Council Member Brewer Inquires About Foster Care Discharges and Supportive Housing

Well, and I'll remove her getting in trouble and say yes, we'll absolutely follow up, and I look forward to meeting the commissioner.

Thank you.

Um second issue quickly is um between Fairfair, a wonderful program, um, and the fact that uh true colors and others are trying to deal with young people coming out of foster care, becoming adults, etc.

So, what are the numbers on that?

In other words, because we don't want people to end up in shelters.

We want people to have a life after foster care.

True colors helps, others help.

I just want to know what the numbers are and what the it says here in this question that there's money allocated toward um coming out of foster care, etc.

So, what are the numbers and how are we doing on that topic?

Because there are people unfortunately in shelters who I don't think should be there.

Oh, agreed.

Um, absolutely.

So for calendar year 2024, we had 420 young people non permanency discharges.

That number is down in calendar year 2025 to 383.

We work very closely with the foster care providers who do a wonderful job engaging young people and preparing them for transition.

So there are independent living skills that are provided prior.

We have our fair futures, we work very closely to understand and assess the child's needs post um foster care.

Will they need supportive housing?

We have we work, you know, with our supportive with HRA and and HPD to make sure that we, if they need supportive housing, they can go there.

We we work closely with Anthos, um, and we have Citif's vouchers, so young people get City FEPS vouchers.

Or Laura Lazarus, yes, keep going.

And the Anthos does aftercare, so they help with the stabilization after because we know that once you just get your keys, there's more to mean.

I'm aware, very aware.

Um, Fair Futures, I think you know, is up to 20 um six for those that decide to leave care prior to turning 21.

We have a team called Supervision of 21 that does their best to track these young people, um, providing them supports, connecting them to services, um, and then if need be, we'll hold a conference to see if they need to come back.

So I say all that to say we do try as much as possible to have a net around these individuals to support them.

So the organization that you mentioned will make sure that our providers are aware to connect the young people to that organization, and also the Center for Fair Futures as they're working with the coaches.

I guess my question would be not right now, but is there extra funding, are there extra resources, despite all the amazing work that you, Fair Futures, Laura and everybody else is doing?

That would be my question.

You always need more money, but in this case, this is a really again a really important thing.

I can take that back and look into that.

I would appreciate this population is recidivism if you don't address it now.

Right.