Aging out of the adoption system in Massachusetts - Research Paper Example

? Aging out of the Adoption System in Massachusetts Aging out of the Adoption System in Massachusetts In 2009 approximately 423,773 children nationwide were in the foster care system of that number some were adopted, but for others that remained in the system the experiences of their adolescence are times to be quickly forgotten and put far into the past (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2011). Annually, approximately 24,000 children age out of the foster system that number excludes those that run away and those reunited with family members (Gardner, 2008). In most states foster care stipulations do not provide assistance once a child has his or her 18th birthday, however gaining insight into the challenges and difficulties foster alumni experience after leaving foster care (Eyster & Oldmixon, 2007). This paper will list some of the past and current child welfare policies enacted in the United States that are actively providing assistance to states to alleviate the problems that youth aging out of the foster care system are encountering. Additionally, highlighting the State of Massachusetts discussing the innovative and creative methods state administrators are developing to provide substantial assistance to children transitioning from foster care to independence (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2011). The final talks will provide an analysis of the effectiveness of the programs and policies, reviewing the current trends, and proposals states are offering as possible ways to make the transition from foster care to adulthood smoother and less problematic. Aging Out Emancipated or “aged out” are terms for children in the foster care system that have reached their 18th birthday and are no longer eligible for services under the foster care auspice. The information about what happens to children after aging out of the foster care system consistently recite the plight of homelessness, unemployment, criminal activity, uneducated, unplanned parenthood, and other conditions appearing chronic for youth aging out of the system (Gardner, 2008; Leigh, et al, 2007; Keller, 2007). Whereas the problems facing youth aging out of the foster care system is systemic with some areas o experiencing a set of different problems, each state is responsible for establishing and managing their individual state’s issues. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources and the Social Security Administration are the primary federal agencies providing funding to states that develop and administer programs addressing the issues pertaining to the welfare of children (U. S. Department of Health & Human Resources, 2011). In 2009 roughly 29, 471 children were emancipated, 6% or 16,323-16 year olds; 6% or 17,514-17 year olds; and 10% or 26,416 were 18 years of age (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Children in foster care typically do not have any relationships with former family members such as grandparents, uncles and aunts. Because of the multiple placements in the foster care system children infrequently establish any consistent relationship other than with social service workers, therefore the transition from care to adulthood or self-sufficiency is not only emotionally traumatic but one in which the future looks bleak and lonely Because of the instability in the foster system and the multiple foster placements many children do not meet the minimum educational standards as a result with many failing to graduate from high school (Shin, 2009). The Chafee Education and Training Vouchers Program (ETV) provide $5,000 annually per child and enables states to provide GED certification for former foster children that did not complete high school. This program addresses the problem of foster youth not having the educational aptitude and ability to become self-sufficient and with the proper mentoring encourage youth to pursue secondary education. In 2009 through Congressional allocations of over 60 million dollars were set aside for states to use for educating foster alumni (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services; Shin, 2009). The chronic conditions of homelessness, education, and employed are the areas of primary concern for those transitioning out of custodial care. The Chafee Bill along with provisions from the Social Security Administration (SSA) have special options that are enabling states to offer housing, educational/vocational training, and extend medical insurance coverage to youth up to age 23 with certain criteria being met (Eyster & Oldmixon, 2007). Past Child Welfare Programs and Policies A significant amount of legislature was put into law between the 1970s continuing into the 2000s. Realizing the conditions older youth were experiencing after aging out of the foster care system the Independent Living Program was enacted in 1985 (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2009). The major provisions of the program were to provide funding for housing assistance, educational/vocational training, and continued medical coverage through Medicaid to help eliminate some of the difficult circumstances young adults were experiencing. Since its enactment the program has undergone several revisions with the passage of time and the increasing number of children aging out, however the resources and services are making the transition from care to independence easier. In 1999 the John C. Chafee Foster Care Independent Act (CFCIA) was created in response to the limitations of the Independent Living Program (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2009). The Chafee Bill provides the basic structural design for legislature regarding child welfare policies. As a major policy the Chafee Bill created more opportunities for states to develop comprehensive programs to meet the needs of foster alumni. Shin’s (2009) empirical study researching the readiness of children transitioning from care to independence echoed the similar findings in which because of the experiences prior to and from foster care most children were not prepared to make the transition successfully. His study recommended a more holistic approach to addressing the problems facing children aging out of foster care be used to develop more comprehensive programs (p. 369-371). The realization that children aging out of foster care are failing to gain self-sufficiency has prompted the federal government to set aside additional funding to provide block grants and resources for state administrators to use in effort to alleviate the reoccurring problems former foster children experience as they transition from the foster care system. Figure 1. A Timeline of Child Welfare Policies in