Funding Will Help Prevent Homelessness, Incarceration, and Lifelong Instability Among Vulnerable Teens
Phoenix, Ariz. – The Center for the Rights of Abused Children applauds congressional approval of $30 million in funding for the Family Unification Program, including $25 million dedicated to housing assistance for youth aging out of foster care through the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative. This investment provides a vital safety net for teens aging out of state care.
Congress allocated $25 million to support an “on-demand” housing voucher system that allows authorities to request vouchers for eligible youth as soon as they are identified as being at risk of aging out of foster care. This approach reduces delays associated with competitive grant cycles that would leave many teens homeless the day they leave care.
Each year, more than 15,000 young people age out of foster care without a permanent family. Research shows that without a stable home, these teens face elevated risks of homelessness, involvement with the criminal justice system, and poor educational outcomes, underscoring the importance of housing stability during the transition to adulthood.
“This funding represents far more than a budget line; it is a lifeline for teens who have already endured a lifetime of abuse, neglect, and hardship,” said Darcy Olsen, Founder & CEO of the Center for the Rights of Abused Children. “When teens leave care without a family, housing becomes the essential foundation for everything else—education, employment, and safety.”
Recent federal efforts have focused on better integrating these vouchers into transition planning, including a requirement that agencies start the housing referral process well in advance of a child exiting care, doubling the previous window from 90 to 180 days.
“State agencies fail their most basic duty when they let teens age out of care without any housing plan in place,” Olsen said. “The 180-day requirement ensures agencies no longer let teens exit care homeless. We are finally putting an end to the systemic ‘referral-to-nowhere’ that has fueled the exploitation of our youth.”
“Our ultimate goal is to ensure no abused or abandoned child reaches adulthood without a permanent, loving family,” Olsen added. “Until that day, we must ensure that teens aging out of state care have a roof over their heads and a real chance at a safe future.”
About the Center for the Rights of Abused Children: The Center for the Rights of Abused Children believes every child deserves a safe and loving home. Join our mission today, thecenterforchildren.org.
Contact: Brad Galbraith, Director of Policy at brad@thecenterforchildren.org, (602) 710-1135 x.710
