There are some children in foster care that never become adopted and spend their entire childhood living in a foster care facility with foster parents. FindLaw states that children usually age out of foster care at the age of 18, or when they graduate from high school -- whichever happens first.
State and federal funding for the child stops when the child ages out of the foster care system, along with an end to housing, food, and medical care. So it's probably no surprise that young adults often have difficulties when they're first emancipated. Fortunately, the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP) provides funding for states like Texas, so that young adults under the age of 21 who leave the foster care system can make a smooth transition into adulthood. CFCIP is part of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, where the federal budget for CFCIP was $149 million in 2009, according to the Administration for Children and Families.
The U.S Department of Health and Human Services also provides The Educational and Training Vouchers Program (ETV), which was added to CFCIP in 2002. This program is specifically aimed at the education needs of young adults and authorizes post secondary educational and training vouchers for certain individuals. College students can receive up to $5,000 per year through ETV for their post secondary education. FindLaw states that one of the most important things about CFCIP is that it enables the states to improve the quality of support in foster care and for young adults leaving foster care.
Related Resources:
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Foster Care Funding and Federal Programs (FindLaw)
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Foster Care and the Law (FindLaw)
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Find Texas Family Law Attorneys (FindLaw)
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