NACo-endorsed bill introduced to increase federal support for youth aging out of foster care

Key Takeaways

On June 25, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Steube (R-Fla.) introduced the Supporting Older Foster Youth Act (H.R. 9485) to increase funding for the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee) by $20 million. The bill follows the unanimous passage of the U.S. House's Fostering the Future Act (H.R. 7432) in May, which improves connections to housing, expands education and training opportunities and modernizes services to improve outcomes for foster youth transitioning into adulthood.

Established in 1999, Chafee funds support a broad range of evidence-based services, including postsecondary education assistance, workforce development, career counseling, life skills training, preventive health services and efforts to build lasting, supportive relationships with caring adults.

What does this mean for counties?

Counties are on the front lines of administering child welfare services and helping youth successfully transition from foster care to independence. Current law authorizes $143 million annually for the Chafee program, but funding has remained largely unchanged despite rising service costs and growing demand. 

As Congress considers expanding eligibility through the Fostering the Future Act, additional funding is essential to ensure counties and states have the resources needed to serve a larger population without diluting services for current participants. Increased investment will strengthen local capacity, improve outcomes for young adults aging out of foster care and help communities provide stable housing, education, employment and supportive services that reduce long-term reliance on public systems.

NACo continues to work with Congress to ensure that any enacted reforms are accompanied by adequate federal resources so counties can successfully implement program changes and deliver meaningful support to youth transitioning to adulthood.