Robert Baseman is a senior, majoring in History and minoring in Art History and Communication Law & Media Policy. He has served as a law intern at pro bono law firms Bet Tzedek and Public Counsel. After graduating in the Spring, Robert will attend law school where he hopes to pursue a career in public interest law. Currently, Robert works at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where he serves as Chairman of the LACMA Student of the Arts Program, helping to recruit undergraduate and graduate students throughout Los Angeles to volunteer at current exhibitions.
The twenty-something former homeless guy “Eddie” fidgeted with his clothes and cracked his knuckles. I had trouble believing Eddie’s wild stories about his former life as a foster youth bouncing from foster home to foster home until he aged out of the system at eighteen and ended up homeless in Hollywood. After being homeless for a few months, Eddie wanted to make a change and moved to Alaska to work in the shipping industry. He was introduced to cocaine and became addicted. Failing to establish himself in Alaska, he moved back to Los Angeles where he was arrested several times for minor infractions and claimed he was the subject of police brutality. “Do you have any evidence?” I asked. Eddie rolled up his torn, dark green shirtsleeves revealing deep, blue bruises along both arms. I shut my mouth.
This past summer I interned at Public Counsel, the nation’s largest public interest law firm, where I worked on various projects to advocate for foster youth in Los Angeles. Throughout my internship, Paul Freese, vice president of Public Counsel and my supervisor for the summer, stressed the importance of going outside the office to truly understand the problems that plague homeless foster youth. During one of our trips outside the office, we volunteered at Covenant House in Hollywood, an agency that provides homeless youth with shelter, food, and other services. Freese, other interns and I staffed a walk-in legal clinic for residents of Covenant House and that is how I met Eddie. Although I helped many young people that day, Eddie’s journey struck me. Eddie and I are the same age and yet our paths could not have been any more different. After listening to his story and giving him advice to fight a loitering ticket, I noticed a common theme among several residents of Covenant House – almost all of these youth were products of the California foster care system. I brought up this observation to Paul who informed me that one third of homeless teens who seek out Covenant House are former foster youth (Covenant House). Eddie is among the 20,000 American teens that age out of the foster care system each year when they turn eighteen (ibid). A large percentage of that 20,000 comes from California, which is home to about one-fifth of all foster youth in the United States (CASA). While the high rate of physical abuse among foster youth populations is well documented, the public continues to ignore the major systemic and structural failures of the California foster youth system. Despite the declining numbers of youth in the foster care system, the dramatic number of homeless former foster youth symbolizes a broken system in dire need of change.
While the California foster youth system possesses several flaws, statistics and studies tout that the system is much improved when compared to ten years ago. For instance, data shows that the California foster care system has decreased the amount of youth in the system. In fact, since the year 2000, the number of California youth in the foster care system dropped 45 percent due to a reduction in the amount of time children spend in foster care (PPIC 1). This 45 percent drop in the number of youth is balanced throughout different regions of California. The study conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California revealed that in 31 of California’s 58 counties, the number of foster youth in the system decreased by “10 percent or more between 2000 and 2009 despite the population of children in the state increasing from 9.3 million to 10 million.” Whether it is reuniting children with their parents or helping identify good candidates for adoption, there is no doubt that the California foster youth system has made strides in limiting the number of youth in foster care.
These recent improvements in the California foster care system stem from the passage of the Fostering Connections to Success Act also known as AB 12 (Childs World). Passed in January of 2012, the act helps foster care youth remain within the program until the age of 21 (ibid). If the foster youth commit to working with social workers and either attend college or gain employment, AB 12 provides funding for these youth up until the age of 21 (ibid). In addition, AB 12 also sparked the development of more transitional housing sites and programs for foster youth who aged out of the system and could not find another home. One of the biggest transitional housing programs, launched by the John Burton Foundation under AB 12, gives former foster youth a stable housing situation and provides access for educational or employment opportunities (John Burton Foundation). Before AB 12, these transitional housing programs were largely ineffective due to the lack of funding dedicated to foster youth services. However, AB 12 ensures that the foster youth system does not abandon teens at the age of eighteen, when the state legally considers them adults.
