Left behind? Disparities in Extended Foster Care Participation across States Among Young People with Dual-System Involvement

Background and Purpose: Transition-age youth (TAY) in foster care face an increased likelihood of adverse outcomes as they enter adulthood, particularly those involved in both the child welfare and juvenile legal systems—referred to as youth with dual-system involvement (DSI). Extended foster care (EFC) offers critical support during this transitional period, but eligibility often hinges on meeting specific education, employment, or program participation requirements, with exceptions for certain medical conditions. Systemic instability (e.g., placement disruptions, school exclusion, behavioral health challenges) may make it more difficult for youth with DSI to meet these criteria. Additionally, since implementation of EFC programs varies by state, access to these supports can differ based on where youth reside. To date, little research has examined EFC participation among youth with DSI. This study investigates (1) the associations between DSI status and EFC participation in states where EFC is available, and (2) how the associations vary across states.

Methods: We used longitudinal data from the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), combining the Services File (FY 2011–2018) and the Outcomes File (2017 cohort, Waves 1–3). The final analytic sample included 6,222 youth. The independent variable (IV) was constructed using the Services File and Wave 1 of the Outcomes File, while the dependent variable (DV) was derived by aggregating data from Waves 2 and 3 (ages 19–21) of the Outcomes File. The IV captured DSI, defined as whether youth had been adjudicated or incarcerated before age 18. The DV was a binary indicator of EFC participation between ages 19 and 21. The analytic sample included youth from 47 states, excluding states without EFC programs (DE, NM, OK). Descriptive analyses compared EFC participation rates between youth with and without DSI across states. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between DSI and the odds of EFC participation, controlling for relevant covariates.

Results: Regression results showed that DSI status significantly reduced the odds of EFC participation (OR=0.52), controlling for covariates. Compared to White youth, Black (OR=2.05), Hispanic (OR=2.84), and youth of other race/ethnicity (OR=1.70) had higher odds of EFC participation (all p<0.001). Descriptive analyses revealed substantial variation in EFC participation by DSI status and across states. While a smaller proportion of youth with DSI participated in EFC compared to youth without DSI in most states (50.93% vs. 35.5%), the opposite pattern was observed in a few states (e.g., CT, IL).

Conclusions and Implications: The findings highlight disparities in EFC participation among youth with DSI, suggesting that systemic barriers—despite formal eligibility under federal policy—may hinder access for this group. The consistent pattern of lower participation points to challenges such as placement instability, school exclusion, or other factors that may affect eligibility compliance. Additionally, wide variation across states further underscores the role of local policy design, eligibility enforcement, and implementation practices. These findings call for policy reforms to promote equitable access to EFC and for future research to identify specific structural and administrative mechanisms that limit participation among youth involved in multiple systems.