| Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), released new guidance to grant recipients regarding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) program. The FYI program is a dedicated resource that provides rental assistance and supportive services to young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who have left or are transitioning out of foster care, who are experiencing homelessness, or are at risk of experiencing homelessness. This important guidance, developed in partnership with HUD, will help ensure eligible young adults gain access to these resources. Housing stability is essential for achieving self-sufficiency and promoting health and well-being, particularly during the transition to adulthood. Approximately 20,000 youth exit foster care annually, typically between the ages of 18 and 21, and these young people face greater obstacles to accessing and maintaining housing and as a result experience higher rates of homelessness and housing instability compared to the general population. And young people may exit foster care into a stable setting but then later experience homelessness or housing stability. That is why the President's Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal establishes a housing voucher program for all youth aging out of foster care annually. |
