Annually, thousands of young individuals exit foster care upon turning 18, often left without support or stable housing. In this session, we’ll delve into the ‘Transition to Adulthood’ program by Jewish Family & Children’s Services. This program is specifically designed to aid adolescents and teens in foster care, providing crucial assistance with behavioral health conditions, career planning, college enrollment, housing, daily living skills, and financial management.
The Maricopa County-based program stands as one of the largest and most successful initiatives of it’s kind in the country. We’ll examine the challenges and opportunities inherent in this program model, explore its funding sources, and uncover the strategies essential for its sustained success.
Key takeaways include:
- Gain understanding of support needs for adolescents exiting foster care, such as housing, education, and behavioral health
- Evaluate key factors contributing to the success of the program such as its evidence-based approach, integration of services, and scalability factors
- Explore funding sources and strategies critical for sustaining and expanding similar programs aimed at assisting young adults exiting foster care