▶ 0:07:26work and welfare subcommittee hearing will come to order. I want to welcome everybody here today. The title of our hearing is aging out is not a plan. reimagining futures for foster youth. And a special thank you and welcome to our witnesses here today. Before we begin, I want to welcome uh any delegates that are here shadowing members of Congress as part of Foster Youth Shadow Day, which is organized by the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth.
▶ 0:07:55Our colleague from Wisconsin, Rep. Gwen Moore, is a co-chair of the caucus. We appreciate her long-standing efforts to ensure the voices of youth are heard. My name is Darren Lehood and I represent Illinois's 16th district which covers much of central and northwestern parts of Illinois. Today's hearing continues the subcommittee's tradition of bipartisanship to support vulner vulnerable children in America and improve outcomes for families.
▶ 0:08:22As chairman of the subcommittee on work and welfare, I'm deeply proud to have worked last Congress with ranking member Danny Davis and members of the committee to reauthorize title 4b by passing the law. The bipartisan quote supporting America's children and families act unquote was the law that uh came went into effect last year.
▶ 0:08:43That law included a number of policies specifically focused on youth, including extending eligibility for services until age 26, ensuring foster youth have indiv individualized plans that account for their mental health needs, and promoting state youth advisory boards. We know more work remains to be done and look forward to working this Congress to modernize and enhance the John H. Schaffe foster care program.
▶ 0:09:10Created in 1999, Schaffe provides current and former foster youth with independent living services and other supports to help them gain employment, obtain housing, and create meaningful connections with adults. Shaffy also makes available education and training vouchers which offer current and former foster youth up to $5,000 for the costs of higher education.
▶ 0:09:36A young person's transition to adulthood is a pivotal moment in their life. Yet in 2023, 15,600 youth aged out of foster care, meaning they exited foster care at age 18 without a permanent connect connection to family. Aging out is not a plan. Foster youth who age out are one of the most vulnerable populations in this country and are disproportionately more likely than their peers to have negative outcomes.
▶ 0:10:06Some refer to foster youth as quote a highway to homelessness unquote. Alarming data shows that approximately 25% of former foster youth experience homelessness within four years of leaving foster care. Other concerning data found that only 79% of foster youth obtained a high school diploma compared to 92% of their peers. While the number of youth aging out has decreased over the years, we must do better to improve outcomes for this population.
▶ 0:10:36Despite unmet need, a recent report by GIO found that for years, states have failed to spend all available SHAFY funds, resulting in funds being returned to the federal government. This chart behind me here shows in 2022, 12 states returned 2.5 million in unspent Chaffy funds and 28 states returned 6.3 million in education and training vouchers totaling 8.9 million.
▶ 0:11:05State underutilization of funds means that help is not getting to the youth who need it. GAO found administrative barriers and red tape make it difficult for states to draw down funds and many youth don't even know about the services available to them. In my home state of Illinois, only 5% of foster youth receive SHA services at any point in their in in their time in care.
▶ 0:11:29We also know that many federal programs that serve current and former for foster youth are fragmented and disconnected, leaving youth to navigate a complex web of services. For example, the Department of Housing and Urban Development offers quote foster youth to independence unquote housing vouchers which provide 36 months of housing stability for former foster youth referred by child welfare agencies.
▶ 0:11:55Similar, the Department of Labor offers Shaffy eligible youth paid work experience and pre-apprenticeship programs that align with the needs of local employers. But these programs often lack coordination.
▶ 0:12:08Following the model of bipartisan success from title 4B reauthorization, my hope is that we can work together to improve Chaffy to provide a stronger safety net of support to help youth achieve their full potential and become thriving, self-sufficient, and independent adults. That should be our goal. I want to thank our witnesses for being here today to exemplify the voices of foster youth in in in our country and to highlight innovative programs.
▶ 0:12:38I am honored to have our witnesses here today and look forward to your testimony here today. With that, I'm pleased to recognize the ranking member, my friend from Illinois, Danny Davis. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and let me thank you for calling this very important hearing. I also will note that it has been my pleasure to work alongside you as we have continued to move the needle and make progress in behalf of our children.
▶ 0:13:09Let me welcome all of the witnesses. We are delighted that you're here and look forward to hearing your testimony. Foster care should be a last resort. When foster care is necessary, we have a legal and moral obligation to act in the best interests of the child.
▶ 0:13:31The best interest of children and youth is not limited to only food on the table, a warm place to sleep or a path to employment. The best interests of children and youth must include the love and support of a family and quality opportunities for success.
▶ 0:13:52Just as we give to our own children, our subcommittee has made real bipartisan progress on improving federal policy to help older youth. And I am grateful to the older youth who experienced foster care, who shared their wisdom and hard truths to make our policies better.
▶ 0:14:17Foster youth advocacy was critical in enacting the Family First Prevention Services Act that created guaranteed federal funding to prevent youth from entering care.
▶ 0:14:30It was foster youth advocacy during the pandemic that helped secure mental health and parenting prevention services and enhanced earn income tax credit for foster and homeless youth and $400 million for foster youth to help make ends meet stay housed and remain in school. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go.
▶ 0:14:59Too often we fail the children in our care, especially those who are older. Despite some improvements, older foster youth are still more likely to drop out of school, become teen parents, experience incarceration, and suffer homelessness. Many states place older youth in instead of with kin or foster families.
▶ 0:15:28And too many run away from their foster care placements due to lack of support. Nearly 20,000 youth each year age out of care without reunification or connection with a forever family. Only about 3 to 4% of foster youth obtain a 4-year degree and only about onethird of this small number get federal education vouchers.
▶ 0:15:59Further, most vouchers are wfully small. My home state of Illinois adds a subsidy of to each federal voucher and has increased the number of state scholarships to try and fill the gap. Foster youth often carry the weight of trauma and instability.
▶ 0:16:22And new scientific research shows that the brain growth of adolescence offers a powerful chance to heal. Federal policy should ensure that foster youth receive the essential supports that promote healing, including mental health resources, meaningful relationships, and community.
▶ 0:16:45I am seriously thankful to the youth who bravely share their experiences, including today's witnesses and the youth who are here for foster youth shadow day. I am committed to listening and pushing for federal policies that we need in order to survive. Thank you so very much and I yel back, Mr. Chairman. Uh thank you, Ranking Member Davis. Uh we'll now tune turn to our witness introductions.
▶ 0:17:16And with that, I'm going to recognize our full committee chairman, Jason Smith. We're honored to have him here today to introduce our first witness. Thank you, Chairman Lehood and Ranking Member Davis for for holding this very important hearing on how we can improve the Chaffi program to help foster kids reach adulthood and transition out of foster care with the resources and support that they need to lead successful lives.
▶ 0:17:43One of my top priorities as chairman has been to shine a light on people and families that are struggling, particularly those who do not get the level of support that they deserve from this town, including and especially vulnerable children and youth.
▶ 0:18:01That's why the committee fought so hard to pass and get signed into law the historic and bipartisan Supporting America's Children and Families Act to reauthorize the child welfare programs. Now, let's build on that bipartisan census to modernize the Chaffi Prof program. Let's focus on building the capacity of every American youth to thrive and reach their full potential.
▶ 0:18:31To that end, I'm pleased to have a member of one of the communities I have the honor to represent here with us today. I'd like to introduce Kimberly Webb from Farmington, Missouri, a little over an hour away from my home where I grew up. Kimberly works the nighttime shift as a correctional officer, doing her part already to give back to our community.
▶ 0:18:56But the reason she is here today is because she herself came to us through foster care. Kimberly is enrolled in Missou's Royals program, which is helping her as she actively works to transition out of foster care to to independence. In fact, one day she hopes to become a foster parent herself.
▶ 0:19:19Today, she has graciously agreed to share her experiences in foster care so this committee may learn how we can improve the Chaffi program for others. I want to thank you, Kimberly, for being here today and for sharing your story. This committee has much much that we can learn from you and all who have had direct personal experience with our foster youth programs.
▶ 0:19:48So, thank you for being here and I yield back, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Chairman Smith. I'll now turn to Representative Dwight Evans to introduce his witness from Philadelphia, Mr. Rumand Nelson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member. I'm honored to introduce the Democratic witness today, Mr. Nelson. Mr. Nelson is my constituent and current resident of Philadelphia.
▶ 0:20:13He is here today to talk about his lived experience as a former foster youth. He was born in Pittsburgh, but now he's a proud I will not hold Pittsburgh against them. But he's now a private private resident where he has found community. He is a lived experienced leader with the national network for foster youth and foster club.
