Teens in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions | OAS Episode 80
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services latest “Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System” says more than 430,000 people were in foster care in the last fiscal year. About a quarter of those in the system were teenagers. There is growing awareness that older teens in the foster care system need trained foster parents to help them transition to adulthood. Consequently, 28 states and the District of Columbia have extended foster care beyond the age of 18.
On this episode of “Our American States,” we talk with two state legislators who have first-hand knowledge of foster care and are actively involved in shedding light on this topic.
- Alaska Representative Ivy Spohnholz (D), who is a foster and adoptive parent
- Indiana Senator Erin Houchin (R), who is a former case worker
