| June is a milestone month for many high
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| | challenging transition to adulthood.
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| school seniors, celebrating graduation,
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| | Programs such as Hillsides Youth Moving
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| taking senior trips and preparing for
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| | On, a transitional living program that
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| college. At the same time, 20,000 foster
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| | provides quality, affordable housing to
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| care youth age out of or emancipate from
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| | twenty former foster youth who are
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| foster care each year. Of those youth,
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| | eligible, are helping them transition
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| one-fifth or 4,000 youth, who turn 18 and
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| | into adulthood successfully.
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| graduate from high school live in
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| | Initiating legislation to combat the grim
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| California, leave the foster care system
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| | futures for foster youth, United States
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| with little to no support, and 65% of
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| | Senator Barbara Boxer has introduced the
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| these youth do so without a place to
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| | Foster Care Continuing Opportunities Act,
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| live.
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| | which would provide federal funding to
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| Many of these youth with histories of
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| | States to continue providing essential
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| abuse and neglect never reunite with
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| | foster care services such as food,
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| their families or find alternative
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| | housing, and legal services to youth over
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| permanent homes. Forty percent of
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| | the age of 18, which are currently
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| emancipated foster youth become homeless
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| | inaccessible to young adults aging out of
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| within three years. In Los Angeles and
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| | foster care.
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| Alameda counties, 50% of emancipated
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| | Online resources like is a national
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| youth will be homeless within six months,
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| | network for foster children and youth
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| according to Covenant House of
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| | providing a wealth of information to help
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| California.
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| | prepare them for emancipation. Another
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| Unfortunately, youth who emancipate from
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| | source is United Friends of the Children,
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| foster care face disproportionately
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| | that provides advice and tips for former
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| higher rates of unemployment,
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| | foster youth. Life skills are essential
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| incarceration, substance abuse,
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| | in preparing foster youth and has
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| non-marital childbirth, lower education
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| | assessments and tools to help them out.
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| attainment, dependence on public
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| | For emancipated foster youth graduating
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| assistance, and other high-risk
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| | from high school, June is a milestone
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| behaviors. Unlike those high school
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| | month-a month that marks the end of their
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| graduates who have a family support
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| | foster care journey and the beginning of
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| system, emancipated foster youth lack the
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| | a daunting transition to adulthood as the
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| encouragement, self-esteem, protection
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| | statistics indicate. Their primary
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| and financial support that accompany
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| | concern after graduation is to find a
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| family life.
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| | roof over their heads. As adults we can
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| Staff at nonprofit organizations and
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| | make a difference to ease this transition
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| foundations along with elected officials
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| | for foster youth. The resources mentioned
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| are working together to reduce the risk
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| | are a great starting point to do just
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| factors for foster youth who face a
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| | that.
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