▶ 0:20:39This organization hels provides direct service to young people currently in foster care while engaging and empowering them. We will hear today from Mr. Nelson of his struggles and how he overcomes that with hard work and being relentless in pursuing of excellence. I thank all the witnesses for being here today and I'm eager to listen to your testimony. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Evans. And now turn to Rep.
▶ 0:21:09uh Rudy Yakam of Indiana to introduce his witness, Maggie Stevens. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm happy to introduce my fellow Hooser, Dr. Maggie Stevens, president and CEO of Foster Success, an Indiana based nonprofit that supports and equips teens and young adults in foster care as they transition to adulthood.
▶ 0:21:28Her work at Foster Success has given foster youth tools to and skills to achieve self-sufficiency through access to workforce training, housing, mental health resources, and financial literacy. Dr. Stevens, thank you for being here today. I look forward to your testimony. and chairman Hood Leah Hood. With that, I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Yakam. Um, our third our fourth witness today is Miss Lisa Gillette. Lisa is the executive director of Foster Forward in East Providence, Rhode Island.
▶ 0:21:58So, welcome to all four of you. We look forward to your valuable testimony here today. Uh, with that, Miss Webb, we'll now recognize you for five minutes to deliver your opening statement. Welcome. Good morning, Chairman Smith, Chairman Lehood, Ranking Member Davis, members of the US House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Work and Welfare. My name is Kimberly Web and I'm a 20-year-old living in Farmington, Missouri.
▶ 0:22:21I want to thank you for inviting me before the subcommittee to testify and share my story, the impact and the impact of Missouri Royals program had has had on my life. Over the years, I've been placed in care three different times at ages 6, 12, and 16, spending a total of five and a half years in the system. That time in foster care system was not easy. There were many barriers to overcome such as having to move foster homes five times over the course of nine months. This impacted my ability to focus on my education and led to no connections with my peers.
▶ 0:22:52Constantly missing school required meeting in court required for meetings in court. FSTS family support teams and check-ins with a caseworker also made my education journey difficult. The last time being put in care, my older sister became my foster mom and I was able to graduate high school. After graduating from high school, I looked for employment within one mile of where I lived due to the lack of access to transportation. I searched indeed.com for jobs and worked as a babysitter for a short period and subway as well.
▶ 0:23:22I also worked shortly as a at a factory before getting my current job as the correctional officer at Farmington Correctional Center. The inability to be able to practice driving was also a challenge. I was lucky to have my sister allow me practice driving using their car, but not every youth has the opportunity to do so. I was able to gain my driver's license, but it was nerve-wracking to purchase a vehicle. Because I had no credit history, I was unable to go to a regular car dealership and instead looked at CarMart. I ultimately purchased a vehicle, which has allowed me to expand the reach of where I can travel to.
▶ 0:23:52These experiences might seem small, but they add up and they make it hard to feel control in your own life. That's where Missouri Regional Older Youth Advancement of Life Skills Royals program came in and things changed for the good. The Royals program provided specialized case manage case management for youth in foster care and works with us to help us achieve our goals. The Royals program didn't just treat us like another case number. Case workers took the time to build to build a real relationship with me.
▶ 0:24:18They spent one-on-one time teaching me life skills, not just talking about them, but showing them to me. Some of them was budgeting by using clothing vouchers or putting in a job application. They didn't boss me around or make decisions for me. They gave me the information I needed and supported me in making my own choices. They even went with me to do things like use my clothing voucher or get a meal. Not just to check a box, but because they genuinely cared about me as a person. And that makes a big difference when you feel like the world has forgotten you.
▶ 0:24:45What makes Royals truly different is how much they believe in young people leading charge in their own lives. They introduced me to opportunities I didn't even know existed like child advocacy day, voices of change, the state youth advisory board and leadership academy. Through those, I got my chance to use my voice to advocate for myself and for future foster youth. The truth is a lot of foster youth feel like they are just a burden on the system. But Royals made me feel like I matter, like I could succeed, like I had a whole community walking beside me, not behind me, not in front of me, but with me.
▶ 0:25:14I believe real improvements for older youth could be made. expanding Royals program and allowing all older youth to have access to it. The support I receive should not be the exception. It should be standard. Advocating for youth to advocate for themselves, to listen to youth about whatever is going on, and not pass their fears or worries off as them not knowing what is best for them.
▶ 0:25:33Royals workers could also play a crucial role in educating current foster care managers, GLS, juvenile officers, and even judges, many of whom don't understand the big difference between working with children and working with youth transitioning into adulthood. The policies are different. The needs are different. The approach has to be different. We need we need expanding housing options for older youth. I currently live in a TLSS program where we have classes that the youth lead whether it be cooking, budgeting, or if there is something that the youth feel like they need or want to know.
▶ 0:26:03We need to prioritize transportation and make it accessible because many of us don't have the same support youth outside the system take for granted. We we need to make sure that every youth in care receives their vital documents, license, permits, social security cards, and even birth certificates because without them, getting a job, housing, or even home becomes nearly impossible. But most importantly, the biggest improvement we could made is for everyone involved in the foster care system to take a cue from royals.
▶ 0:26:27Listen to older youth, walk beside them, and give them the chance to take charge and their independence with a guiding hand, not a controlling grip. Because when you do that, when you invest in us, we rise. Personally, I've worked extremely hard to become independent and have made huge strides toward breaking the cycle of welfare system. I'm looking forward to my future and currently working towards purchasing a home, continuing to build my career with the state of Missouri, and one day becoming a foster parent to older youth.
▶ 0:26:50Since my very first time in custody, I've dreamed of becoming a mother, especially the kind of parent that takes teens so they don't have to feel the same rejection or denial of a loving support system just because of their age. Thank you again, Chairman Smith, Chairman Lehood, Ranking Member Davis, and members of the committee for inviting me to testify. Thank you, Miss Webb. Appreciate that. We'll now recognize Mr. Nelson for your five minute opening statement. Good morning, Chairman Little Hood, Ranking Member Davis, and members of subcommittee. And thank you, Mr. Evans, for the introduction.
▶ 0:27:19Before I begin, I would like to say I'm not what I've been through. I'm what I'm built for. Liberation, legacy, redefining odds. I was made for impact and not invisibility. My name is Ramon Nelson. I'm a 29-year-old first generation graduate from Temple University with a bachelor's degree in political science. A Temple University employee and currently pursuing my mers in education. Aside from all the accolades, I'm a former foster youth from Pittsburgh who spent seven years in the Pennsylvania child welfare system.
▶ 0:27:44I'm honored to be here today to not only share my story, but also share my personal and professional expertise around family preservation, community, and peer support. I ask that you truly hear me and recognize the vulnerability in my words because I speak not just for myself but as one of hundreds of thousands of foster youth still navigating the system. I entered the child welfare center system when I was 13. My mother struck was a single parent raising three boys and honestly she needed support way before we ever gotten taken away. We were removed from our home. Everything just changed.
▶ 0:28:14My older brother emancipated and tried to make it on his own. My little brother went to the living room by our grandmother and I enter I ended up with a family friend I trusted in care. I never felt like my well-being was a priority. I was often in the dark. I didn't know about college resources, housing help or financial support because no one told me. My foster parent didn't know either. I began my educational journey at a community college in um 2013. Juggling a full-time job and carrying a lot of uncertainty about my future.
▶ 0:28:39That weight made it hard to stay on track, delaying my education for 5 years and leave me without clear direction. Everything started to shift when I landed an internship with Foster Club in 2018. For the first time, I was connected with other young people who share similar expert experiences. I started to learn about the resources that I could I could have attained if I was a form. Foster Club gave me something that I didn't know I was missing. Purpose, a community of people who really understood. I found friends who turned to family. I I finally had a space where I can share my story and actually help others still in the system.
▶ 0:29:08The experience this that experience changed was was everything for me. A year later in 2019, I transferred to Temple University because I was eager for more. More support, more structure, more transfer to grow. I wanted something better for myself. I finally started to believe I deserved it. College was already tough and then and then the pandemic hit during my second semester. I was working and trying to keep up with school, just doing whatever I can to stay afloat. But nothing could prepare me for what happened next. Right before my final semester, I got the call that my mom had passed away.
▶ 0:29:36I had planned our funeral, travel home to tell my brothers and something somehow figure out how to cover all the costs. All while trying to finish school. I was heartbroken, exhausted, and barely making it financially. But I wasn't alone. My people really came through. My Foster Club family of fraternity brothers of the Omega fraternity, the Omega Saf attorney Incorporated stepped up. They raised money and help me through pain. They stood by me while I figured everything out. I'll never forget that. I was overwhelmed but very grateful. After that, I wasn't sure if I was to keep going, but I remember my mom's last conversation about how proud she was. I was graduating.
