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Updated April 19, 2021
John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition
to Adulthood
Background
books, supplies, transportation, and child care, among other
Children enter foster care after experiencing abuse or
expenses. HEA defines institution of higher education to
neglect, or due to some other circumstance that prevents
include traditional higher education institutions (e.g., public
them from safely remaining with their families. In FY2019,
or private nonprofit colleges) as well as other postsecondary
about 155,000 teens and young adults spent at least one day
institutions (e.g., postsecondary vocational schools).
in foster care. Of those who left care during that year, more
Further, the Chafee statute directs state child welfare
than 20,000 aged out or were emancipated. Generally this
agencies to take steps to prevent duplicating benefits under
means these youth reached a state’s legal age of adulthood,
the ETV program and other federal programs.
usually 18, without having been reunited with their families
Youth are eligible to receive ETVs for as many as five
or placed in new permanent families.
years (up to age 26) so long as they are making satisfactory
The John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful
progress toward completing their education and regardless
Transition to Adulthood (Chafee program) provides funds
of whether they attend in consecutive years. Youth may
to states, territories, and Indian tribal entities (states) to
attend on either a full-time or part-time basis. Between
address poor education, employment, and other outcomes
approximately 16,500 and 17,000 youth have received a
experienced by many such foster youth as they transition to
voucher in each year from 2011 to 2017. A forthcoming
adulthood. The Chafee program is authorized under Title
HHS study of the ETV program examines how nine states
IV-E, Section 477 of the Social Security Act (SSA). The
administer the program. Initial findings indicate that former
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
foster youth with an ETV are more likely to enroll and
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
persist in college compared to peers without an ETV.
administers the Chafee program. Formerly known as the
John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, it was
Eligibility
established by the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999
The Chafee statute’s purpose areas outline eligibility for the
(P.L. 106-169), and succeeded a similar program created in
program. (See Table 1.) The program is available to current
1985. The Chafee statute has been amended five times,
and former foster youth ages 14 to 21, and the statute
notably in 2002 (Title II, P.L. 107-133) to include the
specifies that states extending foster care to age 21 may
Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program
provide Chafee supports to age 23. The law also specifies
and in 2018 (Title VII, Division E of P.L. 115-123) to focus
that supports under the program are to be made available to
supports more clearly on youth who spend time in foster
Indian children on the same basis as other children. As
care at age 14 or older even if they do not emancipate.
noted, eligible youth may receive ETVs until age 26.
Supports
Table 1. Eligibility for the Chafee Program
The Chafee program provides funds to states to assist them
in offering supportive services for youth who experience
Eligibility Categories
foster care at age 14 or older, including former foster youth
up to age 21. States are expected to use Chafee funds to
Children and youth in foster care between ages 14-21.
provide a full range of s ervices and supports intended to
Youth who aged out of foster care and are between 18
help eligible youth, such as educational assistance, career
and 21 (or 23 in states that extend foster care to 21).
exploration, mentoring, and preventive health activities,
Children and youth who left foster care at 16 or older
among other services. States can dedicate as much as 30%
for kinship guardianship or adoption, until they reach 21
of their funding toward room or board for youth ages 18 to
(or 23 in states that extend foster care to 21).
21 (and up to age 23 in states that have extended foster
Children and youth who had been in foster care between
care). This includes room or board for youth who attend
14 and 21 and left it for some other reason besides aging
institutions of higher education. Room or board is not
out of foster care, kinship guardianship, or adoption.
defined in statute but typically includes shelter and food.
Children likely to remain in care until 18, pertaining to
Education and Training Voucher Program
the Chafee purpose area of providing “regular, ongoing
The Chafee statute includes a separate authorization for the
opportunities to engage in age or developmental y-
appropriate activities.”
ETV program. States may use ETV funding to provide a
voucher—worth up to $5,000 each year or the cost of
Source: Section 477(a) of the Social Security Act and HHS guidance.
attendance (whichever is less)—for a Chafee-eligible youth
to attend an institution of higher education, as these terms
are defined by the Higher Education Act (HEA). HEA
defines cost of attendance as the costs for tuition, fees,
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John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood
NYTD
spend the funding in a two-year period, either the fiscal
As required by the Chafee statute, HHS established the
year it is received or in the succeeding fiscal year. If a state
National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) to capture
does not apply for its full allotment, HHS allocates the
the characteristics and experiences of certain current and
funds to one or more other states on the basis of their
former foster youth across the country. States have reported
relative need for such additional allotments (as determined
to NYTD since FY2011 on the number of youth who
by HHS). Further, HHS may redistribute funds not used
annually receive a supportive service to assist them in their
within the two-year period to states that apply for them,
transition to adulthood. In addition to these served youth,
provided HHS determines the states would use the funds
states report on follow-up youth—individuals the states
consistent with the program purposes. HHS must distribute
track over time to assess their outcomes. Young people are
any such funds based on the relative share of children in
surveyed at 17 when they are in care, 19 when they may or
care in each state that applies successfully.
may not be in care, and 21 when they are no longer in care.
