Recent changes to programs and policies has extended the age in which youth are eligible for foster care to 24 instead of 18. In the Improve Group’s work with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN DHS) Child Safety and Permanency Division, we are managing a federally-mandated longitudinal study of youth who have experienced foster care between the ages of 17 and 21. This work in Minnesota is a subset of a grant for the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), a longitudinal (5 year) study intended to measure outcomes for young adults who have experienced foster care as they enter adulthood. With the data gathered for the Minnesota Youth in Transition Database (MNYTD), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can build its understanding of what challenges and opportunities these young adults face. Recent findings from our work with DHS for the Minnesota Youth in Transition Database initiative reflect the positive outcomes of youth remaining in foster care beyond age 18.
Initially in our first cohort, we surveyed youth in foster care at age 19 after they had been surveyed by their counties while living in foster care at age 17. At 19, these individuals were either still in foster care or else had been discharged. The tablebelow demonstrates some of the positive outcomes experienced by those who were still in foster care as opposed to those who had been discharged over the previous two years.
Moving forward with the first cohort, we will continue to gather information from these youth throughout the state to determine more long term outcomes of remaining in foster care beyond the age of 18. We will start surveying the youth at age 21 in the Fall. To learn more about this project and additional initial findings, you may view the press release from MN DHS or the link to the MNYTD website above.