the United States Retrieved from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/otherpubs/majorfedlegis.cfm . Current Laws, Programs, and Services Approximately 65 federal programs are available for meeting the needs of foster alumni aging out of the foster care system in the United States (Eyster & Oldmixon, 2007). Whereas the federal government allows states to distribute the funds they receive at their own discretion through program developed by state administrators, states are required to meet and fulfill certain criteria. One stipulation is to monitor, maintain, and record the successes and failure of youth participating in the federally funded programs. The availability of information on children participating in the various programs is easily accessible however those children that are not receiving assistance are not included in the statistical data. Which makes effort to evaluate programs’ effectiveness difficult with information collected not being accurate. State administrators are responsible for designing programs that circumvent and eliminate the issues youth encounter after emancipation using federal funds to help. The primary bills and federal resources are Adoption and Safe Families Act, 1997; John C. Chafee Foster Care Independence Act, 1999; Foster Care Independent Living Program (CFCIP), Promoting Safe and Stable Families Act (PSSF), 2001, and Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 are a hand full of the various resources and opportunities that are available to states (Eyster & Oldmixon, 2007). The objective of the programs and policies for the welfare and safety of children is to protect children at risk physically, mentally and emotionally. The desired end result of intervention is to re-unite children with their families by providing assistance to children, parents, and families. Assistance in the form of parenting classes, nutrition training, financial assistance during economically challenging times, and in some cases removing children permanently from their homes for their own benefit and safety. Whereas reunification is a motivating factor it is not an option in some cases. For those children that remain in custodial care resources are available or those willing to adopt older children one such program is the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. This program is primarily for older children with financial subsidies to offset the expensive of adoption. Additionally, youth aging out of the foster care system can apply for assistance through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2011). The Workforce Investment Act is a program developed to assist with job training and placement. Typically youth aging out of the foster care system lack the necessary skills to secure employment with WIA social workers can use the program to meet the needs of the foster alumni group as a priority measure securing gainful employment for youth. Likewise, TANF is a general population program and not specifically developed for former foster children but because of the general circumstances in most cases such as unemployment, lack of education, homelessness, and no family support youth can qualify for services. Currently, a national initiative is being discussed that would allow youth to stay in foster care one additional year after their 18th birthday. In most cases for those that stay in school will graduate from high school during their 18th year. By allowing youth the extra year enables them to stabilize as they transition, research studies report for those that graduate from high school increases their chances of moving forward positively through life successfully (Eyster & Oldmixon, 2007). Another topic of discussion is to begin transition training for those in foster care as early as age 13. This suggestion gives social workers, counselors, and caregivers the time to help youth develop a detailed life action plan. The concept would enable youth to visualize what they would like to accomplish and how to go about doing it. The preparation would include life skills training, money management, job preparation, and other vital skills needed for living independently after care. Massachusetts Child Welfare Policies Massachusetts and several other states are leading the nation in developing and implementing creative methods to resolve the problems of youth aging out of care. One such program is the Re-Envisioning Foster Care Initiative of 2010. The initiative’s primary focus and agenda are: permanency, aging out, and education. The Initiative is an organization composed of a group of parents, social workers, community workers, and legislators that collaborative will collectively work together to develop innovative solutions and options for children aging out of the foster care system. The organizational leaders plan to use a holistic approach in which the goals of permanency, aging out, and education are dependent variables and not independent of one another. Shin (2009) suggested in his longitudinal study to determine preparedness of foster children aging out that by using a holistic approach to design assistance programs to prepare children aging out the outcomes would improve (p. 368). The State of Massachusetts provides funding for those aging out of care through primarily two methods, federal funds received from Title -IV set asides and from the Massachusetts Department of Child and Families (DCF) a state sponsored program dispensing subsidy through the Adoption Subsidy Program. The allocations from Title IV are specifically for children declared by legal definition to have special needs. Children receiving subsidy from Title IV funds are eligible for assistance up until his or her 22nd birthday. Similarly, the Adoption Subsidy Program is for children that have been in care by DCF for six consecutive months, live with pre-adoptive families with the goal to adopt. The program provides financial assistance, medical coverage, and a clothing allowance every three months (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2011). Additionally children in the State of Massachusetts are eligible for assistance through the Tuition Waiver Certificate Program and the Guardianship Subsidy Program. This program is sponsored through MDCF and is a tuition assistance voucher for attendance to state colleges and university in Massachusetts. The stipulations for the benefits are that the children be in custodial care for a minimum of 12 months and not be adopted by his or her 18th birthday. This allows children aging of care to obtain a college education with the certificate eligible for use up age 25. The Guardianship Subsidy another program administered through MDCF providing financial assistance, medical insurance coverage, and a quarterly