January 26, 2021 | UPDATE FROM JOHN BURTON ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH
John Burton Advocates for Youth improves the quality of life for youth in California who have been in foster care or homeless by advocating for better laws, training communities to strengthen local practices and conducting research to inform policy solutions.
Senator Leyva Introduces SB 228 to Improve Educational Success of Foster Youth
Continuing her work to improve educational opportunities for foster youth, Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) introduced Senate Bill (SB) 228, which would allow greater access to higher education for current and former foster youth by strengthening an existing program for foster youth attending California’s community colleges. Sponsored by John Burton Advocates for Youth and California Youth Connection, SB 228 removes barriers facing foster youth by modifying eligibility to enable students who were in foster care after age 13 to participate in the NextUp program, a program for current and former foster youth at 45 community colleges.
The bill proposes to similarly align eligibility for priority registration and creates flexibility around income requirements for students transitioning from full-time employment to school. Other proposed changes include specifying that existing funds can be used to provide support to enrolled students as they are matriculating and clarifying that programs should create streamlined systems for application and entry. For more information or to submit a letter of support for the bill, click here.
Federal Relief Exempts College Students from CalFresh Work Requirement
Released on January 22, 2021, All County Letter 21-11 announces two temporary changes that expand access to CalFresh to students in higher education during through the end of the COVID-19 emergency. These changes modify the CalFresh student eligibility rule, which traditionally required that a student who is enrolled at least half time in college be working twenty hours a week (or qualify through another enumerated exception).
Stemming from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, the changes exempt students from the work requirement who are eligible for federal or state work study or who have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of zero on their FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. If a student is eligible for work study, unlike under regular CalFresh rules, it is no longer required that a student be approved for work study and anticipate working during the approved term. These changes make accessing CalFresh lower barrier to all college students, especially those experiencing the foster care system or homelessness. The ACL also includes template letters for colleges to certify a student’s work study and or CalFresh eligibility.
California Youth Connection Seeking Foster Youth to Complete Survey Regarding Housing Concerns
The California Youth Connection (CYC) Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) Team has developed a survey for current and former foster youth to help identify concerns about housing stability, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The twenty-six-question survey asks respondents about their current and past living situations as well as anticipated housing changes.
CYC will utilize the results to create recommendations for policy and program improvements. All former foster youth, regardless of age, are encouraged to complete the survey. For more information or to access the survey, click here.
California Student Aid Commission Releases FAQ Regarding New Chafee SAP Rules
In partnership with John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) released an SB 150 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) reference tool for financial aid administrators and foster youth program coordinators.SB 150 went into effect on January 1st, 2020 and allows foster youth students to receive the Chafee grant for up to two years before becoming ineligible due to not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
Research indicates nearly 53% of foster youth students attending California Community Colleges fail to meet SAP within their first year of enrollment, jeopardizing much-needed access to financial aid and reducing the likelihood of persistence to graduation. SB 150 ensures that students can access on-campus supports and maintain their Chafee funding without interruption. JBAY will present the FAQs on January 28 during the Chafee ETV Stakeholder Meeting. To access the FAQs, click here.
Webinar to Highlight New Financial Aid Rules to Better Support Homeless and Foster Students
In December 2020, Congress passed significant new financial aid policies, including revisions to the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness and current and former foster youth. These changes are designed to remove barriers to financial aid and improve young people’s ability to access and complete higher education.
On Thursday, February 4 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Schoolhouse Connection,Juvenile Law Center, and JBAY will be hosting a webinar that will provide an overview of the provisions related to homelessness and foster care, summarize the broader changes to financial aid policy, provide timelines for implementation, offer opportunities to ask questions, and provide helpful practice resources. To register to attend the webinar, click here.
John Burton Advocates for Youth in partnership with the Chief Probation Officers of California, has released a toolkit designed to assist probation officers working to support non-minor dependents (NMDs) in their efforts to achieve housing stability, both while in extended foster care (EFC) and as they transition into independent adulthood.
This resource provides an overview of the placement options for NMDs, along with a description of the various housing supports and resources that exist in California for youth once they transition out of EFC. This includes housing programs and vouchers developed for this target population, in addition to services available through the local homelessness response systems and permanent affordable housing.
Practice tips for probation officers are included throughout the toolkit focused on assisting youth with accessing and maintaining these housing services. A “Quick Glance Key” appears in the appendix with information about eligibility and how to find services with links to program rosters. Download the Non-Minor Dependent (NMD) Housing Resources Toolkit for Juvenile Probation Officers: Assisting NMDs While in Care & in Transition by following this link.
