Extending foster care to age 23 in the state of Ohio

Extending Foster Care to 23 discussion, facilitated by Dorothy Striker of ODJFS, OHIO YAB ambassador Raven Grice and foster care alumna Kim Rhyan

During the recent statewide OHIO YAB meeting, youth recommended that the state of Ohio extend foster care supports to age 23. They felt that extension of supports to age 21 was a good start, and that prolonging supports for two additional years would be a helpful steppingstone to create long-lasting change. 

Challenges that youth with a foster care history currently face when turning 21, and “aging out” eligibility for Chafee supports or the Bridges program include the following:

a.) Concerns about money and budget:

• Rising costs of food and transportation
• Driver’s license, parking fees, parking pass, how to find a care
• Unsure of where to live during dorm breaks

b.) Loss of caseworker support:

• Abandonment issues
• Quote: “It takes time to develop trust with Bridges worker.”
• Quote: “We rely on the system because we cannot rely on our family. Family isn’t always blood.”

c.) Concerns about lack of readiness and preparation: 

• Individual development accounts are only available in some counties
• Quote: “We have a lack of natural supports.”
• Quote: “There is a lot of stuff that no one teaches us.”
• Quote: “We don’t have everything figured out by age 21.”
• Quote: “We don’t have a lot of time to make mistakes and learn from them” in a safe environment that allows youth to learn by experience.

d.) Desiring two years of additional time to receive support with:

• Being able to afford food, clothes, a place to live, furniture, and utilities 
• Emergency funds when needed
• Help applying for things, including maintaining access to medical care
• Helping to find a college or university
• Making a summer plan
• Completing college before losing support
• Finding a job, including finding a job after completing college (this can be scary)
• Disabilities services
• Filing taxes
• Adapting to life as an adult
• Learning how to be a parent
• Reuniting with family and/or developing emotional supports
• Connecting with individual or family counseling services

Youth felt that extending this period of transition would help them to be more successful in young adulthood.  

Youth also talked about inflation, and asked, “Could there be increased funding through Bridges, due to increased cost of living?  Rent and utilities are super expensive, due to the inflation rate of over 9%. Could this lead to increased funding for Bridges?”

 

Youth Voice on Shared Practice Model

Shared Practice Model breakout session, facilitated by Scott Britton of PCSAO and foster care alumna Jaye Turner

During the recent statewide OHIO YAB meeting, youth suggested ways to better transition from one worker to another, to better support youth.

They asked if there could be any notice that their caseworker was going on extended leave, vacation or quitting. And suggested proactive ways to make this transition smoother such as an introduction, and an transition if possible – similar to how Bridges was designed to provide a “warm hand-off.”

Communication with Caseworker

• Need personal relationship with caseworker 
• Caseworkers please build a relationship with youth and get to know them and let them get to know you. Take the time to build that connection.
• Tell youth before change occurs
• Be timely!  Don’t leave youth waiting for info
• Urgency! (i.e. travel letters, Prom, expunge record)

Please Advocate on Youth’s Behalf

• Taking initiative
• Take action, speak up, even with supervisor
   

Listening to Youth

• “It might not seem big to you or the agency, but it’s big to us”
• Best interest of child/youth
• Respect that youth may not want to talk with bio parents
• “Just because we’re blood that doesn’t mean we are family” 
• Respect and ask about a youth’s chosen family, and the family members they feel safe with
• Honesty, don’t sugarcoat, youth are mature: “I would rather have the truth and be hurt by that” than the alternative
• Trust the youth, give them choice
• “We know our family” 
• Let youth have a choice about talking to family members, staying at a particular foster home, whether or not they want to be adopted
• Make it youth choice re: adoption; stop trying to force them
  
  

Need for Youth Voice on Shared Practice Model

• We need Shared Practice Model: better training, right motivation
• What is the worker’s “why?”
• Instead of saying families can heal, say that families can heal with the right support
• Families need concrete and economic supports
• Prevention is tied in with mental health and economics
  
  

Need for Agencies to Value Caseworkers

• Caseworker shortage, burnout is becoming the status quo
• 20 youth to one caseworker is a recipe for failure
• One youth shared concerns about overwhelming caseworkers with unrealistic deadlines.

Video Project to Support Teen Moms in Foster Care

OHIO YAB Ambassador Kelsie Brown has dedicated her utmost efforts towards the creation of a video about Teen Moms in Foster Care, and her son Braydon has also been a valuable - and patient - part of the process. 

Skateworld of Vandalia was the one place where Kelsie felt safe as a child. The owners of the rink allowed free use of their venue for filming this project, and even opened up early in the day so we had the entire rink to ourselves.

It was wonderful to have Kelsie’s former foster mom as part of the video, during the portion filmed at a local park that the three of them used to visit. Mrs. Andrea specializes in fostering teen moms, and when Kelsie was entrusted to her as a scared 16-year-old, Mrs. Andrea both reassured and empowered her. In Kelsie's words, "She supported me in being responsible as a mother, without making me feel alone."

Link to additional photos.

July 2022 OHIO YAB meeting

Link to more photos.