clothing allowance up to age 22 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2011). The Massachusetts Alliance for Families (MAFF) is an advocacy group that attends to the needs of children unable to live with their biological parents. Their services also include parenting classes, prevention, and in some case intervention. The Massachusetts Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) is another local organization with programs for family members caring for relatives in care. Programs such as Kids Net and KINnections have the objectives of lightening the financial burden for relatives that have custody of family members in their care (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2011). In efforts to help children aging out of foster care succeed Massachusetts has implemented a unique statewide program to give support to children without a family support network. The Lifelong Family Connections for Adolescents provides training on how to form life-long relationships. Eyster and Oldmixon (2007) indicate in their research studies foster children typically do know how to form lasting relationships because of issues with trust, frequent placements while in care, and feelings of abandonment. They also suggest the intervention of a caring adult into the life of a children transitioning from care could produce greater results for the children. Evaluation of Policies and Programs Effectiveness Determining the effectiveness of the social welfare policies pertaining to children aging out of the foster care system is not an easy undertaking. The challenge to collect statistical data is challenged because of the lack of a central registry to monitor children after they leave the system. Because of the current data collecting issue evaluating whether or not resources are accomplishing their set objective is difficult to confirm. Keller, Cusick, and Courtney (2007) conducted a longitudinal study to evaluate a select group of youth in process of transitioning from care. Their purpose of the study was to determine if youth exhibited any indicators or predictors based on a combination of factors that would enable them to make the transition from care to independence easier. The research revealed the because of the instability most children in care experience the general population in the study did not possess the skills to successful make the change. The factors of family history, drugs, types of abuse, and unknown factors not privy to researchers were used to make an assessment for success. The recommendations from the study were to include additional training in forming relationships and re-building trust to increase chances of successfully transitioning from care to independence. Evaluating the living and educational programs available the possibility of re-distributing some of the monies into personal interaction training could increase the number of children successfully making the transition. Figure 2: Trends in Foster Care and Adoption—FY 2002-FY 2009 Based on data submitted by states as of July 29, 2010 (Source: AFCARS data, U.S. Children's Bureau, Administration for Children, Youth and Families) Conclusion/Summary Thousands of youth are aging out of foster care each year with the majority unprepared for the changes and challenges of independent living. The plight of children aging out of the foster care system is causing states to consider a holistic approach as a means of solving problems. Programs such as the John C. Chafee Foster Care Independent Living Program are enabling newly emancipated youth to live independently and educational training vouchers are making it possible for children that age out of foster care to succeed (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2009). In response to what happens to children after leaving the foster care system has prompted states to develop comprehensive programs to address the needs of children and making the process of transitioning from care to adulthood smoother. References Association of Small Foundations. (2010). Helping children aging out of foster care prepare for independence. Retrieved from http://www.aecf.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications.aspx? Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2009). Major federal legislature concerned with Child protection, child welfare and adoption. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/otherpubs/majorfedlegis.cfm Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Health & Human Services. (2011). Subsidies. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2terminal&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Consumer&L2=Family+Services&L3=Adoption&sid=Eeohhs2&b=terminalcontent&f=dss_c_ad_subsidies&csid=EeohhEyster, L., & Oldmixon S. L. (2007). State policies to help youth transition out of foster care. NGA Center for Best Practices, Issue Brief. Retrieved from http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0701YOUTH.PDF Gardner, D. (2008). Youth aging out of foster care: Identifying strategies and best practices. National Association of Counties (NACo). Retrieved from http://www.oacca.org/documents/countyassocreportonILservices.pdf. Henig, A. Employment aid for youth aging out of foster care: Extending one stop career Center to include a division for foster care youth. Family Court Review, 47(3), July/2009, 570-585 Human Services (2010). The state of the American child: The impact of federal policies on children. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/2010/07/t20100729b.html. Keller, T. E., Cusick, G., & Courtney, M. E. (2007). Approaching the Transition to Adulthood: Distinctive Profiles of Adolescents Aging out of the Child Welfare System. Social Service Review, 81(3), 453-484. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Leigh, W.A., Huff, D., Jones, E.F. & Marshall, A. (2007). Aging out of the foster care system to adulthood: Findings, challenges and recommendations. Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Health Policy Institute. Retrieved from http://www.blackadministrators.org/pdf/Aging_Out_of_the_Foster_Care_SystemFINAL.pdf National Association of Counties. (Feb2008). Youth aging out of foster care: Identifying strategies and best practices. Retrieved from http://www.oacca.org/documents/countyassocreportonILservices.pdf. Shin, S. (2009). Improving Social Work Practice with Foster Adolescents: Examining Readiness for Independence. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 3(4), 354-371. doi: 10.1080/15548730903347820 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Children’s Bureau. The AFCAS report: Preliminary FY 2009 Estimates as of 2008. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2008. Retrieved from www.acf.hhs.gov. Read More