Every State’s Extended Foster Care Policies Now Available in New Database

Juvenile Law Center released a new tool today that could help policymakers and advocates better understand and serve older youth — those over 18 — who are aging out of foster care.

The National Extended Foster Care Review is a comprehensive database that catalogs each state’s laws and policies related to extended foster care.

“It really is a comprehensive catalogue approach to looking at what every single state is doing and how they’re alike and how they’re different,” said Juvenile Law Center attorney Lisa Swaminathan. “We will be connecting [that] into this larger question on how to provide extended care services in a way that is valuable to youth so they actually choose to remain in care.”