Benefit Interactions for Foster Youth Leaving Care: A Policy Analysis

Background: Prior to the expansion of federal and state supports for youth aging out of foster care, many young people left state care with little preparation and few resources. Significant progress has been made so that in many cases youth can leave care with potential resources such as cash support, housing vouchers, and financial aid for education. Additionally young people may be eligible for a range of federal, state, local aid (e.g., SNAP), depending on their circumstances. This raises new policy questions related to adequacy, equity, and effectiveness as well as fundamental questions about policy goals and measures of success. In this analysis we examine the potential intersection of benefits for youth transitioning from care and the implications for policy and practice.

Method: This analysis focused on the intersection of potential benefits for youth transitioning to adulthood in one state (Massachusetts). The full range of potential federal and state supports for the population were identified along with relevant eligibility criteria for each one (age, income level, service history, etc.). We then created a series of potential youth scenarios (e.g., circumstances, needs, locations) to determine the potential additive and interactional impact of receiving various combinations of assistance. Additionally we used data on median housing costs in different regions of the state to determine whether combined financial supports and services can meet normative standards.

Findings: (1) In the most generous scenario, a young person would receive: young adult support payment (~$900/month), an education and training voucher (up to $5000), a housing voucher, a federal and state financial aid package, SNAP benefits, and potential services such as employment training, mental health care, and mentoring; (2) youth with children might also receive TANF and related child-focused benefits; (3) only a full range of financial supports comes close to meeting financial standards necessary to live in some geographic areas; (4) different policy supports had various age limits and other eligibility criteria that resulted in barriers often hidden from youth and workers (e.g., time limits); (5) assistance provided at the time of transition may have implications for youth’s later life that are not fully acknowledged.

Implications: In the most optimistic scenarios the full range of support provides a robust level of support to help with the transition to adulthood. While this is a positive development, this now presents other challenges that policymakers and social work practitioners will need to address. Policy in this area must be guided by comparison to a normative youth population. In order to meet the policy criterion of effectiveness, comprehensive support for this group through young adulthood is needed. There are potential equity issues with other vulnerable youth populations. Additionally, there is a need to consider implications of access to resources that have later time limits (e.g., TANF) and may put the young person in a difficult situation later in their adulthood. Practitioners need clearer guidance on the best ways to assist youth in accessing transition-age benefits for which they are eligible.