Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Public News Service
May is National Foster Care Month, and groups that serve foster youths and families say improvements are needed for outcomes and to reduce disparities for those aging out of care. Roughly 40% of youths who age out will experience homelessness within a year, and about half of foster children in the Commonwealth identify as Black or Latino. The median income for former foster youths up to age 26 is less than $9,000 a year. Shaheer Mustafa is the CEO of HopeWell, which provides comprehensive foster-care services to families and young people throughout the system. He said the point of transition from foster care to adulthood is key.