Prior to the implementation of the Fostering Connections to Success Act, or more commonly known as AB12, foster youth aged out of the system at age 18.  Despite legally being considered adults, many of these former foster youth had yet to gain the skills required for successful independent living.  With the new law, there is hope that homelessness rates among foster youth will decrease, and these young adults will be able to feel a certain level of freedom while simultaneously receiving services to assist them in their transition to successful and sustainable independence.  SFCASA is actively working on expanding our own program to better serve this new population of non-minor dependents.  To read more about this issue from the perspective of a former foster youth, please click here.

San Jose Assemblyman Jim Beall has crafted a new bill in the Assembly, AB 194 that will give foster children priority when registering for classes at California’s community colleges and state universities. Under this new legislation they will receive the same privileges that California already gives to those with disabilities or have served in the armed forces. (more…)

The Transitional Housing Placement Plus (THP-Plus) program provides affordable housing and comprehensive supportive services for up to 24 months to help former foster care and probation youth ages 18 to 24 make a successful transition from out-of-home placements to independent living. The program is administered by the California Department of Social Services, which distributes THP-Plus funds to counties.

A recent article in the San Jose Mercury Times highlights the benefits of THP-Plus to youth in the Bay Area. San Mateo County resident and former foster youth, Marcus Bell, age 19,  believes that THP-Plus, where he’s been for 18 months, has turned his life around. He said it’s a time when many people in the foster system face a fork in the road that determines how their lives are going to go.

In San Francisco County, there are four providers for THP-Plus: Edgewood; First Place for Youth; Larkin Street Youth Services; and the Salvation Army.

The Details:

The program: THP-Plus offers state-provided transitional housing, operated by the counties, for foster youths after they turn 18.
The law: The Fostering Connections to Success Act establishes transitional assistance for individuals until they turn 21.
The transition: Residents live in a dorm-like setting, observing guidelines and curfews, and doing community service.