The House
marked Youth Advocacy Day in Olympia by
passing House Bill 2592, which opens the doors of higher
education for foster care children in Washington State. The bill, prime-sponsored by Representative Mary Helen
Roberts, extends
foster care services for youth aged 18-21 that are enrolled in a postsecondary
or vocational education program.
The legislation builds upon the
successful
Foster Care to 21 program established in 2006. In 2008, lawmakers at the
federal level passed the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act which provides federal matching funds for similar programs at the
state level. HB 2592 makes necessary changes to Foster Care to 21 in order for
our state to be eligible for these federal dollars.
The bill now heads over to
the Senate for
their consideration.
To read this story in Spanish, click here.
To read this story in Spanish, click here.