▶ 0:30:06I pushed through. Still, things didn't get easier. When I returned home to campus, I had nowhere to live. I spent 18 days homeless, sleeping in the library, showering out where before my overnight shift, attending classes during the day. A professor a professor eventually helped me get a down payment on an apartment, but emergency assistance I received came with strings I didn't know was attached. I had to pay back I had to pay it back through taxes. Somehow, something that I wouldn't have have happened if I had access to the federal housing supports Chaffy. But I learned about Chaffy too late.
▶ 0:30:34I am just one of 400,000 young adults in the child welfare system and millions who never made it to this podium. You think my story is bad, you share my peers. That's the pattern. Too little, too late. The system failed my mother, my brothers, my grandmother, myself. Please take my words into into greater consideration. I'm not just here to tell you what went wrong. I'm here to tell you what what you could do to make it right. First, relationships matters. You need to you need connections to our family, community, peers, and chosen family while we are in care, not just when we age out.
▶ 0:31:01Programs like fost club should be integrated and the foster care experience not treated as optional extras. Second, family support. Families need real support. My mother struggled with mental health and we lack access to healthcare stability and resources that might have get kept us together. My grandmother wanted to take me in, but she didn't have the means to care for two boys. Third, information is power. No one should have had to ne navigate the system on their own like myself, my mom, my brothers did. I didn't know about the resources that the Congress had placed for youth like me because the system didn't tell me about them.
▶ 0:31:32Youth and caregivers should be told not just once but repeatedly by the resources available to them and they should get hands-on help to actually access them. There are so many people there are so many young people just like me who can't be here because of the system have failed them in both relationships and resources. The system must do better. Our lives dependent on it. You have the power to ensure that youth and in the child welfare system are not left to navigate alone. Invest in family. Invest in peer support.
▶ 0:31:58Make sure young people and our families know what help is available before it's too late. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Mr. Nelson. Now recognize uh Dr. Stevens for your fiveminute opening statement. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Lehood, Ranking Member Davis, and members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and be a part of this conversation on reimagining the futures of our older foster youth.
▶ 0:32:21My name is Maggie Stevens, as has been stated, and I serve as the president and CEO of Foster Success, an Indiana based nonprofit that's working nationally to support young people transitioning out of foster care. Our mission is to hear, support, and empower these young people through individualized holistic support that helps them reach self-sufficiency. We do this through partnerships with state agencies and by administering Chaffi funded programs.
▶ 0:32:45Additionally, we leverage other federal federal funding, state funding, and philanthropic support to maximize the impact of our mission. Today, I'll share specific information on our programs and the outcomes related to our work in the areas of educational success and financial empowerment.
▶ 0:33:03Foster Success has administered the Chaffi Education and Training Voucher or ETV program in Indiana since 2012 and since 2023 in Arizona, Maryland, and Recent research suggests that only 8 to 12% of teens aging out of care complete a post-secary credential. But the students in our ETV programs have demonstrated a completion rate of more than 30%. This success comes from two major strategies.
▶ 0:33:31First, we've invested in streamlined techup supported processes. A process that previously took our team six weeks to complete is now completed in two weeks or less because of a robust CRM system that allows individuals from the state's child welfare agency, institutions of higher education, students, and our staff to submit and edit application materials and process them in real time. Second, and more importantly, is the holistic and human support that we provide to students.
▶ 0:34:01Put simply, we meet young people where they are in their educational journeys and we help them move to reaching their educational We have found that students who engage with our staff in at least two coaching sessions each semester are significantly more likely to return to school the following semester, the following year, and work toward completing their degree.
▶ 0:34:25While we have hundreds of stories of persistence and resilience in accomplishing educational goals, I only have time to highlight one or two for you today. Please note that to honor these students privacy, I've changed their names in these stories. With support from our staff over two years, Kayla improved her GPA from her first semester 0.0 to 3.6.
▶ 0:34:48and she learned along the way how to manage her anxiety that had prevented her from attending class and participating in class while maintaining a full course load and two jobs. Another young person not only learned how to navigate the financial aid system on his campus and many other uh systems on campus, but he learned and beca learned how to do this and became a champion for his younger sister and helped her do the same. These successes happen in spite of the outdated program structures and funding models that we have today.
▶ 0:35:17And it's time to modernize Chaffi and ETV to reflect today's costs and needs. Ways that we can consider doing this is to increase the annual funding caps for our young people. Current financial caps cover only a fraction of the costs. We should expand ETV eligible programs to include trade and technical pathways. We should update our funding formulas to reflect the number of young people eligible for Chaffi support, not the total number of youth in care.
▶ 0:35:45And we should clarify policy so that states can apply best practices consistently. When looking at our financial empowerment programs, Foster Success believes empowerment isn't financial empowerment isn't just about numbers. It's about building futures. Our three core financial programs focus on things including budgeting, credit, and savings. And we pair education resources with matched savings and credit building through programs like opportunity passport and credit build.
▶ 0:36:13A young person named Aaron who participated in both programs started with a credit score of in the 500s. Over a year of participating and working with us, she raised her score more than 100 points and was able to purchase her first house in southern Indiana. These stories show what's possible when we combine policy, funding, and human support. Since the implementation of the Chaffi programs and resources in 1999, we've made real progress for older foster youth.
▶ 0:36:41But the world has changed and so have the needs of our young people. As you consider how to improve these programs, please think of foster success as a partner in this work. Together, we can ensure that aging out of foster care is not the end of support, but the beginning of an opportunity. Thank you and I look forward to engaging in conversation with you this morning and digging into this more deeply. Thank you, Dr. Stevens. Now recognize Miss Gillette for your opening statement.
▶ 0:37:07Chairman Lehood, you hit your mic there, Miss Gillette. Oh, sorry. Chairman Le Hood, Ranking Member Davis, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Lisa Gallette and for over two decades I've led Foster Forward in Rhode Island. We're a nonprofit that helps youth impacted by the foster care transition um not just into adulthood but into thriving.
▶ 0:37:35I'm also a proud forever mom to a young woman who once faced foster care and homelessness and today is a law school graduate successfully living and working in Miami. When we say aging out is not a plan, we mean that deeply because we've seen what's possible. When we give young people real support, housing, workforce opportunities, and relationships that last. Let me tell you about Christelle. When she walked into our drop-in center, she was living out of her car.
▶ 0:38:04She later told us, "I was alive, but I wasn't really living. It was November in New England, and she was cold, overwhelmed, and completely alone. She didn't need a lecture. She needed a lifeline." And she found that through our Works Wonders program, a youth designed trauma-informed career pathway model built specifically for foster youth ages 16 to 26.
▶ 0:38:26She received one-on-one coaching, met peers who understood her journey, and helped not just applying for a foster youth to independence spouse housing voucher, but in securing an apartment where her voucher would be accepted. Slowly, like a toddler learning to walk, she gained her footing. She completed a certified nursing assistant program, landed a job, and renewed her license and vehicle registration. Small victories that add up to independence. That is what coordinated support looks like. And it works.
▶ 0:38:56Works Wonders bridges the gap that traditional workforce systems miss. Housing instability, trauma, lack of completion of a diploma or GED, and a limited family safety net. Works Wonders works because it's relational, developmentally appropriate, and youthpowered. Youth co-design the program. Coaches are trained and consistent mentors. Employers get support to host and hire youth they otherwise might not.
▶ 0:39:22And in 2023, only 4% of Rhode Island teens ages 16 to 19 were disconnected from school and work, the second lowest rate in the country compared to 7% nationally. And Works Wonder scales. What started in Rhode Island is now being replicated in Indiana and Tennessee. We're seeing real results. 74% of youth in our program reach positive outcomes such as employment or post-secary enrollment. Take Elijah.
▶ 0:39:49He came to us unhoused doing Door Dash to survive through Works Wonders. He found coaching, counseling, pure support, and a paid internship in IT. But here's the key. He didn't just need tech skills. He needed help writing emails, resolving conflicts, and navigating the workplace. Today, Elijah has a full-time job with benefits, stable housing, and is on a path to earning college credit. He even repaired and put his car back on the road through Foster Ford's match savings program. Without that support, he could have easily fallen through the cracks.
▶ 0:40:19Instead, he's flourishing. These stories aren't the exception. They are proof of concept for what we can achieve together. But federal systems, WEOA, Chaffi, and FYI are not keeping pace. Foster youth are categorically eligible for WEOA, but current requirements hinder their participation. Chaffi funds go unspent, while youth graduation and GED completion rates remain unacceptably low.
