By Chrystal Blair
Michigan News Connection
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, more than 10,000 children are in the state’s foster care system, with about 1,000 aging out each year with no permanent family.
Across the nation, more than 390,000 youths are in foster care, with 20,000 aging out with no family. Nonprofits are working to ensure they know about resources to help.
Jordan Otero, LEAD ambassador for the nonprofit Foster Success, now 25, entered the system at 17. He credits three key factors for his successful transition.
“Relationships with supportive adults who will last far beyond our time in foster care, financial resources that meet the various needs of young people while we pursue our higher education, the workforce, and as we find our footing as young adults,” Otero outlined. “And the third way to accomplish this is to ensure that all young people have access to a network of peers and supportive adults.”
He noted many young adults struggle once they leave the foster care system because they do not know about available support programs.
Michigan is now looking to recruit more foster families, hoping to reduce the number of children placed in institutional settings.
Hope Cooper, campaign manager for the advocacy group Journey to Success, said her organization works with lawmakers to create legislation to addresses adversities foster care kids face.
“Young people in foster care face additional challenges in completing school on time,” Cooper pointed out. “They’re often coping with some mental-health issues. There are other unmet needs, and as young people get older, into their young adult years, many face housing instability or challenges with getting connected to work.”
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, about 30% of former foster youths experience homelessness within four years of aging out, compared with just 7% of the general population.
