By MIKE KRAFCIK
6 News Reporter
FRIENDSVILLE (WATE) - Gov. Bill Haslam was in Blount County Tuesday afternoon to sign a bill giving Tennessee foster kids more time to transition into the adult world.
The signing of HB 2337/SB 2199 authorizes the state Department of Children Services (DCS) to continue the "Tennessee Transitional Youth Empowerment Act of 2010.
It allows teens in state custody to stay in foster care until age 21. It's a move that has been tried over the past two years, but the policy was set to expire on June 30.
The bill has no end date, making it a permanent piece of legislation.
In front of a crowd at Pellissippi State's Friendsville campus, Gov. Haslam signed the bill. He says it will help people in foster care make a smoother transition into adult life.
"When foster families can get the state's assistance to do this, I think we all come out ahead. It will show lower employment rates, lower teen pregnancy rates and all the things, critical things we're trying to impact in the state," Haslam said.
The bill will help those 18 to 21 who are in the custody of DCS.
Sixty percent of DCS foster youths are teenagers. Officials say 813 turned 18 last year without a permanent family.
The governor's office said these are some of Tennessee's most vulnerable citizens, and they're at a much higher risk than the general population for homelessness, incarceration, dropping out of school, unemployment, unintended pregnancy and lack to access to health care.
"If you think about the inner-generation of foster care, if you stop one young person from becoming a parent too soon, then you're interrupting a cycle and that's a huge savings," said DCS Commissioner Katie O'Day.
The bill will also help foster youths like Knoxville resident and Pellissippi State student Genesis Hardin. Last year, at 18, she left foster care with little assistance.
"I've had to move houses twice. I've had to face an eviction notice. I lost my post-custody services twice already because I didn't do so well. My grades went down, and I had trouble managing my money," Hardin said.
The bill also provides more case management and transition plans for foster youths, making it easier for those who have mental health and behavioral challenges to get help.
"Not only do they have mental health and behavioral health challenges, but they're going at it alone. They are going at it without family support," said Mark Wolf, project director at K-Town Youth Empowerment Network.
Wolf estimates there are around 40-50 foster youths living in Knox County between the ages of 18 and 21.
Genesis Hardin looks forward to what this bill can do for her. "I think it will help me with having more resources so if I did need help with finding a house or something, I would be able to go back to them, and ask, well, how can I get this? she said.
The bill will go into effect on July 1. Services must be provided to young people who are in college, vocational school, secondary education, or those who are physically or mentally disabled.
Gov. Haslam said the extension of services will cost around $1.7 million per year, with $900,000 coming from the state and $800,000 from federal money.
"When foster families can get the state's assistance to do this, I think we all come out ahead," Gov. Bill Haslam said.
"I think it will help me with having more resources so if I did need help with finding a house or something, I would be able to go back to them, and ask, well, how can I get this?" Genesis Hardin said.
