"Fostering Connections" Can Aid Older Foster Youth, Save PA Money

Gov. Tom Corbett's 2012-13 budget proposal has received plenty of attention since he unveiled it a week ago, but one important proposal to aid Pennsylvania's foster youth has received relatively little notice.

Tucked into the governor's spending plan is a proposal to fully implement the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008. This law is intended to provide greater supports to older foster youth as they make the challenging transition to adulthood. Specifically, Fostering Connections encourages states to:

- Extend adoption and guardianship subsidies until age 21;

- Expand eligibility criteria for youth who can remain in foster care until age 21; and

- Allow youth to re-enter foster care between ages 18 and 21.

In addition to these benefits, Fostering Connections will allow Pennsylvania to draw down additional federal revenues and yield savings for the commonwealth and its counties.

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children supports this proposal, and the benefits of Fostering Connections are detailed in a new report jointly issued today by PPC and the Juvenile Law Center.

The report, Maximizing "Fostering Connections" to Benefit Pennsylvania Youth, underscores the benefits the governor's proposal will have on Pennsylvania’s foster youth and taxpayers.

Please help us spread the word in support of this important initiative.