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Michigan is considered to have one of the better foster care systems in the country. One of its major differences is when foster youth age out of the system. In 2012, the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care (YAVFC) program added three additional years for youth in care, changing it from 18 to 21.
Even so, the Michigan foster care system has failed to successfully transition youth into adulthood. Youth in the foster care system are still lacking stable housing, mentorship, guidance and valuable information that will help them before aging out. Many who have aged out of the system become homeless and are deprived of a solid support system. The Michigan system has failed to help its youth become healthy and productive members of society.
First, foster youth aging out have lacked the privilege of stable housing and food. College isn’t always an option, and youth need a solid support system to help them provide for themselves. A healthy and supportive foster family is very rare and hard to come by.
More info needed
Justin Black
Once youth reach 21, a majority are on their own with their only income being checks from the state and/or a minimum-wage job. That isn’t nearly enough for a decent apartment and groceries. What about transportation? How are youth going to get to work? A vehicle doesn’t fit in the budget, and public transportation can sometimes be dangerous depending on location and when they work. These are the things they don’t tell you about before aging out.
In addition, the Michigan foster care system has fallen short of consistently teaching financial literacy. With multiple youth coming from poverty-stricken communities, it is vital to learn to save, budget and spend our money wisely. There are programs such as the Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative (MYOI) helping youth learn financial literacy but the program quality varies tremendously between counties. For years, Wayne County has failed to consistently meet expectations while other counties have thrived. Recently, Wayne County has begun to improve on teaching youth financial literacy.
Learning to budget
It should be a requirement for foster youth to create a personal budget while they’re still in care. Managing your funds will carry youth a long way when entering adulthood. Plenty of foster youth age out without key valuables such as a state ID, driver’s license or a checking and savings account. Case workers need to make these items a requirement for youth to have before leaving the foster care system. As an adult, it is essential to have these things to prosper.
Foster care workers are partially responsible for how youth transition to adulthood too. It is understood that social workers can become overwhelmed with tons of cases. Youth can often stretch foster care workers thin, running them into the ground and ultimately causing an emotional, mental and physical breakdown.
But there is no reason for youth to miss opportunities that are waiting to be taken advantage of. Michigan is one of the best states for foster care advocacy but case workers need to inform youth of what’s available for them. Multiple colleges in Michigan have developed programs to benefit youth personally, professionally and financially. Western Michigan University’s Seita Scholars program not only helps youth pay for their education but provides campus coaches to each foster youth in the program to help them navigate their college careers successfully.
Also on Western Michigan’s campus is the Alpha program, helping students who may have struggled in high school develop into productive college scholars. Plus, with Youth In Transition (YIT) funds, youth can buy work clothes, a laptop and even a $5,000 vehicle. Numerous kids have aged out of the foster care system with these things not being mentioned, and this falls largely onto the case workers.
Mentors needed
The most important things a foster kid could use before aging out of the foster care system are reliable mentors and a consistent support system. Building healthy relationships is crucial for all adolescent youth but mentors are twice as important for youth who may not have had a fair shot at life.
Programs connecting successful foster care alumni with youth preparing to transition would be excellent for youth development. Finding mentors to advise foster kids is badly needed. A caring mentor can change the direction of someone’s life drastically.
Youth have had dramatic experiences that often derail them from succeeding and prospering in life. Most adults in their life have often disappointed them, which has created a disconnect emotionally. Many foster youths have abandoned all reliance on adults to avoid the pain they’ve experienced in the past. No matter someone’s background, an individual will need help, and holding on to pride can lead down a lonely road. Youth need adults in their life who are consistent and reliable to build trust and confidence while advising them professionally and personally.
Homelessness major problem
Lastly, a post-YAVFC program must be created for youth who age out of the foster care system. Generally, youth transition into adulthood and never hear from anyone in the system again. When all your aid and resources have suddenly been cut off, plenty of youth feel lonely. Some caseworkers rush the transition process to get youth out of their hair, which results in former foster kids landing in unfortunate circumstances. Between 31 percent and 46 percent of foster care youth become homeless by the age of 26, according to a 2013 study, and 48 percent have been homeless or couch-surfed since leaving.
The system helps youth momentarily, then throws them to the wolves after 18 or 21. We must require the system to follow up with former youth and conclude if they have successfully transitioned out of the system.
The flaws are obvious and simple to fix. If the foster care system can make slight adjustments to the transition process, then no former youth would have to face the same harsh realities of life after foster care.
Justin Black is a Seita and Nsoro scholar attending Western Michigan University.
