Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

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Regional Technical Assistance

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Child Welfare Frequently Asked Questions

MARCH2003

Q: What is the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999?

Every year, between 18,000 and 20,000 youth aged 16 and older transition from the foster care system. Youth in foster care often do not get the help they need with high school completion, employment, accessing health care, continued education opportunities, and housing and transitional living arrangements. Studies of youth who have left the system show that they are more likely than those in the general population to not finish high school, to be unemployed, and to be dependent on public assistance. In addition, many find themselves in prison, homeless, or parents at an early age. Youth need support to learn to manage activities of daily living and to establish and maintain connections to siblings, parents, and other caring adults and peers.

The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 offers important new supports to young people transitioning from foster care. The act can be an important catalyst in states and communities as they develop systems of care for children in the Child Welfare system. The following provisions are most relevant:

Establishes the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (Chafee Independence Program), named for the late Senator Chafee of Rhode Island, a tireless advocate and long-time champion for children who have been abused and neglected and one of the sponsors of the act.

Enhances the opportunities for youth in the foster care component of child welfare to make a smoother, more successful transition to adulthood by creating opportunities for states to

Extend Medicaid to independent youth who were in care on their 18th birthday, have left care, but are under 21 years of age;

Provide up to 30% of their allocation for room and board for youth who have left care because they reached age 18;

Use a portion of the allocation for assistance and services for young people who have left foster care because they reached age 18;

Allow young people to have up to $10,000 in assets and remain eligible for IV-E funded foster care.

Increases state funding from $70 million to $140 million for independent living services.

In order to learn the status of your state regarding planning and implementation of this program, please go to www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd. This is the website for the National Resource Center for Youth Development. The state-by-state directory will clarify your state's status.