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Gena Charles
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July 25, 2020

Policy Project
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Policy Strength and Weaknesses

As social workers it is of utmost importance to advocate and be aware of policies needed or to be

improved to best support our vulnerable clients. When data is not showing that current policies

are working, it is our job to advocate for change that will address the needs being missed.

Michigan currently supports youth in foster care up until the age of 21, with stipulations after 18

regarding staying in school or work to keep financial and housing support (Hakwins et al., 2012).

Although those supports are important, data still shows that foster youth are not maintaining this

success coming out of foster services.

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With the current policy, data shows “within 18 months of emancipation 40-50 percent of

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foster youth become homeless (O’Neale, 2015),” with the current age limit in place. The

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proposed policy change, changing the age limit to 23 with advocated transition programs, would
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allow for additional time so vulnerable youth can successfully transition into independent

adulthood. Adding required and more easily accessible transition programming would also allow
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for this success. Additional outcomes of vulnerable youth exiting show that “Many live on the
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streets, lack the money to meet basic living expenses, fail to maintain regular employment, are

involved with the criminal justice system, are unable to obtain healthcare and experience early
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pregnancies (Reilly, 2003, p. 727).” Those outcomes are occurring even with federal assistance

and programming. Adding additional transitional programming requirements, as well as making

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these more accessible, allows for more practice and time to be independently successful upon
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release. Further research and data collection would be needed to identify effective transitional

programming requirements, as well as collaborating on ways to make this programming more

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accessible. These policy changes would close the gaps in these detrimental statistics, while also

creating success with the federal funding being provided.

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Changes in Social Workers and Clients

Changing this policy will affect clients and social workers. With the extended age, clients

will have a longer-term relationship with their social worker. While this could potentially be

challenging with caseload numbers, the longer-term effects and weight in other government

agencies will be lightened from the successes and decline of homelessness, poverty etc. When

clients and social workers can have longer term relationships, they’re able to build the trust

needed for the client in learning these independent skills and developing agency in voicing their

needs. Additional social workers may be needed to continue or add transitional programming for

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clients, which could help advocates by giving the argument that this would provide additional

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jobs in the job market. Given that these policies are at a state level, social workers in policy

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would need to advocate at a political level for the age change actively, with proven data as time
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goes.

Clients would have to agree to an additional two years of services, which could feel a
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hindrance on their independence, but when meaningful discussions are had about the
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consequences of vulnerable youth transitioning at a hundred percent when they're not ready.

Clients would have those opportunities to fully feel confidence in their transition skills to fully
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take advantage of federal resources that will give that momentum for long term success in their

future.
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Advocacy Activities
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As social advocates, it is our role to use our activism to lobby for changes in policy that

will better support those disenfranchised populations. In this case, we are not only using activism
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to support our clients, but also advocating for vulnerable youth. Using this expert power when

lobbying legislators for policy change helps build the credibility of social workers through

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sharing empirical based evidence supporting our clients’ needs (Jansson, 2018. p,337). In this

case, sharing testimonials from willing foster youth showcasing the difficulty in transitioning

independently, testimonials from those who have experienced negative outcomes like

homelessness, and testimonials from those who have had success with additional transition

supports.

In addition to testimonials, sharing case studies discussing the aftereffects of

transitioning out of foster care at twenty-one will bring better credibility in why the policy

change is necessary. In addition, pairing social work and foster organizations to present

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information and lobby legislators would help display group support for the policy change rather

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than just an individual issue (Jansson, 2018, p.347). Groups can continue advocating and

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amplifying the need for the policy change through letter writing, presenting at social work
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events, sharing and promoting accessible transition programming. Using these advocacy

activities will help create this policy change and make politicians aware of what is happening
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with their vulnerable constituents.

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References

Hawkins, A., McDaniel, M., Pergamit, M. (2012) Housing assistance for youth who have aged

out of foster care: the role of the chafee foster care independence program.

U.S Department of Health & Human Services. https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/housing-

assistance-youth-who-have-aged-out-foster-care#:~:text=ASPE%20REPORT

Housing%20Assistance%20for%20Youth%20Who%20Have%20Aged%20Out%20of

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%20FosterChafee%20Foster%20Care%20Independence%20Program&text=Each%20year

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%20the%20Chafee%20Foster, foster%20care%20and%20enter%20adulthood.

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Jansson, B. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate. Cenage Learning.
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O’Neale, Shalita. (2015). Foster care and homelessness. Foster Focus. 5(3).
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https://www.fosterfocusmag.com/articles/foster-care-and-homelessness
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Reilly, T. (2003). Transition from care: status and outcomes of youth who age out of foster care.

Child Welfare. 82(6), 727-746.

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