Money to Help Prevent Homelessness for Youth in Foster Care
CSH One of Three Implementation Partners
Burlington, Mercer, and Union Counties To Host Pilot Project To Help Youth Find Sustainable Housing
The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) has been awarded a $2 million, three year implementation grant from the U.S. Administration for Children and Families for a pilot project to prevent homelessness among New Jersey youth currently or previously in foster care.
The announcement was made during DCF Commissioner Allison Blake’s visit this afternoon to the Trenton-based Anchor House for National Youth Homelessness Awareness Month.
“New Jersey first received federal planning grant funding in 2013 to complete a needs assessment and identify strategies to prevent and address homelessness among youth in foster care. This new implementation funding demonstrates the federal government’s confidence in and support for our work to help youth build better and more successful futures,” said DCF Commissioner Allison Blake.
The implementation funding will support pilot programming to help youth in foster care between 14 and 21 years old achieve permanency; find safe, affordable, and stable housing when needed; and achieve their academic and career goals.
The program will include aggressive family finding and permanency efforts, re-conceptualized life skills, educational advocacy, near peer and professional mentors, and sustainable housing and supportive services. DCF will also develop a Statewide Youth Housing Learning Collaborative to train DCF’s network of youth housing providers.
DCF’s Office of Adolescent Services will implement this project in partnership with Child Trends, the Center for the Study of Social Policy, and the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). The pilot will be based in Burlington, Mercer, and Union counties.
The effort will potentially help hundreds of youth and test whether the program can be expanded to help youth throughout the state and nation.
DCF is dedicated to ensuring a better today and an even greater tomorrow for every individual the department serves. In partnership with New Jersey’s communities, DCF ensures the safety, well-being, and success of New Jersey’s children and families. DCF funds and directly provides services and support to over 100,000 women, children, and families each month.
