chanel
Silver Member
Of the roughly 4,500 18-year-olds who will "emancipate" from care in California every year, one quarter will experience homelessness like White's brother.
Last year, Congress authorized giving states matching federal funds to extend foster care until age 21. But the way that law is interpreted could mean that in 27 states, including California and the District of Columbia, 18-year-olds would still be left out in the cold.
California has just battled through a $20 billion budget deficit with measures such as slashing $100 million from the child-welfare system. With an additional $12 billion deficit looming to balance this and next year's budgets, many advocates and administrators see a flush of federal funds as the only real chance for Assembly Bill 12, which would use the newly freed matching federal to extend foster care to 21 for all California foster kids, to get passed and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Unfortunately in its current form, the bill still carries a significant fiscal impact
Extending Foster Care Past Age 18 - Newsweek.com
Why not 26? or 30?