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Statewide Coalition of Advocates for Transition-Age Youth
SFY 10-11 State Budget Priorities
• Independent Living Services for Foster Youth
The Independent Living Initiative is the only state program that provides transitional living services to foster care youth. The budget bill completely eliminates its funding. It is funded by a TANF earmark, administered by ODJFS, and implemented by county children services departments. Funds are used to provide drivers’ education, life skills training, job readiness training, and food and housing assistance. Housing is a key aspect of this program, as it provides shelter for homeless youth and those at-risk for becoming homeless. According to Ohio Summit on Children planning responses, a top challenges faced by counties is lack of funding for transitional services for older youth in care. Eliminating this program will further exacerbate this challenge. We urge the legislature to restore funding to FY 2009 levels or establish a new, non-earmark program to replace it.
• Homeless Shelters for Transitional Youth
The Ohio Housing Trust Fund is a funding source that provides housing and homeless services to vulnerable Ohioans. The fund, in past years, has exceeded its cap at $50 million. If the General Assembly lifts this cap in the budget bill, it will permit funds collected for housing services to go toward housing services. We also urge the legislture to expand Housing Trust Fund eligibility to Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs, which adds youth homeless shelters as eligible funded agencies. As the need to provide emergency housing to youth rises, we must ensure that effective programs receive necessary funding to meet the rising need.
• Mental Health Services for Transitional Youth
The Mental Health Systems of Care is a primary state funding source for community mental health programs that serve children and youth. Various version of the budget would reduce funding or swap state funding with one-time federal stimulus funds, which don't receive matching dollars. The program is administered by ODMH and implemented by county mental health boards. Funds are used to serve children, youth, and adults with serious mental health disorders by providing medication, assessment, counseling, crisis intervention, community psychiatric supportive treatment, and day treatment services. If funding is not increased to comparative levels from FY 2009, many youth will go without crucial mental health services, which will be a serious impediment to success as young adults.
Advocacy Strategy
- Youth, Young Adults, and Advocates will communicate with state legislators, Governor's office staff members, and will testify to the General Assembly Finance Committees about the importance of maintaining funding for transition-age foster youth.
- Sign Your Organization on as a "Partner" by emailing us.
Transition Age Foster Youth in Ohio
- Who Are Transition-Age Foster Youth?
- State and National Statistics of
Transition-Age Foster Youth
- Voices of Current and Former Foster Youth in Ohio
Failure to Invest
- Loss of dollars translates into missed opportunities.
- Investing in young people is a financially savvy front-end investment (pay now/later).
- 3/9/09 Newsweek article on failure to invest in transitioning foster youth.
- Lessens liklihood of young adults living on welfare, entering prison, or experiencing homelessness.
- View informative charts on failure to invest
Who We Are
- Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies
- Foster Care Alumni of America - Ohio Chapter
- O.H.I.O. Youth Advisory Board
- Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio - Youth Empowerment Program
- Montgomery County V.I.S.I.O.N. Youth Advisory Board
- Children's Defense Fund - Ohio
National Research
- Supporting Foster Youth Transitions to Adulthood by the National League of Cities
- California’s Fostering Connections to Success Act and the Costs and Benefits of Extending Foster Care to 21 By Mark E. Courtney, Amy Dworsky and Clark Peters; Partners for Our Children; March 2009.
- Casey Family Program Report: "It's My Life"
- Crade to Prison Pipeline Report
- Congressional Research Service Report on Transition-Age Foster Youth
- Expanding Transitional Services for Emancipated Foster Youth: An Investment in California's Tomorrow by the Children’s Advocacy Institute, January 2007.
- Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth: Outcomes at Age 19: Chapin Hall Executive Summary by Mark E. Courtney and Amy Dworsky, 2005.
- National Association of Counties Report on Transition-Age Foster Youth