Aging Out of Foster Care
 November 18
6 p.m. PST
Register Here
The ACLU of SoCal Economic Justice Committee invites you to learn about the critical housing and service issues facing foster youth who are aging out of the system in Los Angeles County.
The issue: Of the approximately 33,000 foster children in the care of the County of Los Angeles about 1400 of these children are “aged out” of foster care every year because they have reached the age of 18 or 21—depending on employment, education and handicap status.
In California, legislation provides for transitional housing and services to assist these youth in their transition, but this housing is not an entitlement or right today. Without housing and assistance, the data show that:
- 40% of former foster kids will experience homelessness at som
 e point
- 25% will be arrested or incarcerated
- 50% will not graduate high school on time
- Fewer than 5% will earn a bachelor’s degree
Learn how you can help by joining us on November 18th at 6 p.m. PST
- Carol Parry Fox, member of the ACLU Economic Justice Committee and former head of the child welfare agency in New York City.
- Dr. Mark Courtney, Samuel Deutsch Professor, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice, The University of Chicago and author of CalYOUTH, a longitudinal study of foster care youth in transition in California
- Jane Schroeder, Chief Policy Officer, First Place for Youth, an agency that provides housing and services to foster care youth who are transitioning out of the foster care system
- Maya Meza: First Place for Youth, Independent Living Skill Program Specialist, and former foster child
|
|
