"Expanding Transitional Services for Emancipated Foster Youth: An Investment in California's Tomorrow " by the Children's Advocacy Institute is our site of the day

This situation has recently come crashing at my family. We recently took in an amazing youg woman who is an emancipated foster youth. Since she just turned 21 she is without medical insurance. When we found her, she was living in a broken down car in a alley. Even with this against her, she was still getting to all her college classes and maintains nearly a 4.0 GPA. She lives with my wife and I now and is trying to make a successful life. We are finding that though she is extremely intelligent and motivated, she has experiencial gaps in her knowledge that make it very difficult for her to make her way. My wife and I feel blessed to have her with us and we are glad to help. I wish that there was someplace I could find out exactly what services are availble for her so we can help her even more. I am horrified that so many of our children are in this position.

I am interested in opening a Emancipation home for foster youth. I am looking for more information regarding these types of homes. I know there is a need. So if anyone has any information on this please email me with it. Thanks.

James M.:

You should contact your local legislator for this information and their help.

I am 25 years old and I have a 9 year old daughter, and twin boys - 1 year,7 months old. I grew up my whole life in foster care home to home! I moved out of my foster home with my daughter on my 18th birthday. It was a huge challenge for me I moved to Sacramento and worked full time. I did not know that there was help! Life is very tought for me because of foster care. I have been able to work and pay rent and bills never needed welfare but it isn't easy. I wish I knew about any help available when I was 18. It is still a long and hard road for me.

Twenty four years ago, my wife and I were new Foster parents. At 2:00 AM came a knock at the door. We were surprised to see a very large police officer and a social worker at the door. On the shoulder of the big guy was a small bundle of 13 day old child. We were told that this child was born addicted to cocaine, heroine, PCP, and alcohol. We were told that the reason for removing this child from his home was, that his mother had swung him by his feet into a concrete block wall and fractured his scull. We were told that this young man would grow up to be nothing more than a vegitable. My wife(God rest her soul)went to work , trying to get psychiatric help and schools to help this young man. He became part of our family and when he was two years old we persued and received legal guardianship. For 18 years we danced to the tune of the California Childrens Social Services department. During this time my wife had to be agressive with the DPSS on many ocasions to assure that this person had the mental, physical, and psycological assistance needed to be able to grow up and lead a productive life. I said all that to say this; when this person became 18 he was dropped like a hot rock from any kind of help other than SSI. When he started working in a grocery store and making minimum wage part time, the SSI benefit dried up also. Now at 24 years old he is going from one menial job to another, and for some reason can't grasp the necessary knowlege to do the job and gets layed off. He also has an agressive aproach to things because of developemental delays caused from the damage caused to his brain at infancy. When he was 14 years old we left California to return home to Ohio, and after the recent passing of my wife, we moved to Kentucky(my home). While in Ohio, we had some help from MRDD, but with budget reductions he fell through the cracks and his assistance became dormant. Since we moved to Kentucky, I have connected him with Vocational Rehab. They have been dragging their feet as normal government agencies do, and The young man just gets more and more depressed. He can't seek any kind of medical assistance, because he doesn't have any insurance. Because he does do some work for the farmers in the area, this is considered income and the medical agencies and doctors wan't him to pay for any treatment and medications he might receive. In California the foster youth that have become of age have the IFY to assist them in pursuing help, There doesn't seem to be this kind of help available elsewhere. Although he was born in California he doesn't reside there. He doesn't have anyone except me. I am at that point in my life that I can't work with him to find the help he needs nor can I provide the family experience he needs. I sure could use some help and direction in this matter.

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