Further, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently approved a new Local Control Accountability Plan that provides $10 million in new services for foster youth and the deployment of one hundred new counselors specifically assigned to foster youth (Alliance for Children’s Rights). These counselors work with foster youth to develop individualized programs of study to meet the needs of these kids who frequently switch school districts due to the unpredictability of the foster care system. This is a major step in combating the lack of coordination between the California foster youth system and the California Department of Education since LAUSD has the largest number of foster youth in the entire state (ibid). With the recent developments at LAUSD, other school districts throughout California are also currently applying for funding to bring in counselors to work with foster youth (ibid).
Despite the progress made under AB 12 and at LAUSD, the California foster youth system still lags behind when compared to other states. The demand for transitional housing consistently outweighs the supply, which leaves too many homeless former foster youth in California to fend for themselves. Despite the fact that most young adults do not become fully self-sufficient until the age of 26, the California foster system expects eighteen-year-olds to possess the skills to apply to schools or jobs and to find housing when they graduate from the system (Children’s Advocacy Institute 1). Freese, who works at a homeless foster youth clinic in Hollywood, identifies a common story for foster youth who have aged out of the system, “When I ask homeless former foster youth how they ended up on the streets of Hollywood they reply that on their eighteenth birthday their group home worker gave them a bag, told them to pack all of their things, gave them a list of shelters, a bus pass, and wished them good luck with the rest of their life.” With almost 4,000 California foster youth turning eighteen each year, 65% of these youth end up spending time living on the streets (ibid). Nationally, former foster youth can occupy five percent of the total homeless population on a single day, which equates to about 80,000 to 170,000 homeless foster youth over a year (California Homeless Youth Project). While California has several Transitional Housing Programs (THP) throughout the state, placement is competitive and youth are subject to a rigorous application process (California Youth Connection 12). For instance Brandon Charriez, a 20-year-old former foster youth noted the difficulty of finding transitional housing, “Since I did not have anywhere to go, I went back to my parent’s place and recognized immediately that it was not a good situation. Fortunately, I did not fall through the cracks, but I think one solution would be expanding on more transitional housing programs.” The increase in foster youth seeking out transitional housing signals a need for more housing programs dedicated to foster youth who have aged out of the system. If the California government wants these foster youth to be successful, having a steady and safe home environment is part of that equation.
Another contributor to the high homeless foster youth population is the lack of a consistent educational plan centered on foster youth. As stated previously, foster youth move constantly and often have to switch school districts. On the surface, the switching of schools each year might not seem like a problem worth fixing; however, the lack of a consistent curriculum in California schools actually causes many foster youth students to fall behind in school, contributing to low self-confidence rates among these teens (California Youth Connection 4). In most cases, when foster youth move to a new school, they have to start on a new educational program, which often conflicts with their previous curriculum. On the other hand, many foster youth students have no choice but to retake the same classes despite completing a similar course at another school district. Further, studies reveal that many foster youth suffer from a lack of motivation to do well in school because they understand that they could be moving to another school the next year (ibid). This absence of confidence and motivation to earn good grades is a likely culprit in the low number of high school graduates among foster youth. According to the Stuart Foundation, “45% of foster youth completed high school compared with 53% of similarly disadvantaged youth and 79% of the general student population.”
