- Foster care youth are 100% eligible for WIA funds.
- Contact your local WIA Board.
Food
- Go with the young person to apply for food stamps, or accompany him or her to the nearest Food Bank.
- Here's a list of Food Banks in Ohio.
GED
- Job Corps is a great way to complete a high school education, and even provides housing!
- Ohio has three Jobs Corps Centers.
Healthcare
- Foster care youth who "age out" of the system can receive Medicaid until age 21.
- Navigating the adult Medicaid system can be challenging.
- Don't assume that the staff at the Medicaid office will be aware of this program -- bring a copy of the flyer.
Higher Ed
- Ohio Reach is a statewide initiative to increase the number of foster care youth who enroll in and graduate from college.
- A good place to start in choosing a college is to look over the list of Ohio Reach Campus Liaisons.
Housing
- The Family Unification Program provides housing vouchers for which foster care alumni are eligible.
- Find out if your county has applied for FUPS - and how to make this happen.
Legal Assistance
- Mission Transition is a free online resource.
- Capital University Law School plans to pilot a Foster Youth Legal Clinic (currently under development)
- Another free online source is the Foster Youth Rights Handbook created by the Ohio YAB.
Literacy
- Have you contacted your local library and/or Literacy Council?
- The Ohio Literacy Network offers a free online membership.
Mental Health
- Each Ohio county has a Mental Health Board, and it's up to us to advocate for specific services for transitioning foster care youth.
- It's important to be aware that former foster youth suffer from PTSD at a rate twice that of Vietnam war veterans.
Parenting
- The Ohio Parent Information Network provides free information and support, and the State Library of Ohio has compiled this list of additional resources.
- Foster Care Alumni of America recently published a book, FLUX, which includes a chapter on parenting after foster care.
Phone Bills
- Lifeline, Link Up, and Toll Limitation Service (TLS) help keep Americans connected by making basic, local telephone service more affordable for more than 7 million Americans.
Social Security
- Emancipating foster care youth with disabilities can submit SSI applications up to 90 days before federal foster care payments are supposed to end.
- Remind the staff member that this is an exception to the general rule regarding this process.
