Minnesota has had an extended foster care policy since October 1, 2010, meaning that youth can elect to remain in foster care beyond age 18 until age 21. Youth can opt for a traditional foster home placement or a supervised independent living setting. Funding for extended foster care benefits primarily comes from county and federal funds, with support from the state. The policy is based on a state option found in the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008.

Preliminary results for extended foster care in Minnesota

Earlier this month the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) issued preliminary results from a study conducted by The Improve Group on outcomes of foster youth who elect to remain in care after age 18. The preliminary results of The Improve Group/DHS study show that youth who elect to remain in foster care after age 18 tend to have more positive outcomes than those who exit care at age 18.

Youth in Foster Care

Completed high school or received GED 82%
Enrolled in/attending school 64%
Received financial aid for education 30%
Reported being homeless in prior two years 12%

Youth Discharged from Foster Care

Completed high school or received GED 63%
Enrolled in/attending school 39%
Received financial aid for education 12%
Reported being homeless in prior two years 41%

For more on this study please see the DHS news release.

For more on extended foster care, including its benefits in terms of stability, permanency, and positive outcomes for youth, visit Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative’s policy goal on this topic. Also, they have a pretty informative infographic detailing “the costs of doing nothing.”