For those foster youth who do manage to enter college, many fail to earn their diplomas. Freese, who advocates and speaks on behalf of foster youth, noted the failure of AB 12 in getting foster youth students to complete their college education, “Foster youth liaisons with community colleges note that despite AB 12 promising changes – they are not seeing it make a major difference in helping former foster youth complete their college education. For example, at West Los Angeles College, where more than 100 AB 12 foster students enrolled, less than 10 finished one semester. AB 12 creates a financial incentive to enroll in college courses – but it appears that there is a break-down in monitoring whether these students are staying in classes – an inherent flaw in the system.” Despite LAUSD hiring 100 new counselors dedicated to foster youth through the Local Control Accountability Plan, systemic issues in the foster youth system need to be addressed. For example, while California schools continue to hire counselors dedicated towards foster youth, many current and former foster youth believe that these counselors or social workers do not understand the daily pressures associated with being a foster child. Charriez felt as if the counselors assigned to him in high school did not understand a lot of the issues he dealt with in his life as a foster child, “When I was in high school I tried focusing on my schoolwork and preparing for tests but all I could think about was the deteriorating relationship between my mom and dad. There were people at my school who I could talk to but they could not get through to me because they did not understand my experiences being a foster child.” John Ricks, a 22-year who spent time in the foster care system, also noted the disconnect between his high school counselors and the problems he faced as a foster child, “I bounced around between different schools for a couple of years and the foster care system split up my siblings when I switched schools. I didn’t know where my siblings were. Whether we would ever meet again. That took a toll on me and stressed me out. I couldn’t pay attention in school and the counselors and social workers at my high school just didn’t understand.” Ultimately, social workers and counselors both in lower grades and in college need to be educated on the problems plaguing foster youth in order to be effective. By obtaining an education, the chances of these foster youth spending time on the streets will diminish significantly. Without at least a high school diploma, foster youth will continue to experience major difficulties securing jobs and supporting themselves.
While the California foster youth system has largely failed to work with California schools, there are solutions available. For example, by educating and hiring more social workers and educational advisors across the state assigned specifically for foster youth, the California government can help these foster youth achieve their educational goals. In addition to being trained on the daily issues plaguing foster youth, these social workers or advisors could advocate on behalf of foster youth to prevent them from falling behind in school due to switching school districts. It is critical that these youth feel like they have an advocate. Another possible solution lies in creating a standardized curriculum, which current foster youth have noted, “CYC youth feel that a standardized curriculum is the first step to addressing a barrier that often prevents them from keeping pace with the credits they need to graduate. The end result will be that students, especially foster youth, will no longer be able to ‘slip through the cracks,’” (California Youth Connection 4). However, despite the lack of consistency between the foster youth system and the California Department of Education, supporters of the current foster youth system resist any changes to present operations.
One of the main obstacles to funding these types of large-scale programs is the lack of money in the state of California. However, in a study conducted by the California Senate Office of Research, surveyors found that “of 2,564 adult California prisoners surveyed in June 2008, 356 of the respondents- 14 percent of the inmates- said they had been in foster care at some point in their lives,” (Policy Matters 1-2). Charriez noted the dramatic number of inmates who were products of the foster care system; “Everyone always talks about how the state is in a recession so why is the government spending so much money on prisons. If we took that money and spent it on the foster youth system, we could make some positive changes. We are not paying attention to some of the real problems.” While a myriad of factors could play into why a large percentage of former foster youth end up in prison, it stands to reason that these kids would be better served if they had a realistic chance of completing their education and avoiding the hardships of becoming homeless. Policymakers must understand the inner workings of the foster care system and work to promote a system that supports young fosters, as opposed to, simply graduating them out of the system.
