Q&A
Older Youth Services Unit and support for youth aging out of foster care
0:42:47
ยท
131 sec
Council Member Brewer inquires about the Older Youth Services Unit and support for youth aging out of foster care. Commissioner Dannhauser and Deputy Commissioner Mendez provide details on the services and support available.
- About 90 young people aged 18-20 are engaged with the Older Youth Services Unit
- 429 young people aged out in calendar year 2023, with 69% doing so after age 21
- A dedicated unit works with youth who sign themselves out of care between 18-20
- Services include regular contact, immediate assistance, and potential return to care if needed
Gale A. Brewer
0:42:47
Okay.
0:42:47
The next question I have is just in terms of numbers and just generally, how many young people who have aged out of foster care remain with ACS through the Older Youth Services Unit?
0:42:59
And what's the most common barrier to continued engagement?
Jess Dannhauser
0:43:02
So I'm gonna have DC Mendez speak to that work, and associate commissioner Cherry is also here.
0:43:07
There's about 90, young people who are between, the ages of 18 and 20 who are in, engaged with that unit.
0:43:18
That is a that is a population that concerns me greatly.
0:43:21
If a young person is signing themselves out of care at 18 or 19, it typically means something isn't right.
0:43:27
I wanna say we've been driving that population down pretty dramatically.
0:43:32
Four hundred and twenty nine young people aged out in calendar year '23, '60 '9 percent of those did it after '21.
0:43:40
So it's been it used to be thousands of kids, and so that's a population that we're really concerned about and we're working to engage.
0:43:47
Okay.
0:43:48
Do you wanna add to that?
Ina Mendez
0:43:50
Sure.
0:43:50
I can talk a little bit about the unit if you're interested.
0:43:53
So we do have what we call the supervision, the 21, and that is a unit that works specifically with young people between ages 18 to 20 that have decided to sign themselves out of foster care.
0:44:04
That unit stays in contact.
0:44:06
So upon that time of leaving, they'll get their information, their phone number, their address, where are they gonna stay, and they make regular visits or try to stay in contact.
0:44:14
We know young people are young people, so sometimes the phone number changes, the address changes, but what doesn't change is that unit is there on the Second Floor at 150 William Street.
0:44:23
So those young people may come in, and we have services that we can provide if they need something right away, a gift card.
0:44:30
We have a clothing closet.
0:44:31
But then we continue to work with them.
0:44:33
We've made connections to community based organizations and referrals.
0:44:36
And if it appears that it's in the best interest for them to come back into care, there is a criteria.
0:44:41
We'll hold a conference.
0:44:42
And more than more not more often than not, they're they're connected back to the agency they were previously Okay.
0:44:51
Working with.
0:44:51
So we do have a provision for that group.
0:44:53
And then they can stay in care, we continue to support kids Okay.
0:44:56
As the commissioner mentioned.
Gale A. Brewer
0:44:58
So just like everybody else, I love fair futures.