National Foster Care Month recognizes the important role that people from all parts of child welfare play in supporting children, youth, and families. The 2025 theme, “Engaging Youth. Building Supports. Strengthening Opportunities.” highlights the need to create a support system that authentically engages and prepares young people who are leaving foster care. In 2021, 77 percent of eligible youth in foster care, ages 14–21 years old, exited care without receiving the federally funded services necessary to prepare them for adulthood and independent living. Our hosts, Mark Boorse and Brianna Amantia, are joined by Ursula Yao, our Director of Foster Care, John Crawley, a young adult who has aged out of foster care, and Juli Apple, our Provider Recruiter and long-time advocate for children and families who have adopted through the foster care system. Together, they discuss the foster care system, the challenges that young adults face as they exit the foster care system, the support foster families and children need and how the community can come alongside the child welfare system to help build strong supports.

Resources mentioned in episode: Valley Youth House Mentoring Program https://valleyyouthhouse.org/programs/life-skills-independent-living/mentoring/

The Kindness Project https://mykindnessproject.org/

Foster Love https://fosterlove.com/

Access Services Foster Care Foster Care & Foster Homes | Access Services

Become a Foster family Providers - Access Services