Extended foster care

Eligible foster youth can keep benefits through age 21 by meeting one of the state’s defined participation conditions. Counties and other providers cannot deny or end those benefits based on stricter requirements.

What the law does ​

• Limits extended foster care eligibility rules to the state’s existing education, job-training, employment, or medical-incapacity conditions.
• Prohibits denial or termination of extended foster care aid because a youth does not meet additional education or employment requirements.
• Allows housing and service programs to set reasonable participation expectations that do not change benefit eligibility.
• Makes conforming updates to foster-care, Kin-GAP, adoption-assistance, court-review, and transition-planning provisions.

Who it affects ​

• Foster youth and former foster youth under age 21 receiving or seeking extended foster care benefits.
• County welfare agencies, probation departments, tribal placing entities, and extended foster care housing or service providers.
• Young adults receiving related Kin-GAP, AFDC-FC, CalWORKs, or adoption-assistance benefits.