Foster care extension prepares TN young adults who 'age out' of system

[Jilly_in_VA]

Lawmakers recently passed legislation making extended foster care available to more youth in Tennessee.

This means that more young adults who ‘age out’ of the foster care system, usually at the age of 18, are now eligible for an extension of foster care services until they turn 21.

According to the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, nationally 1-in-5 teens who age out of the foster care system at the age of 18 experience homelessness.

Statistics show that youth who are in foster care and stay in extended foster care were twice as likely to have completed their first year of college by 21 and had better odds of being employed.

Lucy Langley entered the foster care system when she was 16 years old.

Now, she is 20 years old and says she would not be where she is today without receiving an extension of foster care services.

https://www.wate.com/news/tennessee/foster-care-extension-prepares-tn-young-adults-who-age-out-of-system/

Tennessee has done something good. Thirty years ago I saw an Oprah show on this problem, and I called everywhere trying to find our if there was some way I could help kids aging out of foster care. The state of Tennesseen DCS actually told me "It wasn't a problem"!!!!!!!