Older Youth Pandemic Support Grid

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1	NATIONAL GUIDE		CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021
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3	A NEW law has passed that provides funding to support current and former foster youth during the COVID pandemic. Act now to receive assistance that will help you get stable, back on track with work or school, and forge an amazing future for yourself!
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5	What help do you need?	What's available	How to know if you're eligible	Where to Ask
6	Emergency Cash for Basic Needs, including food	Emergency funding is available to provide cash assistance now until Sept 30, 2021. Each state will be figuring out how they will distribute funds to young people.	Young people age 14 through 26 (up to 27th birthday) who experienced foster care when they were age 14 or older.	Ask your Chafee Independent Living Coordinator. If they have not heard about the Older Youth Pandemic Relief funding yet, or if you don't have an IL Coordinator, contact your State Independent Living Program Manager.
7	Stay in Foster Care (delay of aging out)	States are to allow ANY YOUTH currently in foster care to stay in foster care until at least Sept 30, 2021.	Young people who will be aging out soon (may happen at 18 or 21 years old).	Your caseworker. If you go to Court, ask your attorney, CASA, GAL, and the Judge about this option.
8	Re-Enter Foster Care	Many young people have learned life on their own is harder than they thought it would be, especially during a pandemic.	States must provide re-entry to all under age 22 who aged out between 4/1/20-9/30/21.	Ask your previous caseworker. Alternately, you could ask the Manager at your local child welfare agency how to re-enter foster care. If they are not aware of this option, contact your State Independent Living Program Manager.
9	Housing	The new FYI Housing Program can provide a support for rent for up to three years. Additionally, States can use the new Chafee pandemic relief funds to support housing for current and former foster youth.	FYI Housing: Current or former foster youth ages 18-24 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness (this includes couch surfing). Read an information flyer.	Ask your Chafee Independent Living Coordinator. If they are not aware of the FYI Housing Program, or if you do not have an IL Coordinator, contact your State Independent Living Program Manager.
10	Higher Ed Funding (increased ETV)	Temporarily raises the amount of support that can be provided to an individual student to $12,000 per year.	Young people through 26 (up to 27th birthday) who experienced foster care when they were age 14 or older.	Contact your State ETV Coordinator (sometimes this is the same person as the Independent Living Program Manager)
11	Driving Support	The new Chafee pandemic relief allows states to provide up to $4000 per individual to support costs relating to becoming a licensed driver.	Young people age 14 through 26 (up to 27th birthday) who experienced foster care when they were age 14 or older.	Contact your ETV coordinator
12	Peer Support	Sometimes it helps to have support from others who are coping with the same sort of struggle. There are foster youth and alumni groups across the country.	Eligibility varies by group.
13	Mental Health & Health Care	Young people who age out of foster care can remain on Medicaid until age 26. Medicaid covers the cost of regular health care (like going to the doctor), and also covers cost of professional help for challenges that have become common during COVID, such as anxiety and panic attacks, depression, substance use prevention/treatment, and other mental health issues.	There is no income test. If you aged out of foster care, you are eligible until age 26.	Learn more at fosterclub.com/healthcareffy. If your local health department or caseworker is not aware of this coverage, you can have them contact FosterClub.
14	Receiving the COVID Stimulus check (+ completing taxes)	There have been two rounds of stimulus checks so far: one for $1200 per individual, the second for $600. It is possible there will be another round of stimulus checks in early 2021.	You must file taxes in order to receive the stimulus payment.	Get free help at MyFreeTaxes.com, which is a project of the United Way & H&R Block. The IRS starts accepting e-returns on 2/12/2021.
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16	Background: when the COVID pandemic struck, young leaders from foster care advocated to Congress that there should be relief aid provided to young people from foster care. Their voices were heard. On Dec 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (PL 116-260) was passed by Congress. It includes provisions to support older youth from foster care that were in the bipartisan bill, Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act (HR 7947).
17	For more information, contact FosterClub at 503-717-1552, or at www.fosterclub.org (use the chat feature)
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