While advocates of the California foster youth program insist on maintaining the current state of affairs, one solution to the homeless foster youth problem could involve combining the efforts of the state and non-profits. For example, Angels Nest, a transitional living program, is a successful non-profit organization that provides former foster youth with a home in Northridge, California. Residential director Keith Wieser, along with additional staff who live with these foster youth, provide guidance and advise for the eight foster youth currently living at Angels Nest. Whether they are teaching these young men how to make a resume or transporting them to and from school at California State University Northridge, Wieser and his staff have constructed a “family-like environment” where they empower these youth to achieve their educational and employment dreams (Angels Nest). Ricks, a resident of Angels Nest, credits the program for his success after graduating from the foster care system, “When I was seven my father passed and my mother was going back and forth between working and being homeless so I ended up in the foster system in Sacramento. I eventually moved to Los Angeles and learned about Angels Nest. Being here is the best thing that ever happened to me because they give you so many opportunities like subsidized rent and helping you get the right classes in college.” Located in a middle class neighborhood in Northridge, Ricks also credits the safe location of Angels Nest for keeping him out of potentially dangerous situations as opposed to other transitional living programs located in poor urban neighborhoods. As the primary residential director, Wieser believes that the state and non-profits like Angels Nest can work together to achieve success if the state is willing to mend their system, “I am not a fan of the county, state, or federal government running these programs alone because they have completely failed these kids. If the county runs these types of for-profit programs, occasional embezzlement occurs so I think Angels Nest is a great model that should be replicated throughout the state of California.” While Angels Nest is expanding, the home can only service eight foster youth and a residential director. Programs like Angels Nest are positive models for California because they are proven, safe transitional housing.
In addition to transitional housing, which rely on public and private sectors, the California foster youth department can study other states’ successes for inspiration. For instance, Michigan provides early intervention/prevention services, which help keep children from distressed households from landing in foster care. While California also focuses on helping foster children from entering the system in the first place, the state does not dedicate enough services to parents struggling to keep their children. In conjunction with the Michigan Department of Human Services, the Detroit Center for Family Advocacy provides pro-bono legal and social work services in order to prevent kids from having prolonged stays in the foster care system (Detroit Center for Family Advocacy). According to Freese, keeping children with their birth parents can often lead to the most successful outcomes for these youth, “The Michigan model preserves the number one asset for success – keeping children with their parents who love them and serve as their center of gravity. The model also preserves and protects the household from distress factors by giving parents literacy skills and lifelines of support that can help avoid future crises. Michigan understands that these parents can be agents of their own change.” Since Michigan approved this model for their foster care system, the numbers of homeless foster youth who have aged out of the program has gone down dramatically (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). This is largely due to the fact that the state is invested in improving the lives of the birth parents of these youth (ibid). Ultimately, Michigan’s philosophy is to address the problem closer to the source and in doing so, they are more effective and economical. There is less upheaval when a family can stay united with the help of professionals and conversely, the state saves money because they do not have to hire as many employees to support the family unit. Michigan successfully reallocated their resources in order to make productive change. Their model is worthy of California’s consideration.
While these solutions to the foster youth homeless problem will take time to implement, there are short-term solutions that the state of California can pursue. For example, many of the foster youth are unaware about the services provided under AB 12. Since the eligibility requirements for AB 12 expire quickly, many foster youth miss their window to apply. Yuri Martinez, a resident of Angels Nest, noted the failure of his social worker to inform him of the opportunities afforded under AB 12, “In my opinion, one of the major failures of the system is neglecting to inform kids about some of the benefits. The state actually has a lot of resources but I never got the opportunity to use these resources because I aged out of the program. The first thing county workers should do is inform and educate foster youth about programs and resources available, which has not been the case.” Instead of scrambling for solutions for the large homeless former foster youth population, policymakers need to listen to former foster kids who have spent time in the system in order to formulate effective solutions.
By starting with simple fixes such as raising awareness of existing foster youth programs and then branching out to mend problems such as the lack of transitional housing and the lack of coordination between the foster care system and the Department of Education, California can decrease the homeless foster youth population. While the state of Michigan has shown the benefits of keeping youth out of the foster system, they have also helped parents become better at parenting. Foster youth homelessness is a complicated issue; however, ignoring the problem is never the solution. Like my experience at Public Counsel, it took going outside the office to recognize and understand the problems plaguing foster youth. Policymakers in Sacramento should do the same.
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Very powerful article with excellent insight! Well done, Bobby!