Programs
Program 1 [2021]
In FY 2021, JBAY made progress in each of its three program areas: education, housing, and health. Education: JBAY works to ensure access to higher education for youth who have been in foster care or experienced homelessness. In 202-21, JBAY worked towards this goal by pursuing a range of strategies: College Preparation: JBAY ensures youth are prepared for college by advocating for policy change and developing resources that can be used by professionals to assist youth. Available resources include a college planning website for foster youth, educational planning guides, training curricula and a range of webinars. Financial Aid Access: JBAY launched the California Foster Youth FAFSA Challenge in 2017, in collaboration with the California Department of Education. Since then, the percentage of foster youth who apply for financial aid has increased from 45% to 64% and a state mandate now exists for foster youth to receive help with FAFSA completion. Beginning in Fall 2021, the FAFSA Challenge will also include students experiencing homelessness. Meeting Student Basic Needs: As the gap between the cost of college and available financial aid continues to soar, an increasing number of college students are struggling to cover the costs of basic necessities such as food, housing, and transportation. JBAY expands the availability of resources to address student basic needs by engaging in advocacy and providing training and technical assistance to college personnel. College Student Homelessness: JBAY has been at the forefront of efforts to address college student homelessness. Key victories for JBAY have included obtaining an annual state allocation of $19 million to create housing programs for homeless students on 30 college campuses. Campus Support: As a result of JBAYs advocacy efforts, 45 community colleges offer the NextUp program for current and former foster youth. These programs are part of a network of over 125 institutions in California that operate foster youth campus support programs. Follow this link to view a searchable database of campus support programs in California. Burton Book Fund: Since 2013, JBAY has provided over $2 million in textbooks to over 7,800 current and former foster youth who attend college on 98 campuses in California through our Burton Book Fund.Housing: JBAY is working to make sure housing remains in reach for youth who have been in foster care or homeless. Through advocacy, technical assistance, training and research, JBAY establishes and expands funding and strengthens programs to address homelessness among youth. In 2020-21, JBAY worked toward this goal by pursuing the following strategies: Transitioning Foster Youth: JBAY helps transitioning foster youth achieve housing stability by expanding access to supportive housing. JBAYs work focuses on two key programs: the Transitional Housing Placement for Non-Minor Dependents (THP-NMD), which serves youth participating in extended foster care, age 18 to 21; and the states Transitional Housing Program-Plus (THP-Plus), which serves youth after they transition out of care up to age 24. Both programs provide semi-independent housing and a wide range of supportive services, including case management, job training, educational support, and counseling. Increasing State Investment in Addressing Youth Homelessness: JBAY advocates for youth to get their fair share of state-level investment in addressing homelessness. Unaccompanied youth up to age 24 account for 9% of Californias homeless population but only receive 3% of federally funded homelessness services. To ensure youth homelessness is addressed in California, JBAY has successfully advocated for a youth set-aside within the states large one-time homelessness investments in the last three state budgets, resulting in $101 million in new funding for youth experiencing homelessness. Health: Youth who have been in foster care or homeless face special health challenges, given their history of trauma, instability, and lack of access to consistent health care. JBAY works on multiple fronts to address these challenges. Helping Young Parents in Foster Care: In California, there are over 1,000 youth in foster care who are custodial parents. JBAY is committed to providing these young families with the support and resources they require. JBAY has worked towards this goal by advocating for policies such as an increase to the infant supplement and the establishment of the THP-NMD Housing Supplement. Increasing Access to Reproductive and Sexual Health: Like all youth, young people in foster care require information and support about their reproductive and sexual health. Historically, the foster care system has not provided this, resulting in high rates of unintended pregnancy and misinformation about sexual health. JBAY ensures foster youth have access to the information and services they need by advocating for better policies, developing educational resources, and training practitioners. Access to Mental Health Services on Campus: An estimated 90% of children in foster care have experienced a traumatic event, with nearly half reporting exposure to four or more traumatic events. For current and former foster youth seeking to heal this trauma, access to mental health services is often limited. JBAY works to ensure foster youth in higher education can access mental health services at this important life stage. With technical assistance from JBAY, eleven community colleges in Los Angeles County have developed partnerships with mental health providers to offer co-located services and enhanced referral networks. By making long-term mental health support accessible for foster youth, these partnerships have helped hundreds of students to access mental health service.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2020 – Jun 30, 2021Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.9MJBAY Education and Housing Initiatives
EDUCATION: JBAY works to ensure access to higher education for youth who have been in foster care or experienced homelessness. In 2023-24, JBAY worked towards this goal by pursuing a range of strategies: JBAY published a groundbreaking report analyzing the accuracy of California's Cost of Attendance (COA) budgets and policies. Based on this research, JBAY developed a policy proposal to improve access to Financial Aid. JBAY conducted the California Foster Youth and Homeless Youth FAFSA challenge in collaboration with the California Department of Education and local education agencies. JBAY led efforts to improve college planning support for foster youth services by the County of Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, including the development of a data dashboard to ensure all youth age 16 and older are connected to college planning assistance and a countywide training mandate for social workers on higher education. HOUSING: JBAY works to ensure youth who have been in foster care or homeless have access to safe, affordable housing. In 2023-24, this work included: Preserving an annual investment in the state budget that was proposed for elimination during the state budget deficit. This $13.7 million program helps former foster youth identify, secure and maintain housing. Successfully advocating for increased funding for foster youth placed in independent settings, within the states foster care rate reform. Conducting an inventory of housing programs for former foster youth, providing the only statewide data on program growth since 2021. Developing and disseminating a best practices guide for county child welfare agencies and public housing authorities to expand access and improve administration of federal housing voucher programs. Economic Mobility: JBAY works to ensure youth have the opportunity to grow into economically secure adults. In 2023-24, JBAY increased the uptake of the California Foster Youth Tax Credit by 16%. During the 2024 tax season, the Foster Youth Tax Credit provided $1,117 to 5,700 young adults, totaling more than $6 million. JBAY provided intensive implementation support, including help establishing and supporting four Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites for foster youth, and developing and disseminating several resources for education, outreach, and support with filing taxes. JBAY also trained stakeholders and VITA volunteers on how to claim the Foster Youth Tax Credit, and launched a digital marketing campaign to spread awareness. CRITICAL NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITY FUND: JBAY provided direct financial assistance to youth who were in foster care or experienced homelessness by partnering with 65 education insitutions and direct service organizations to disburse emergency grant funds to youth in California. In 2023-24, JBAY provided assistance to over 1,300 youth. The average amount of financial assistance provided per youth was $273.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$2.5M
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