Lates News as of July 19, 2022

The state budget of California offers help for foster youth and families. The recent unexpected budget flush revenue, will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the number of homes for foster children, provide cash payments to transition-age youth and improve legal representation in the state's dependency courts. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the $308 billion state budget, describing it as an investment in "our core values at a pivotal moment."

In the New York, Bronx area, a nonprofit, Catholic Guardian Services, will be able to work with and provide to foster young adults up to age 26. Due to increased city funding, Catholic Guardian Services will be able to offer services to them. The city has nearly doubled its budget for its Fair Futures program. Fair Futures, a coalition of child welfare agencies, nonprofits, foundations, advocates, and young adults working together for youth in foster care, will receive $30 million in FY2023, up from $13.5 million, according to the budget agreement announced by Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council earlier this month.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services awards scholarships to 72 college-bound current and former youth in care at lunch and ceremony in their honor at the Wyndham Springfield City Centre. DCFS Scholarship Program recipients receive up to five consecutive years of tuition and academic fee waivers to be used at participating Illinois state community colleges and public universities and a monthly grant of $1,273 to offset other expenses and a medical card.

Legislation update from Voice for Adoption advocacy can be found here.

Update from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation can be found here.