▶ 0:40:44FYI vouchers require youth driven wraparound services and an adequate supply of safe and affordable housing stock to truly work. We don't have to create new programs. We need to modernize and align the ones we already have. Let's streamline WEOA's vital documents requirements for foster youth and expand paid work experience hours. Use Chaffy to fund mentoring, high school diploma, and GED attainment, and support you through age 26.
▶ 0:41:10Expand FYI vouchers to fund coordinated services and align with federal programs that incentivize and fund the construction of new affordable housing. This isn't about charity. It's about investment. giving young people who've experienced foster care a hand up when they need it most. What foster care youth need isn't more resilience. Our direct experience with them tells us they have that in abundance. What they lack or opportunities derailed not by personal failure, but by disconnection from families and systems that were never adequately designed to guide them.
▶ 0:41:40It doesn't have to stay that way. With your partnership, together we can reimagine how federal investments like WEOA, Chaffy, and FYI are structured. If we elevate the bright spots you've heard about today, we can ensure that no youth ages out with a plan without a plan. And here's the bigger picture. If we get this right for youth leaving foster care, arguably the most disconnected young people in America, we unlock insights for solving a national crisis of youth disconnection from school and work. These success stories hold the blueprint for progress for all of us.
▶ 0:42:10Thank you. Thank you. Uh and let me thank all of you for your opening statements. We're now going to turn to the question and answer portion uh from the members and I will um start with my um my own questions here. I'm going to start with you, Miss Webb. Um thank you for your opening statement. Uh you discussed um how the one-on-one guidance you received from the Royals program uh how helpful that was and and taught you um certain life skills.
▶ 0:42:38You also highlighted the differences between providing support for younger children in foster care compared to unique needs of older youth. My question for you is in your view is there the need um is there the need to have specialized case managers dedicated to supporting older foster youth who will be exiting uh foster care?
▶ 0:43:01If so, what difference would this make in their transition to Yes, there does need to be specialized case managers as specialized case managers um helps transition the you the youth to adulthood through focus on themselves instead of worrying about younger kids as well as just they're just focusing on the older
▶ 0:43:31youth and through brings trust. Thank you for that. Um, Mr. Nelson, I'm going to turn to you next. Um, you you shared how you and your siblings were unaware of the resources available to you while you were in foster care and the impact that had on you.
▶ 0:43:51Um, what do you think is the most effective way to raise awareness among foster youth services on the services available through Shaffy such as education and training vouchers, especially knowing that some states are returning these unused funds? Absolutely. Thank you for the question. So for myself, I think that letting people know um through the duration of like meeting when people um like when the case worker sees you, for example, um letting them know that there's opportunity to exist. So when we go to court, let them know there opportunities exist. So you're hearing it repeatedly.
▶ 0:44:22Um, part of the reason why I spent six and a half years out of community college prior to transferring to Temple is because I didn't think that I can afford college and I I didn't had the means of course because I'm a first generation uh graduate and you know student of course. So I I would say this constantly reminding people about like just the opportunities that's that's for them because um my little brother Ashley too he didn't he didn't even uh pursue college because he didn't think it was for him as well.
▶ 0:44:47So that played a that played a a pivotal role in my development um from 17 until when I got to Foster Club and I started finding out about this at Foster Club um through a 8week course or 8week uh externship um then in my entire like seven years in the foster system. Thank you for sharing that. That's helpful. Uh Dr. Stevens, I'll turn to you next.
▶ 0:45:09Um, Miss Webb emphasized the need for specialized case management for older youth in foster care and how that one-on-one guidance provided to youth through the Royals program was um should be standard. Based on your understanding of the Chaffi statute, can states utilize Shaffi funds to provide specialized case management to the older foster youth and do you think Shaffy should be amended to do so? Thank you for the question.
▶ 0:45:34Um, I think that the way the policy is written, the way I understand it is that it can be used for a multitude of services for older foster youth, including support through case management. I think there's a lot of confusion amongst the states as I talked to different state administers and federal policy analysts on this um because it's not explicitly stated that this is allowed.
▶ 0:45:56So there are certain items within the Chaffi legislation um training of foster parents, training of colle of case managers that are allowed and so depending on how you interpret it because uh it's not explicitly stated um some states tend to say well then no we can't do that while other states lean towards allowing those things. Um whether or not I think it needs to say that or be more clear in policy 100%.
▶ 0:46:21And I think Chaffi funds should be used to support uh young people in their work and pay for case management. As you heard here, and we could recount hundreds of stories. Again, it's the people. Um yes, the dollars help, but it's really the people um and the supporters that help our young people move into adulthood successfully. Thank you. Um Miss Gullette, I'm going to turn to you next. Federal data finds that in 2021, at least 34% of former foster youth experienced homelessness.
▶ 0:46:49And I highlighted that in my opening statement. HUD's foster youth to independence vouchers are intended to help former foster youth avoid homelessness. Last month, HUD announced 39 of these vouchers uh worth more than for the Peoria Housing Authority in my district.
▶ 0:47:08Can you talk about some of the disconnects that exist at the local level or barriers to ensuring these uh HUD resources are connected to shafy youth and what role can Congress play in encouraging public housing authorities and child welfare agencies to coordinate better? Thank you for the question and first of all congratulations on bringing those vouchers to Poria. Uh FYI has been an absolute lifesaving resource for youth in Rhode Island.
▶ 0:47:37And what it took to get there was our child welfare agency needed to provide or secure supportive services and work in tandem with the housing authority to issue and maintain the vouchers. Since chaffy funds end at 21 in some states and 23 in others and the vouchers can go right up until a young person has turned 25, there was a reluctance to sign on for the supportive services.
▶ 0:48:03We turned as a private provider in the community and said we will say that we'll provide those supportive services. foster forward will sign up. And we went out to the private community and found CVS Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island to help us fund the cost of the supportive services. And that gave the push that we needed to bring the vouchers into our state.
▶ 0:48:24The last part of the stool, you could three-legged stool of bringing in the vouchers, providing great supportive services, which we're doing with Works Wonders and the other programs that we provide. The third piece though is you need affordable housing stock and we went out to market to buy it and rent directly to young people leaving. I think what Congress Congress can do is continue to lift up these stories of success.
▶ 0:48:47Um find similar organizations in the communities across our country and really leverage community resources to pay for highquality supportive services. Very helpful. Thank you. Uh that concludes my questions. I'll now recognize ranking member Davis for his opening questions. Thank you very much, Mr. chairman and thank you all for your testimonies. Uh, Mr.
▶ 0:49:09Nelson, I have to confess that I was thrilled and delighted as a lifetime member of Alpha Alpha fraternity to hear you talk about the help that your fraternity brothers and sisters gave you as your mother transition.
▶ 0:49:27I mean, I'm sure that all the guys and ladies throughout the country appreciate that kind of testimony, but you mentioned having to make difficult decisions pretty early in life.
▶ 0:49:40So it was pretty clear to me that even as a child you were a serious thinker and and so you agonized a little bit making the decision in terms of knowing that your didn't have the resources to take care of both you and your brother. How how challenging was that experience? It was extremely challenging and thank you for the question, Miss Davis.
▶ 0:50:09Um, so my I didn't mention this in my speech, but my mother, my grandmother had passed away prior to my mother passing away. So, and she died at a young age, 66 to be exact. Um, she was a great woman, of course. Um, she had a a hip disability, like she was like walking like with a cane, and she was still, you know, um, getting food stamps and things like that.
▶ 0:50:32So like just understanding the situation that she was in and doing the best that she could for my little brother and I knew that my little brother had like friends and family there or friends and support of being there. Um he he was more it was best suitable for him. Um I I knew the person I moved in with um who's my foster parent who I still have a great relationship to this day. Um he ran a youth program in my in my city of Pittsburgh.
▶ 0:50:59So, I I kind of like trusted them and it wasn't like when I joined or when I actually became um first in foster care. It wasn't like that was like my I asked him to be my foster parent. It wasn't a long-term plan. Um but he eventually like accepted it and we wasn't provided with information. So, I would say like mental health I'm sorry I'm talking in circles. But back to my nana.
▶ 0:51:21Um my nana eventually ended up suffering from mental health and she end up losing her place which my little brother ended up moving in with us. Um and I think just resources around mental health counseling, resources around um ETV, uh resources around uh like housing and stability and actually having like a full contingency plan for young adults being that being that the fact that I went into fosterare at a prime age of 13 like a month before my ninth grade year or
▶ 0:51:51my ninth grade semester. Sorry. Is there anything else that you think the child welfare system could have done or told you that would have been helpful? Yes, absolutely. Re like re reunification should have been a part of the plan. Um like having there was never a plan throughout the duration of my time, seven years in the child welfare system that um we had plans of like coming back to our original biological family.
