Please see below for an invitation from HHS to participate in an important call this Friday about older youth aging out of foster care:
Colleagues, we would like to invite you and your team members working on the issue of older youth aging out to a timely discussion this Friday, September 24 with JooYeun Chang, Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Aysha E. Schomburg, Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau at the Administration for Children and Families; David Sanders, Executive Vice President, Systems Improvement, Casey Family Programs; and Sandra Gasca-Gonzalez, Vice President, Center for Systems Innovation, Annie E. Casey Foundation.
WHEN: Friday, September 24, 2021 at 3 pm Eastern / 12 pm Pacific.
HOW: Please register and connect at https://casey.zoom.us/j/93502743866
WHAT: As you may be aware, a number of states established moratoriums to prevent youth for aging out in their states during the pandemic and in December 2020, Congress enacted a national moratorium that is now set to expire on September 30, 2021. As a result, many young people that would have aged out starting March 2020 through September 2021 (16 months) will age out on October 1, 2021. The result may be a significant number of young people aging out – on the same day – across the country.
Casey Family Programs and the Annie E Casey Foundation have been asked by HHS to support a discussion with jurisdiction leaders on how child welfare and other resources might be leveraged to ensure a smooth transition from foster care for these youth. We are hoping you will join this critical discussion to share any planning your jurisdiction already has underway to address this issue, as well as discuss strategies being implemented to prevent this from happening and in support of older youth. Please feel free to include those staff in your agencies who are working directly on this issue. We are looking forward to a solution-focused and productive conversation, and very much appreciate your participation.
WHO: This session is designed for jurisdictional leaders and key staff working on older youth issues, HHS leadership, and staff from CFP and AECF. Should you have any questions or need assistance, please contact KMResources@casey.org. The webinar will be recorded so that a short summary can be provided to participants following the session.
