Leaving the nest when it's best.

• Author: McCann, Meghan
• Position: TRENDS & TRANSITIONS

Virginia is the latest state to enact legislation to continue services for foster care youth after they turn 18, the age they traditionally have "aged out" of the program. The intent is to help foster children make a more successful transition into adulthood.

In 2008, Congress gave states the option to extend foster care beyond 18, and receive federal reimbursement, with the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act. Since then, 23 states and the District of Columbia have opted to extend foster care to children beyond the age of 18.

States choose to extend care for a variety of reasons. "Studies show that foster youth who stay with families until the age of 21 have a much better chance of completing college or job training programs," says Virginia Senator Barbara Favola (D). "As a society we need to help foster kids become self-sufficient adults or we will have failed these kids and failed ourselves."

Nationwide, approximately 23,000 teens in foster care turn 18 each year. Although they may not think so, most kids that age still need emotional support from adults, as well as financial help and guidance in the often complicated and expensive areas of health care, education, employment and housing. New insight from brain research also suggests the transition from adolescence into adulthood takes longer than once believed. Independence doesn't automatically occur at a...