▶ 0:52:20Did you have contact with your father? Did anybody suggest that that you be in touch or your grandmother? No. Um, so when we went in, it was never it was it was never as um thoroughly to say that it wasn't um I knew that he paid child support, but it wasn't it was never a plan for like for him to be contacted. Oh, thank you.
▶ 0:52:44Let me ask you, Miss Webb, uh, before my time runs out, um, can you talk a little bit about the challenges of young people acquiring a car or transportation or uh, the ability to move from one place to another? Acquiring a car was actually hard. I had to find a job to be able to actually save up to later get a down payment or to buy a car outright.
▶ 0:53:16So, I had to find a job within a mile distance, walking distance from my placement. And having to find a way to get to said um car was hard. I thankfully had somebody who was willing to take me, but other youth do not.
▶ 0:53:34Um, I have talked with multiple different youth who have discussed with me on getting cars and they have stated that with their credits and everything that they wouldn't been been able to unless they bought it on Facebook Marketplace. Thank you. Thank you very much. I'll yield back, Mr. Chairman. Um, I want to thank you.
▶ 0:54:03Um, I guess uh I am now going to recognize myself for a few questions. Um, listen, I I I do want to thank uh the witnesses today. I personally want to extend a special thank you to uh Kimberly and Raymond. Um, where you from in Pittsburgh? Um, North Side. So, like Northight 5 minutes away from Huntsville. Yeah. Okay. Spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh. I'm not a Steeler fan, but I did spend a lot of time in Pittsburgh.
▶ 0:54:30Uh but your willingness uh to share your personal experience um with the foster care system is is really truly inspiring. Your nana, she wanted to take you in, right? But she couldn't. And then she had to deal with some mental health issues. Is that what you had said earlier? Yes. Um one bedroom, one bath. Yeah. You know, it's kind of hard for two boys, two young boys. Yeah. That live in my space. And my my little brother share the same room and bed. Oh, okay.
▶ 0:55:00Anything you want to say about her? Um, regardless of her struggle, like I I still um I just feel like there could have been resources put in place to like help like um prevent the part of her losing her place, mental health resources. Yeah. Um can I kind of make that kind of um I'm sorry, I don't want to get too longwinded, but No, please. I want you to take the time in in her memory. Absolutely.
▶ 0:55:26Um, so nana suffered from depression and mental health. My mother suffered from schizophrenia. Didn't know this until I was 19. Been experienced since I was 5 years old. So 13 years of my life I went through not knowing about these mental health resources. I was never asked about uh counseling and seeing a counselor. I started ironically seeing a counselor when I went to after I went to foster club and that helped out a lot about things.
▶ 0:55:54I was provided with a book called Survivor Serenia and that kind of like just answered all my questions right then and there like within the first chapter about my my my life um with dealing with mental health. So I I feel um I almost feel guilty of like just not like just having some sight like resentment towards my my parents my my nana in some way because I didn't understand and I think providing resources and putting not only re reunification but setting
▶ 0:56:24up setting up my myself and my brothers for um just providing us with a a plan to exit thoroughly ex exit the child welfare system would be help um ETV just be example I'll say this very briefly. Um when I got to Fost Club in 2018, I learned about education training voucher. Um at the time I was at the age that age for that was 21. I was 22. So and then when I found out about it again in 2019 2020 um went to 23 but I was 24.
▶ 0:56:53So I was always a year behind um the mark of getting the opportunities and resources and that could have helped out with a lot with I didn't have to take out a loan. U my first semester at Temple University. my little brother could have went to um a four year university or trade school like my colleague just said about ETV. So that these things um should have been placed put in place to the to better set up um better success rates for not only myself but hundreds of thousand people that don't get the opportunity to even be here.
▶ 0:57:22So well listen I I I really do appreciate uh uh your testimony. Um and I know I only have about a a few minutes here. uh I in May um was announced that the first lady had secured 25 million uh in the 2026 budget for foster youth to independence initiatives. Um so Mr. Le uh this is obviously a critical investment. I don't think it's a lot of money.
▶ 0:57:49I mean quite frankly um but it it is it is a investment and something that we should uh uh we should you know support. But uh do you believe that uh the supplemental funding housing programs such as FY initiative uh do you support it? Obviously I'm sure you do. Uh and but how can these programs be more effectively coordinated? Uh and I you know I see you went through the program yourself.
▶ 0:58:15I mean you've obviously Oh you did but but just could you kind of explain that to me a little bit please? Sure. Um the the vouchers are an absolute lifecher for these young people, giving them 36 months of runway to really participate in the highquality programs that we're talking about. So I would endorse really leveraging Chaffy dollars, modernizing that system to have those dollars follow and walk alongside of young people as they're in that 36 months with the placement.
▶ 0:58:43I think having community organizations that are doing innovate in innovative work. We've got a lot of national communities of practice. The Annie E. Casey Foundation has um helped support the Jim Casey initiative. Those quality programs in the community um and youthled initiatives that really drive peer-based supports. That's the programming that we should be wrapping around these FYI vouchers.
▶ 0:59:07And when we do that, I think, and we pair with community development corporations that can help do set aides of units for young people, we really help them complete their education, get highquality jobs, and have that runway that they need to be successful in the future. I I want to thank you all and thank the witnesses again. Now, the chair would like to recognize Miss Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. And I am welcoming the entire panel today.
▶ 0:59:38And in case no one else has mentioned it, uh today is uh foster youth shadow day. And as a matter of fact, we have about 30 foster youth who are paired up with members of Congress. Um my foster daughter is here today.
▶ 0:59:59Uh and um wave And um and we this is on a bipartisan um because our caucus, the uh foster care um uh caucus has co-chairs on both sides of the aisles.
▶ 1:00:26And so we have learned what you said, Miss Webb, in your testimony. And I'm sorry that I I missed it, but I did review your testimony and you said we need to listen to the youth. And this is what we have learned. Uh that as brilliant as we think we are, people with lived experience have taught us so much.
▶ 1:00:48And I just want to say on behalf of all Americans, I I am really really sorry that you went through the especially the physical abuse with your Uh we try very very hard to make sure that we match youth with foster parents that are really there for the right doing it for the right reason. Like you say, you would love to be a foster parent someday.
▶ 1:01:15You're a person who wants to do it for the right reason uh and not to abuse children. And I am I'm just sorry that you experience that. Um, and I'm hoping um that you can take advantage of some of the programs under Chaffy to continue to get the kind of uh support that you need, counseling that you need to make sure that uh that you become the greatest person that we know that you can be.
▶ 1:01:46Uh, and Mr. Nelson, I just want to say um that your your grandmother and your mother, I'm sure, loved you. know, I read uh through I listened to your testimony and I took some notes about uh and this is this is not the subject and scope of this hearing, but you have indicated that a lot of your problem came from there being no help and uh in your home.
▶ 1:02:13You had a mother diagnosed with a serious mental illness, Uh, and why wasn't there some help for your family that perhaps could have um could have helped you? Uh, I want to know, were you a beneficiary, Mr. Nelson, of the TRIO program? No, I was not. I only Did you know about TRIO? No, I didn't.
▶ 1:02:40And uh, and yet you continued to pursue your education. I just am really proud of you and Miss Webb. I you're resilient. You're survivors. Um, Mr. Mr. Kerry, they're survivors. But I guess what I would say is that it just is not fair to expect young people to be resilient. Um, and to survive and to, you know, claw their way out of their situation.
▶ 1:03:09Um, and as I've indicated in so many of our hearings before, we don't have any extra kids in this country. uh our replacement rate in terms of births uh is underwater and if we don't if we don't care for the children that we have you you you are our future workforce I mean Mr.
▶ 1:03:33Nelson, you're a future professor, you know, and Miss Web, you're already employed with the correctional system. We need you to run the joint be become the, you know, the secretary because you understand more than anybody that there is a, you know, a prison, you know, a foster care to prison pipeline that we need to uh that we need to I guess I want to ask Dr.
▶ 1:04:02uh Stevens and and Miss Gillette uh here um just to expand on your uh testimony about improvements that we need to make updates. You Dr. Stevens in particular focused on updates that we need to make uh in the Chaffy program. And I was confused because I see that we provide mental health services maybe up to 21 up to 23.
▶ 1:04:32um presumably consistent with what we do with the Affordable Care Act if we we say that kids are eligible to be on their parents' health care, you know, private sector healthcare till they're 26. Um and I'm not sure that our Chaffy program is consistent with that. People have to figure out, am I wrong about this? Figure out how to get on Medicaid without it being an automatic transition.
▶ 1:05:01Would that be something that you want to comment on? Oh, my time. I I the chair will allow the answer. Okay, Dr. Dr. Stevens, I'm so sorry. That's okay. Um, thank you. Um, a couple things.
