At Risk Young Adults: Healthcare Options During and After the Transition From Adolescence to Adulthood for Those Aging Out of the Foster Care System

Approximately 20,000 of the 500,000 foster care children in the United States age out of social services each year (Yen, Hammond, & Kushel, 2009). These youth lack the family support systems that most young adults have. They rarely receive the health care services that other young adults receive because of a lack of health insurance. Government programs have begun to address the problem. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 requires states to help youth in their transition to adulthood and addresses many issues including healthcare. The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 doubled the amount of money available to states to enhance independent living and educational assistance programs for young adults aging out of the foster system (Courtney & Dworsky, 2006). Even with such programs in place these young adults do not fare as well as those who have never been in out-of-home care