Homelessness: Smiling young woman with short dark hair, dark patterned T-shirt and dark pants sits partly in sun on stoop; open mailbox, white fence, street visible on left.

How Homelessness Crisis in LA Affects Aged-out Foster Youth

Doniesha Thomas is in her bedroom, crouching on the floor and peering into a pet carrier that appears empty. “He’s in there, all the way back,” she said, reaching in to find the kitten she rescued from a nearby vacant lot the day before, though she says she dislikes cats.

Navigating the Path to a Successful Career: The Vitality of Vital Records

In today’s world, having access to your vital records (birth certificate, Social Security card, state ID card) is, in fact, vital. The consequences system-involved youth experience by not having these essential records include potential housing instability, the inability to pursue certain educational opportunities and financial aid, and lack of access to public benefits. Not having identification can also be a barrier to employment. This is the situation Bruce Morgan, Juvenile Law Center’s youth advocate alum, faced.

Aging Out of Foster Care: Georgia Challenge, National Problem

The future is uncertain for 700 Georgia teens in foster care who will turn 18 in the next year. They have a big decision to make - whether to go out on their own, or remain with a foster family. CNN’s Soledad O’Brien profiles an Atlanta teen and the choice he faces. We hear from DHS Commissioner B.J. Walker, and Cathy Colbenson, CEO of CHRIS Kids, who warns that a quarter of the young people who age out become homeless within two years. This is not just a Georgia problem. There are 400,000 children in foster care across the nation.