Report, 2005.
9) Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing in Successful Futures for Foster Youth.
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Finance Project. Report, 2007.
10) Expanding Transitional Services for Emancipated Foster Youth: An Investment in
California’s Tomorrow. Published by Children’s Advocacy Institute. Funded by A
California Wellness Foundation. Report, January 2007.
11) Home Again: Ending Chronic Homelessness in San Diego. “Project 25.” Retrieved
October 17, 2011. http://homeagainsd.org/our-progress/project-25
12) Duncan, Brian and Laura Agys (2007). Economic Incentives and Foster Care
Placement. Southern Economic Journal. (pgs.114-142)
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