What Do States Communicate about Supports Available to Youth Exiting Foster Care? A Landscape Analysis

Background: Each year, approximately 15,000 youth transition out of foster care in the United States, often facing challenges accessing critical supports such as housing, education, employment, healthcare, and financial resources. Although services exist, youth and young adults (YYA) with foster care experience frequently report difficulty obtaining clear and comprehensive information about available supports. This study, conducted as part of the Chafee Strengthening Outcomes for Transition to Adulthood (SOTA) project, examines how states communicate information about transition services. The objective was to assess the accessibility, clarity, and completeness of publicly available information and to identify opportunities to improve YYA access to services.

Methods: A systematic landscape analysis was conducted of publicly available transition-related communications across all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (N=52). Data sources included state websites and transition handbooks. The review focused on seven key topic areas: extended foster care eligibility, housing, education, employment, healthcare, financial education, and access to key personal documents.

The analytic framework was informed by a youth-centered definition of “access,” developed in collaboration with the Young Adult Advisors. This framework emphasized three dimensions: transparency, knowledge, and minimizing barriers. Data were systematically coded to assess whether states communicated information on each topic, the specificity of program descriptions, and the inclusion of eligibility criteria and contact supports (e.g., liaisons).

Young Adult Advisors with foster care experience identified the topic, conceptualized the priority elements for review, co-conducted the study, and co-developed the synthesis of findings.

Results: The analysis revealed that all jurisdictions maintained at least one communication resource (website or handbook) describing transition services; however, the quality and comprehensiveness of information varied widely. Most states communicated general eligibility for extended foster care (85%) and described services related to housing, education, employment, and healthcare. However, fewer states provided detailed, program-specific information, particularly for employment (25%) and financial education (8%). Information on accessing key personal documents was also limited, with only about one-quarter of states addressing this topic. While 75% of states identified at least one liaison to support YYA, inconsistencies in terminology, incomplete eligibility information, and fragmented resources were common access barriers. Examples of exemplary communications were identified. Overall, communication about eligibility requirements—especially service-specific criteria—was often incomplete or unclear, potentially limiting YYA’s ability to access supports.

Implications: The findings indicate that while all states provide some information about transition services, significant gaps in clarity, completeness, and accessibility persist. These gaps may hinder YYA from effectively accessing critical supports during the transition to adulthood. Recommendations that could enhance access include improving communication strategies—such as standardizing terminology, consolidating information, providing comprehensive eligibility details, and incorporating youth-centered design. Engaging YYA in the development of communication materials and expanding the use of user-friendly tools (e.g., interactive maps, summary tables) are promising approaches. These findings have implications for policymakers, child welfare agencies, and practitioners seeking to strengthen service accessibility and improve outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care.