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TN STIMULUS FOR FOSTER YOUTH APPLICATION IS LIVE- VISIT THE DEPT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES WEBSITE TO APPLY BY 7/31
The COVID-19 Pandemic has posed challenges for all Tennesseans, but particularly for youth who have aged out of foster care. Youth have reported challenges with housing, food insecurity, healthcare, employment, child care, and education. The good news? There are resources that can help young people who need it.
This website is a collaboration between Youth Law Center and the Vanderbilt Youth and Opportunity Clinic. It hosts a collection of information and resources on pandemic relief resources for current and former foster youth in Tennessee and the providers and advocates who care for and about them.
PLEASE NOTE: this is not the website to apply for pandemic relief. The pandemic relief website is through the Tennessee Department of Children's Services at bit.ly/fosteraid.
If you'd like to stay connected to related policy changes on the federal level, follow Think of Us and FosterClub, two national organizations run by and for current and former foster youth. If you have questions about what is happening in Tennessee, or are having difficulty navigating the stimulus, email youth.opportunity@vanderbilt.edu.
What is the pandemic relief for foster youth?
What is the pandemic relief for foster youth?
TN received $7.4 million in federal Chafee funds to be provided to young people in and leaving foster care. TN is using this money to provide eligible youth up to $1200 as a direct payment as well as other support services. Youth aged 18-26 are eligible if they were in foster care at age 14 or older. Note: Youth who were in foster care (for instance, in a group home) through the juvenile justice system are also eligible.
How can I apply?
How can I apply?
Youth can fill out Tennessee's application on the Department of Children's Services website at bit.ly/fosteraid. The initial application deadline is 7/31. The deadline could be extended, but it is best to apply as soon as possible.
Am I eligible if I was in the juvenile justice system?
Am I eligible if I was in the juvenile justice system?
Likely, yes. Many youth in Tennessee are placed in foster care (which can include group homes, relative placements, and placements in foster homes, among other things) through the juvenile justice system. It doesn't matter if you were in a foster care placement through dependency court or through delinquency court, as long as you were in foster care after the age of 14.
Whenever we write "foster youth" on this website, we are referring to all foster youth, which includes youth who experienced foster care prior to, after, or as part of the juvenile justice system.
What other support could I be eligible for?
What other support could I be eligible for?
There are a number of resources to help foster youth transition to adulthood, including but not limited to:
Money to pay for school (Chafee ETV, TN Bright Futures Scholarship, and/or TN Hope Foster Child Tuition Grant)
If you have not filed taxes before, you may be missing out on stimulus money from the federal government. For more info on how to get money you might be owed, click here.
More information about how youth can access these resources will be uploaded to this website as materials are created. Check the Other Resources for Youth tab for updates.
What are the re-entry and moratorium requirements for Extended Foster Care?
What are the re-entry and moratorium requirements for Extended Foster Care?
Congress passed a law saying that youth in extended foster care should not be exited from care during the pandemic due to age requirements or school/work related requirements. States are not allowed to exit youth due to age or school/work-related requirements until Sept 30, 2021. This is called the "moratorium" on exiting foster care.
Youth who were exited from extended foster care due to age or school/work requirements between January 27, 2020 and Sept 30, 2021, must be allowed to re-enter if they want to. States have a responsibility to contact youth who were exited during this period to make sure they know that they can re-enter if they want to and must help them with the re-entry process. These are the "re-entry" requirements.
Youth who want to re-enter foster care should contact their regional Independent Living worker. Contact information for those staff is here. Youth can also contact their Guardian Ad Litems or Court Appointed Special Advocates for assistance. If a youth does not know who their Guardian Ad Litem is, they can call the Ombudsman's office at (615) 532-1572.
The content on this website has been collected by Vanderbilt Law School's Youth Opportunity Clinic and Youth Law Center. It is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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