Outcome Study of a Transitional Housing Placement Program: How Do Foster Youth Fare after Exiting?

Background:

This study examines the long-term outcomes of a sample of foster youth who resided in a scattered site housing program (called a Transitional Housing Placement Program or THPP) for 16 to 19 year olds. There is a dearth of research examining the outcomes of foster youth that access THPPs (see Rashid, 2004; Mallon, 1998). Throughout California there are approximately 100 licensed THPPs, yet there is little empirical information about the effectiveness of these programs.

Methods:

This study was conducted at Bay Area Youth Centers in Hayward, California. The housing was in the form of scattered site two-bedroom apartments. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey design. Quantitative data was collected with a survey instrument. The sample was youth who lived in the THPP between 2007 and 2014. Participants were found through social media, contact information at the time of exit from the program, and current program staff. Of the 100 youth that lived in the program during the time period, 49 youth were surveyed. A response rate of 49% is high given the transient nature of former foster youth, and the length of time since exit.

The average current age of the sample was 21.7 years. Of the total youth who exited the program between 2007 and 2014, the average length of stay was 11.5 months. The participants spent an average of 10.3 years in the foster care system.

Results:

Forty-five of the 49 surveyed (92%) reported that they were currently residing in stable housing including: own apartments, transitional housing with other non-profits, with relatives, or college dorms. There were 4 youth currently residing in non-profit homeless shelters at the time of the interviews. Approximately 39% (19/49) of the participants had become parents since leaving the program (45% of the females, and 21% of the males). These rates are lower than in other studies of foster youth. Courtney et al., (2010) found that about 67% of female and 44% of male former foster youth had a child before age 23 or 24.

Of the youth in this study, 88% had achieved a high school diploma at the time of follow-up, and 40% of the participants were enrolled in a community college, a vocational program, or 4-year university. Of the clients not currently in enrolled in 4-year college 89% (46/49) were currently working, which is higher than the large study of foster youth that showed only 48% were currently employed at follow-up (Courtney et al., 2010). Participants reported an average hourly wage of $10.37.

Implications:

This is a seminal study in the fields of prevention and intervention with foster youth transitioning from the system. Future studies could examine the rates of mental health, substance use, and types of placement youth experienced before entering THPPs. Overall, this study illustrates that scattered site models of THPPs can be very effective at preventing homelessness, lack of educational attainment, unemployment and early pregnancy among foster youth. Given the lack of studies examining the effectiveness of THPPs it is imperative that future studies are conducted.