▶ 1:05:20So I you know yes I think the older foster youth services chaffy funding the way that uh the bill is written it is a it allows states to make the choice if they want to extend foster care services foster care till 21 and extended f and other services till 23. Um the majority of our states but not nearly all of our states are doing it. And I'm proud to say Indiana was one of our first states um that when those age options or age extension options were put in place under the Family First Prevention Act in 2018.
▶ 1:05:51Um Indiana leaned into that wholly and we do provide that. But not every young person um has those opportunities based upon where they're aging out. And then to answer your question around um health insurance and Medicaid, under the Affordable Care Act, every young person who turns 18 in foster care is eligible to maintain Medicaid support until their 26th birthday. That's the answer. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your indulgence. I just I just got Well, I appreciate you and I appreciate your line of questioning.
▶ 1:06:21And now we're going to go to a fellow person from Indiana, Mr. Y. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing. I would like to extend my gratitude to our witnesses for being here today, especially to uh Miss Webb and Mr. Nelson for sharing your uh powerful uh personal stories and experiences. Thank you. Um additionally, I'd like to welcome my fellow Hooser Dr. Stevens uh to the panel uh to share uh your incredible work that you've been doing uh not only in Indiana but across the country through Fosters Success.
▶ 1:06:51In 2022, Indiana had over 3,200 older foster youth that were served through the Chaffi funded programming. Chaffi funding supports essential programs that give older foster youth the skills they need to transition to adulthood through housing, education, and other essential services. Dr.
▶ 1:07:10Stevens Foster Success has been successful in administering education and training vouchers in Indiana as 29% of youth receiving vouchers in Indiana completed their credentials within six years. This is 10% higher than the national average. Vouchers are distributed to states based on the overall number of children in foster care, not the number of older youth that are eligible for the program.
▶ 1:07:35In Indiana, from fiscal years 2018 through 2023, the number of Chaffi eligible youth in foster care increased while the number of children overall in the state's foster system decreased. Can you provide insights as to what impact this has had on eligibility of ETVs for youth in Indiana? Yes, thanks for the question and the opportunity to address this. Uh the way that Chaffy funds are distributed to states is based upon the total number of youth in care.
▶ 1:08:03So that includes our infants, our toddlers, our young children all the way through our teens and adults. However, Chaffi services are only provided to those teens and young adults who are in foster care in their teenage years.
▶ 1:08:16And so what has happened in Indiana, as you mentioned, from 2018 to 2023, we saw more than a 50% decrease in the number of overall youth in foster care, which um at the same time that was happening, it was mostly in our 0 to 17 population and our older teens all the way up until uh 21 and 23, we were seeing increases in eligible youth.
▶ 1:08:41And so what we experienced in 2023, specifically with the Chaffy ETV program, was a 15% decrease in funding because of our statewide overall numbers. While our older youth who were eligible, those numbers were increasing and the demand for the programs and services were increasing. So it would seem logical that we could make some adjustments to uh to the federal funding formulas uh to so that we can direct dollars to where they're needed most. Correct. Yeah, I would wholly support that.
▶ 1:09:08I think um really looking at who is eligible to access this funding and then rethinking how we're distributing that fun those funds to the states uh really could address some of the issues that the chairman brought up earlier with dollars being returned. Um I think by rethinking the formula, we could make sure the dollars are getting to the states where the young people need them. That's great. Thank you. Uh and Dr. Mr. Stevens, Foster Success has a few programs that support financial literacy and independence for older foster youth, including credit building and educational resources.
▶ 1:09:39What benefits have you seen for youth participating in your financial empowerment programs? I I think it allow the financial empowerment programs we have, we kind of tier them and scale them. So, we've got a really an entry- level program to help you with the basics. We have opportunity passport which is a program that the Annie Casey foundation created specifically for older foster youth.
▶ 1:10:01The benefit of that is a matched savings program that young people can asset access and we help them purchase their first car, move into their first apartment and sometimes even buy their first house. Um and then our credit build program. You've heard today um young people don't have um a credit history often or maybe it's been damaged over time for any number of reasons. So, we have a secure loan program to help young people establish and or repair their credit.
▶ 1:10:26So, then when it is time for them to purchase a car, purchase a house, get a lease, um they are in the best position to get the best rates um and move them forward in their financial journey. Great. And what what barriers do you face in getting more youth to participate in these programs? I think as um we heard Mr. Nelson mention uh awareness raising is a big part of it. The other thing is I think it's just part of being 18.
▶ 1:10:49um when young people are given the choice of staying involved in the child welfare system, often they haven't had the best experiences in the system. And so if you're asking somebody if they want to continue to be engaged in these services without a full understanding of how different older foster youth service and independent living services are, the natural response is to say no. Um plus I think there's a lot of 18-year-olds regardless that think, I got it all figured out. I'm going to do it right.
▶ 1:11:18Um, one thing that Indiana and other states are doing, but again, not all of our states, is allowing uh young people to opt back in to services, which can be really helpful. So, if somebody says no at 18 and then at 19 says, "I need this help." It's we're able to offer that to them as well. Thank you. This is such an important bipartisan issue and I certainly look forward to continuing to work with this committee to strengthen the CHA Chief program. And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. All right. Well, thank you, uh, Mr. Chup.
▶ 1:11:48Well, thank you. And I want to thank our witnesses for sharing their stories and also our experts for your insights on how we can better support older and transition age foster youth. Um, one way to do that is by allowing youth to stay in foster care into young adulthood so that they don't lose services the moment that they turn 18.
▶ 1:12:11Now, about twothirds of states already do this, including my home state of California, and we know that this model works. Studies have found that youth in extended care are three times less likely to be disconnected from school and work and 2.7 times less likely to experience So, we need to give this option to all transition age youth, no matter what state they live in.
▶ 1:12:39And that's why I will continue to introduce my bipartisan bill, the increasing access to foster care through 21 act to encourage all states to offer extended foster care and I'm hopeful that this committee can work together to get this legislation passed. Um, Miss Webb, uh, I was very interested in the fact that you are currently in extended foster care.
▶ 1:13:05Can you talk about how continuing to receive foster care uh services past the age of 18 has made a difference for you? How important is it that you didn't lose services the moment you turned 18? It definitely helped with staying in foster care as I there is more opportunities for me to have the help that I need instead of just being out on my own and not knowing what to do. Would you have had a place to stay? Uh how how was that?
▶ 1:13:35I would have had a place to stay as I was placed in uh the care of my older sibling who would have let me but I have talked with other youth and they are not necessarily going to be able to have a place to stay and would become homeless. Yeah, that's that's what I worry about. And um Dr. Stevens uh like my home state of California, Indiana also has been a leader in extended foster care.
▶ 1:14:04Can you share more about the benefits of extended foster care to youth in your state? Absolutely. Thank you. And yes, we're very proud to be in that group of states that have extended this work. Um, I I think the reality is, as I was sharing a little bit ago, when you turn 18, there's still a lot of life to figure out.
▶ 1:14:21And it's through our extended foster care service, Chaffi funded programs, um, across the state that we're able to help young people reach their educational goals, go through workforce training programs, gain the financial literacy that they need to manage their life as they move forward. um we really work with them to get make sure they have the building blocks that they need to be successful as they move forward.
▶ 1:14:44And that includes also, as you've heard, um providing support and connection to mental health, physical health services, um and helping young people find their voice and learn how to make decisions for themselves. So, a big part of our youth engagement work, which we haven't touched too much on today, um is helping young people truly feel heard, supported, and empowered in their lives, um after coming out of a system when so many other people were making decisions for them. And that's what these funds do. Thank you for that.
▶ 1:15:11Um well programs like extended foster care and Chaffi are vital for older and transition age foster youth but unfortunately current data shows that for less than half of eligible children who receive Chaffi services um and only about onethird of foster care involved youth who attended college receive educational training vouchers or ETVs. Mr.
▶ 1:15:36Nelson, you testified that you weren't aware of resources like education on housing assistance until it was too late and that you also shared that you had challenges balancing your education while working full-time to cover your basic needs, even losing housing for a while. So, it's clear we have to do better to ensure that youth get connected to the services they're eligible for. How could the system be improved to ensure that youth like you both learn about and successfully access the services that you're eligible for? Absolutely.
▶ 1:16:05Thank you, Miss Shu, for the question. Um, I will say that the system could do better, but just more more information. Um, like the when we go to court and and talk about whatever resources that we need, that should be like a top of the discussion. Um, I look at my little brother as an example. Um, because he was he's still doing well for himself.
