Pathways to Independence: Investigating Outcomes of Independent Living Programs for Youth Aging out of Foster Care

Background: The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a crucial and often challenging period in a young person’s life, particularly for foster care youth. Every year, approximately 20,000 youths age out of foster care systems. These youth often face multiple disadvantages such as homelessness, substance abuse, and incarceration compared to children in the general population. About two-thirds of eligible foster youth receive Independent Living Programs (ILPs), which are designed to support youth to assure a successful transition to adulthood. This study examines the efficacy of Independent Living Programs (ILPs) in supporting successful transitions for foster care youth.

Methods: This study utilized data from a large national sample of youth aging out of foster care, drawn from the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD). Multiple Logistic Regression was employed to examine the impact of various services provided by Independent Living Programs (ILPs) on the outcomes of foster care youth across all 50 states. The study sample consisted of foster youth from the FY 2020 cohort in Wave 1 at age 17. Dependent variables were derived from the Outcomes component and included homelessness, substance abuse referral, and incarceration. Independent variables were derived from the Services component and included services provided by ILPs in the following areas: special education, independent living needs assessment, academic support, post-secondary educational support, career preparation, employment programs or vocational training, budget and financial management, housing education and home management training, health education and risk prevention, family support and healthy marriage education, mentoring, supervised independent living, room and board financial assistance, education financial assistance, and other financial assistance. The covariates included youth gender, race, delinquency, foster care status.

Results: After controlling for covariates, youth who received employment programs or vocational training, budget and financial management, and housing education and home management training were less likely to experience homelessness. Youth who received health education and risk prevention were less likely to experience substance abuse referral. Youth who received budget and financial management, mentoring, and supervised independent living were less likely to experience incarceration.

Conclusions and Implications: The results indicate that receiving certain types of ILPs services are associated with better outcomes among youth aging out of foster care. These findings underscore the vital role of tailored ILP services in enhancing outcomes for transitioning foster youth. Policy implications emphasize the necessity of consistent and comprehensive ILP provision, accounting for variations in service delivery and fidelity across states. By prioritizing these services, policymakers and stakeholders can empower foster youth with the resources needed for a smoother transition into adulthood.