As required by the Chafee statute, HHS submitted a report
Evaluation Activities
to Congress in February 2020 that discussed the
The Chafee statute directs HHS to reserve a portion of the
experiences of follow-up youth surveyed at age 17 (2014)
program funding to conduct evaluations of Chafee-funded
and again at ages 19 (2016) and 21 (2018). The analysis
activities deemed to be “innovative or of national
found the following:
significance.” HHS initially conducted an evaluation of four
promising local child welfare programs in which foster
Compared to youth who had exited foster care at ages
youth were randomly assigned to either treatment or control
13-16, those who were in care and surveyed at age 17
groups. HHS found that one of the programs—the
were more likely to have been placed in a group home
Adolescent Outreach Program in Massachusetts—had
or institution, had slightly more placement changes,
positive findings. Youth in the treatment group (i.e., who
and were more likely to have entered foster care due to
participated in the program) were more likely than youth in
a child behavior problem or caretaker inability to cope.
the control group to enroll in college and stay enrolled.
HHS is conducting research on three programs—the Seitas
Among youth who completed the survey at ages 17 and
Scholars program in Michigan, the iFoster employment
19, those who remained in care were less likely than
program in California, and MyTime employment program
their peers who left care to report that they had been
in Illinois—to inform the design of education and
incarcerated for allegedly committing a crime, had
employment interventions that can support foster youth as
given birth to or fathered a child, or been homeless
they transition to adulthood.
within the past two years. Youth who remained in care
were also more likely to be attending school.
Temporary Flexibilities
In response to the COVID-19 global health pandemic, the
Certain experiences while in foster care shaped
Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the
outcomes of youth ages 19 and 21. For example, youth
Pandemic Act (Division X of P.L. 116-260) appropriates
were more likely to be in school or to graduate from
$400 million in supplemental funding for the Chafee
high school if they had fewer foster care placements
program (of which a minimum of $50 million must be
and lived in a foster family home (as opposed to other
reserved for ETVs). Combined with the regular FY2021
placement types).
Chafee funding of $186.3 million, this brings the total
FY2021 Chafee funding to $586.3 million. States may use a
Funding
part of the $400 million in supplemental funding for
The Chafee statute provides $143 million annually in
carrying out temporary Division X requirements for Title
mandatory funding for the general Chafee program. ETV
IV-E Foster Care, such as prohibiting states from requiring
funding is discretionary, and the statute authorizes up to
youth to age out of foster care through FY2021. The law
$60 million annually. To receive funds, a state must submit
also waives the state match requirement for the
a five-year plan (and annual plan updates) to HHS that
supplemental FY2021 funds.
describes how it intends to carry out its Chafee-funded
program and affirms that it meets the law’s requirements.
Division X shifts the age of eligibility to 27 for the Chafee
and ETV programs and increases the maximum annual
Funds are allocated to states based on their relative share of
amount of the ETV award to $12,000 through September
children in foster care and to eligible tribes (out of a state’s
30, 2022. In addition, the law provides program flexibilities
allotment) based on the share of tribal children in foster
that allow states to use more than 30% of their Chafee
care in the state. The Chafee statute includes a hold
funds to provide room or board for any Chafee-eligible
harmless clause that precludes any state from receiving less
youth (rather than only those who have emancipated);
than the amount of funds it received in FY1998 under the
permit funds to be used to assist current and former foster
predecessor program to Chafee or $500,000, whichever is
youth ages 15 to 27 with driving and transportation-related
greater. Currently, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
costs; and alter the requirements around eligibility and use
are the only territories receiving funds. States must provide
of funds under the ETV program. Generally, these
a 20% cash or in-kind match to receive their full federal
flexibilities are in place through September 30, 2021.
Chafee and ETV allotments. Further, states may use funds
For further information about the Chafee program, see
only to supplement, and not supplant, any other funds that
CRS Reports RL34499 and R46734.
are available for activities authorized in the program. States
must annually request to receive their allotments and must
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John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood
Adrienne L. Fernandes-Alcantara, Specialist in Social
Policy
IF11070
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11070 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED