Foster Care Independence Act - Independent Living Provisions

Independent Living Provisions

The purpose of the Foster Care Independence Act is to provide states with flexible funding that will enable children likely to "age out" of foster care at age 18 to obtain employment, continue their education, accept personal responsibility, and prepare for the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The program aims to help foster youth transition out of foster care by encouraging self-sufficiency through funding that will allow for States to design and conduct programs that include:

• Assistance obtaining a high school diploma
• Career exploration
• Vocational training
• Job placement and retention
• Budgeting and financial management skills
• Training in activities of daily living
• Substance abuse prevention
• Preventative health; such as smoking cessation, nutrition, and pregnancy prevention

Program funding is used to provide independent living support services to youth both before and after aging out of foster care. Funding supports financial, housing, counseling, employment, educational, and other supportive programs for transitioning youth. Additional funding promotes interactions with mentors and dedicated adults to provide personal and emotional support to foster youth. With the passage of the act, federal funding for the Independent Living Program was doubled from $70 million to $140 million a year. However, states must contribute a 20 percent state match for Independent Living Program funds and use federal training funds to help foster parents address issues confronting adolescents preparing for independent living.