▶ 1:16:26It's not like he's not a terrible person or anything like that, but um he didn't, like I said before, he hasn't he didn't think college was accessible to him or he didn't think a trade school was accessible to him. Um I moved out. I took a leap of faith and just went to uh Temple um with no connections to the city and built myself up. And I'm thankful for, you know, my fraternity and I have a line brother here that's here with me. Um but my little brother himself, he stayed um back home and he stayed with our foster parent until about uh I say like 24 24 25.
▶ 1:16:57So he was kind of hindered like some of his development as a man. And um and when I went through all that I went through that was all before 26. So, um, having not and having just knowing like when I took care of my my mother's funeral, uh, I just shouldn't had to worry about like just housing like something basic as housing um during my last semester, but I had to figure that out for myself and pay it back through taxes. Thank you. I yelled back. Um, I want to thank uh Thank you.
▶ 1:17:25Uh, pursuant to the committee practice, we will now move to uh the two and one questioning. So, at this point, I'd like to recognize Mr. Bean from Florida. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. A very good morning to you and good morning to Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee and to our allstar panelist. We're glad to have you here. Welcome to your nation's capital. Particularly uh Miss Webb and Mr. Nelson for the rest of your life. You'll get to tell everybody you testified before Congress. How about that?
▶ 1:17:55You can say back in the day I gave them the business. I let them know the what for and uh and whatnot. When I was in the uh state legislature in the great state of Florida, I'll never forget one of our hearings. We had our foster care youth who uh was 30 days away from their 18th birthday. 30 days away. And they were working, this gentleman was working on getting adopted. 30 days away. And I remember somebody else asked him, "Why, why are you working so hard to get adopted?
▶ 1:18:25In 30 days, you're going to be 18 anyway." And I'll never forget because he thought for a moment and he said, 'Well, I guess I'll always have a place to go on Thanksgiving. Just wanted to belong like everybody else. I wanted a a place to go, a place to belong, and a support system, which many foster care youth just don't have. Everybody else takes for granted.
▶ 1:18:49And each year 15,000 foster youth age out of the system and often, as you all know and as you've testified, uh, joblessness, homelessness, and without that safety net to fall back on. And, uh, here comes the the Chaffi program. The Chaffi program that this Congress has, uh, worked on to provide the support of assistance and housing, education, job training, and the transition to adulthood.
▶ 1:19:14uh we all look forward to improving it because uh one lesson in government no matter how good something is it can always be better and so we're studying that model to see what we can do and so my first uh question goes to uh Miss Gillette the wonder the works model incorporates a career approach which accounts for different life experiences in foster youth compared to their peers it offers them work experience while in foster care something Rhode Island
▶ 1:19:44knows very well. During the 118th Congress, I had the privilege of serving on the education and workforce committee where we spent lots of time uh looking at the impact of technical skills on individuals and kids uh as well as the earning potentials for those entering our trade. So, in your opinion, uh M. Gillette, how can we how can traditional workforce systems and the child welfare system coordinate to bridge that gap to better prepare foster youth to enter the workforce?
▶ 1:20:12Great question and thank you for framing all of this in the context of relational competencies. You know, if there's one strong message coming out today, you're right. We should never give up on helping young people make lifelong connections, whether that's for family or in the workplace or um in housing relationships with landlords, right? Where uh works wonders works because it gives young people experiential learning opportunities and career exploration.
▶ 1:20:39And because of the disconnection that they've experienced in foster care, they don't always have the um you know normative experiences with family to talk about work and and talk about opportunities. So when we put young people into high quality um experiences with local employers, I think the big piece for us is that we have community organizations that have tons of board members that work in these companies in our community and they're very eager to partner and create experiential learning opportunities for young people.
▶ 1:21:08and WEOA funded WEX or work experience dollars really help us round that out and provide up to 250 hours of experience for young people. Nice. And uh giving a big dose of confidence. That's what we all need. Even members of Congress sometime need a a big dose of uh of confidence.
▶ 1:21:25Uh, Miss Webb, you I was moved by your testimony uh about just getting a driver's license and hearings that we had in in Florida when I was a senator for many youth 22 23 that never got a driver's license because when they were in a foster care family, they couldn't afford the family said no to the 7 to2,000 uh dollar increase in purchasing insurance. We started I've introduced half of the young people who age out of foster care have a diploma or GED by age 19.
▶ 1:21:55So, Works Wonders would work even better if more of the young people that we served had a starting point of having that um credential in hand. Yeah. I I would be honored to take a look at it with you and to put some benchmarks in as we continue to move forward. And I just want to say, you know, to both of our witnesses, you thank you. Thank you for never giving up. Thank you for never giving up on yourselves and on life. And I can't imagine what it is, you know, that you've gone through.
▶ 1:22:20Um, but very much know that on both sides of the aisle, you have individuals who legitimately care and are very honored that you're here. Uh, and what Aaron said, uh, my colleague to my right is gone is very true. Uh, you'll look back at this one day and say that you got to testify in front of Congress and make your opinions, your voices, and more importantly, your stories heard. And that is what to me is so important about both of you is that when you tell your stories, it will reach everyone within my district, everyone within all of, you know, the members that you see. and that is the importance of why you're here today.
▶ 1:22:50So, thank you. If you don't hear it, thank you. Continue to strive and just know that we all have your back. I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Uh chair would now recognize Mr. Evans from Pennsylvania. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all of witnesses for being here, specifically Mr. Nelson. Hearing your story, incredibly moving, inspires me to everyone listening. Your determination makes me proud to be your congressman.
▶ 1:23:20This committee knows how important it is to hear those lived experience of the foster care system. We must continue to support and uplift former current foster care children and learn their stories so that we can learn how to be better. Mr. Nelson, you talked about finding a community foster care club through your fraternity.
▶ 1:23:46Can you further discuss the importance of finding those connections that you supported you in hard times and how it impacted your advocacy for current foster care? How can you work with experience like your foster care promoting connections? Absolutely. I just want to make one site freshman. I found it fost I was in foster club before I got to temple but thank you I understand your question. So um yes coming like in a comm being uh how do I say this? All right.
▶ 1:24:17So, being a minority within a minority group, right? So, being from the inner city, um growing up in poverty, growing up in food stamps, that's already one one barrier. Then you put the less than let's say like the graduate um bachelor's degree, less than 3% graduate with um foster who graduate with a bachelor's degree. And then that's that that percentage gets even slimmer when you get to a master's degree. And the higher you go up, the less more people you see from my um environment.
▶ 1:24:43So, I would say Foster Club in 2018 um and I have Angel behind me from representing Foster Club. Um was probably well I would say probably it was the greatest one of the greatest things that happened to me um because it gave me a sense of belonging. It made me realize that my actual like story matters. Um we grew up in an environment where um like it's it's a wrong saying but like what happens in the house stays in the house. So you don't tell your personal information but that kind of that kind of in introduces uh trauma a lot of trauma where you don't talk about your your your relationship.
▶ 1:25:13So when I got to foster club I seen peers who were um pursuing you know their bachelor's degrees and um had similar stories to mine and even before my mom passed like had parent or colleagues who actually had parents have lost um their parent before. So seeing that motivated me which is why um like it it motivated me it brought value to myself. It brought a sense of belonging and most importantly it educated me on what was happening within the system of the foster care system and I learned so much just in that 8 8we period.
▶ 1:25:43The fraternity I'll be very brief on the time is running down. The fraternity gave me a sense of belonging too. Um it gave me a sense of connectedness. Um I I didn't grow up super super close with my brothers. I still have a great relation with my brothers but we don't as men um so to this day and um as they are both parents now we never really talk about our issues. We kind of just like just go about it the wrong way.
▶ 1:26:04So the fraternity and my line brother who's in the room um introduced me to like a sense of brotherhood, sense of belonging and and brought and was there for me um in my toughest moments since I've been a member. So thank you for the question. Can you further expand on how peer mentoring supported would help your navigating the system and the importance of having a person who also has a lived experience. Absolutely.
▶ 1:26:31So, um it will bring authenticness to it. Um a reality being able to relate from someone who actually walk or walking the same road that you're walking just a little bit more older just have a little bit more information. Um but it can bring a sense of value and a sense of direction. That's something I lacked which is why from 17 to 22 before I got to Foster Club I didn't know nothing about none of the resource available to me and I was just like stagnant. But when I once I got there give you a quick quick um rundown.
▶ 1:26:59Foster Club 2018, got to Temple 2019, joined the fraternity 2020, uh, graduated 2021, my mom passed away. 2022, got a job at Temple 2023, uh, graduate school. Like, so all that happened after Foster Club and by being around PE and mentors and things like that. So that that's just a quick, um, synopsis on what effect it can happen. But I also want to say this too, don't even though I know I'm very resilient and I never quit on myself, but you know there's so many people that does not even have the opportunity to even be here.
