State Policy Advocacy for Transition-Aged Youth

Youth Law Center advocates that young people transitioning from foster care or juvenile justice systems have the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive in adulthood. These young people often face complex barriers as they move toward independence, including disrupted education, limited access to health care, housing instability, and a lack of economic security. As states continue to grapple with climate crises, economic uncertainty, and workforce shortages in public systems, ensuring robust transitional protections and supports for transition aged youth has never been more urgent.

Our advocacy is focused on ensuring that these youth are not left to navigate adulthood on their own. We work to improve access to critical supports- such as public benefits, extended foster care benefits, behavioral health services, higher education, transitional housing, and parenting resources- by engaging in systemic reform and equipping advocates with the tools they need to serve this population effectively.

As a legal support center, we partner with legal services programs, community organizations, and public systems to provide advocacy support, training, and technical assistance on TAY-related legal and policy issues. Our efforts aim to improve direct representation, inform practice, and influence policy. We develop legal resources, co-counsel cases, respond to advocate requests, and build the capacity of professionals across disciplines—from public defenders and child welfare workers to educators and policy leaders.

Priority areas of our policy advocacy and support include:

• Economic Supports: Ensuring access to extended foster care, CalWORKs, Kin-GAP, AAP, SSI, CalFresh, and emergency or disaster-related aid. As part of this work, we chair the California Foster Youth Social Security Benefits Workgroup and lead a multi-year initiative to improve access to SSI for eligible youth.
• Health and Mental Health Services: Expanding access to Medicaid and specialty behavioral health services.
• Education: Increasing access to quality K-12 education, higher education, and career pathways.
• Housing: Supporting transitional housing programs and vouchers for foster and former foster youth.
• Additional Transitional Services: Enhancing permanency services, parenting supports, legal protections, and transitions to adult systems of care for youth with disabilities.
• Digital Equity: Advocating for access to essential technology, including cell phones and internet services.
• Civic and Legal Rights: Promoting TAY participation in civic life and protecting their broader legal rights.

By centering the lived experiences of young people and partnering with advocates across the state, we are helping to build a future in which every young person exiting public systems is equipped not just to survive, but to lead and thrive.