▶ 1:27:29So don't expect that from every Thank you. Uh uh thank you again. Uh we will now recognize Mr. Fenstra. Thank you, Chairman Kerry and Ranking Member Davis. Uh, foster care is a very important priority of mine. Families that welcome foster children into their homes are special, special people.
▶ 1:27:59These kids are amongst the most vulnerable in our communities and deserve safe, loving That's why I'm leading the bill on recruiting families using data act of uh which was unanimously passed by the House uh in March.
▶ 1:28:17This bill requires CH child welfare services to provide for the development and implementation of family partnership plans to improve foster care placement stability, increase the rates of family placement, and align foster and adoptive families with the needs of children in or entering foster care. I'm hoping this bill passes the Senate very shortly, and thank you, Mr. Davis, for helping me with this.
▶ 1:28:45The Chaffy program in my state and the Iowa after aftercare program has been able to maximize their full funding which is phenomenal. However, according to the GAO, many other states have returned millions in Chaffy funds and educational and training vouchers because of the red tape. Dr. Stevens, this is what I want to ask you about. We know that GAO report that Chaffi and ETV funds are being returned to the federal government and youth are not receiving the services they need.
▶ 1:29:14Can you provide insight into barriers that states are facing utilizing Chaffi and educational training vouchers uh funds? How can states be more encouraged to spend them down? Great. Thank you. Um and thank you for introducing that act and and thinking about this work in a different way. When it comes to spending the ETV money, I think there's a couple different things.
▶ 1:29:35And one is to rethink how the funds are distributed to the states to make sure that this the funds are getting to the states with the highest number of eligible older foster youth so that they're getting used and not returned. Um there's a process where funds can get redistributed to, but not all states take advantage of that as they're running through things. So if we can get the dollars to the right state to start with, I think that the right states um that will help.
▶ 1:29:58And then when we start thinking about the dollars being in the state and ensuring that our young people are utilizing the resources, I think there there just has to be more awareness and understanding. I think you know Mr. Nelson mentioned the idea of peer mentorship in the last conversation. Um having peer-led conversations about the value of extended foster care, helping young people, individuals who have utilized and benefited from the extended foster care programs in their state.
▶ 1:30:28talking to others about what those outcomes could be, I think could be a huge um gamecher when it comes to bringing people on board. They're going to trust their peers more than they trust any of the adults that they're working with. Thank you for those comments, Dr. Stevens. Doc, Mrs. Gillette, I want to ask you that same question. I really want to focus on the barriers. Um I mean, I struggle with this. All right.
▶ 1:30:50So, in just a couple years ago, $2.5 million was returned to uh of Chaffy funds and about 6.3 million on ETV funds from states. I mean, here we're giving this the money. We've got to have red tape issues here. C can you expound on this a little bit? Yes. I would suggest that um earlier we've talked about the work congressionally to expand foster care to 21 across the country.
▶ 1:31:18I think when young people have more um runway within the foster care system and the housing stability that brings and I'm really grateful to Congress for providing that stability through the FYI vouchers as well. I think that makes a huge difference in uptake of participation in ETV and other highquality programs. And the second thing I mentioned before, but I'll lift it up again.
▶ 1:31:40um in Rhode Island in particular, but I know this is an issue nationally, only half of the young people that we're serving in that age range have achieved the diploma or GED by age 19. So really moving them on into ETV programs that have that as a minimum prerequisite is a challenge. And that didn't happen overnight. You know, we know that if you don't read at grade level, by the end of third grade, your chance of graduating from high school goes down dramatically.
▶ 1:32:07We really need Chaffi level reform and benchmarks to support completion on time completion of high school for every young people. It's unacceptable. We're leaving them behind. Uh thank you. Thank you for those comments. I mean you think about that. All right. Uh that that we need reform and benchmarks. I mean I think if we start having benchmarks, we could have a lot more success. And again, just getting rid of some of this red tape, I think would allow some of these programs to excel and develop even more effectively.
▶ 1:32:35So, I I want to thank both uh uh our our our testimony and our witnesses here. Your stories, they they've been incredible. They hit my heart. Thank you so much and blessings as you move forward. And with that, I yield back. Thank you, the chair. Now, Richard, Mr. uh Horseford from Nevada. Thank you uh to the chairman and to the ranking member. Uh and I really appreciate uh the testimony of our witnesses today.
▶ 1:33:00As many of my colleagues have made clear, uh the government does have a fundamental duty uh to ensure that older youth in foster care have access to the same opportunities and the support support systems as any other child. And you also have pointed out that we have a lot more work to do um because the reality is stark. Far too many older foster youth still face significant barriers on the path to stable adulthood.
▶ 1:33:31Compared to their peers, they are far more likely to experience housing insecurity and homelessness, disrupted or incomplete education, unemployment or job instability, mental, physical, and behavioral health challenges, and greater involvement with the criminal justice system.
▶ 1:33:50So, I want to thank uh this committee uh and the work uh that they've done to take meaningful bipartisan steps to address these challenges and that progress should be acknowledged. Um first and foremost, but we also have to be honest. We we need to do more. Um, I meet with a group of foster youth in my district in Nevada and Las Vegas, um, on a regular basis.
▶ 1:34:18Uh, because like the witnesses here, I think the people closest to the lived experience and the pain of the broken systems should help to inform the policy and what actually needs to change. You are the experts and we really need to rely on your insights that you're giving us today and every day to help inform what the policy could look like.
▶ 1:34:46You're very powerful in this process. So, thank you again uh for being here. I just want you to know that I'm committed to working with my colleagues to strengthen critical programs like Chaffi and other federal support uh because it's not just one thing that's going to help our older youth transition successfully into adulthood. In Nevada, we've supported foster youth until age 21 for more than a decade.
▶ 1:35:14And I'm proud that when I was in the state senate that I led uh on that uh change. But starting next month, we're taking an important next step, officially launching the extended youth adult support services program that allows young adults to remain in care and continue receiving vital services. Uh be it through housing, building a supportive network, or access to some form of higher education.
▶ 1:35:44However, as Mr. Nelson indicated in your testimony, you underscored a critical truth. Federal programs like Chaffy only make a difference when young people know that they exist and they're receiving the help to navigate them. This is what I've heard from the foster youth in my community and those across the country.
▶ 1:36:07So, can you share more about how your college housing situation could have been different had you known about it and what would your outcomes have been had you not struggled the way you did? Absolutely. And thank you, Mr. for for your work and thank you for the question, of course. So, um so I've been in Temp or excuse me, I've been in Philly um since 2019. Um I finished my undergrad degree in 21.
▶ 1:36:36Um, so in that time frame, every year I had a different like roommate. Um, it was kind of like reinforced trauma because like you know, you talk about the child welfare system in general, being in foster care for seven years, like um like just not knowing where you what not knowing what's next. Um, spending f like spending every year of your college career while trying to pursue something that's going to better yourself. Um, every year just thinking about what's next.
▶ 1:37:01I want to I I do want to say too um it would have it would have definitely helped by having information on like leases and um obviously having housing because even though um after my mother had passed away and I eventually found you know um through my professor helping me with the resources I signed a joint lease and actually my line brother who's in the room um informed me of that and I had no idea what that would mean. So my like 8 months into my lease, my roommate who come from real state say privilege um tried to walk out on this lease.
▶ 1:37:31So I was hold liable of that lease and so to this day it messed my credit up and my bank account at the time had to get shut down and I had to like get a new bank and everything like that. So just having information as simple as just looking at a lease and knowing what I'm signing even though I was in the desperation that could have helped and that could have saved me a lot more trauma.
▶ 1:37:53Yeah, very basic but very important and uh you know make sure you get with Congressman Evans uh to make sure we address that credit issue. All right, good luck and thank you for your testimony today. I yield back. Thank you. I would like to thank all of our witnesses for appearing before the subcommittee today to share your experience and and and your expertise.
▶ 1:38:17Uh your insights, your willingness to share your lived experience uh will be incredibly valuable to the committee uh as we continue modernizing the Chaffi program. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle. I also want to recognize Miss Moore. I she actually brought on the floor um talking about bringing uh foster kids in into our office and I just wanted to recognize you for that.
▶ 1:38:43This passion absolutely um and I and I do want you to see that. I mean we we get along. You know, a lot of people don't see that on TV. You think that we're but we we do get along. We've got great members of this committee. Uh please be advised that the members have about two weeks uh to submit written questions to be answered uh later in writing. those questions and your answers will be part of the formal hearing record. And with that, the committee now stands adjourned. Thank you so much.