NJ must support at-risk youth as they begin to transition into adulthood
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It’s been eighteen months since Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation leading to the end of federal oversight of New Jersey’s child welfare system, capping 20 years of progress and reform that has now established New Jersey as a national model for child welfare.
Today, our state boasts the third-fewest at-risk youth in the United States, with only New Hampshire and Massachusetts faring better, and our state has the lowest out-of-home placement rate in the country. Compared with other states, ours also ranks as having among the lowest number of moves children experience while in foster care.
These recent successes are a testament to the commitment of individuals and organizations across New Jersey who treat issues like education and child poverty with the seriousness they deserve. But this is not the moment to rest on our laurels — it’s vital that we continue to build on the momentum of these accomplishments. Our work is not done, and, together with the state, the nonprofit human services sector can help ensure that all of New Jersey’s youth are set up for success.
NJ can still do better for its youth
First, we must acknowledge the areas where there is still room to grow. New Jersey is squarely in the middle of the pack when it comes to the rate of youth substance use (23rd in the nation) and youth homelessness (28th). Each year, nearly 3,000 children and teenagers in our state live in foster care. Many have experienced multiple traumas and disruptive events by the time they begin adulthood, impacting their emotional and social development.
National statistics indicate that youth exiting foster care experience food and housing insecurity, homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health issues at higher rates than the general population. They are more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system, and less likely to secure and maintain employment. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children’s Bureau, “They may lack important knowledge and skills for living on their own (e.g., maintaining a budget, cooking).”
A study in neighboring New York City, for example, showed that only a quarter of youth with foster care experience graduated from high school in four years, compared to a citywide average of 77%. While New York and New Jersey are different in many respects, these challenges are universal.
The period of transition out of the foster care system is a critical time for our young people, and it’s clear that there are still gaps to fill. As a national leader in improving our child welfare system, New Jersey must continue building on our progress, addressing these needs and ensuring that our state’s youth can thrive beyond their time in foster care.
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Filling gaps in NJ's foster care system
This is why New Jersey, as well as advocates for children everywhere, should be proud of My First Place, a new program that is filling a gap in the traditional foster care system by supporting young adults with challenging childhoods as they transition out of foster care, helping them grow into stable, thriving adults.
My First Place, an initiative of California-based nonprofit First Place for Youth, was recently launched in New Jersey by the Department of Children and Families, or DCF, and is being implemented in Union County by my organization, Volunteers of America–Greater New York, and in Middlesex and Somerset counties by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen.
Our work in New Jersey builds on a foundation of success, following similar initiatives led by First Place for Youth in California. Through My First Place, we are helping current and former foster youth ages 18-23, or “older foster youth,” identify and achieve educational goals that will put them on the path to college or employment. We also provide financial literacy tutoring and, most importantly, fully subsidized housing throughout this process.
The program works: a staggering 92% of My First Place participants nationwide achieve stable housing when they exit the program—a remarkable achievement considering that among the general population of former foster youth who don’t have access to the program, 40 percent will experience homelessness by age 24.
As a new initiative, My First Place in New Jersey is initially limited in scope: it launched in three counties and will help 60 young people over the course of 2024. Our hope is that its success in changing the lives of these young people will lead to a statewide expansion.
Even then, it will be the tip of the spear. Setting our youth — especially ones growing up in challenging condition — up for success is a process that requires consistent care. It also requires a comprehensive suite of services and resources to provide support from birth through school aged years and even into early adulthood. My First Place is just one piece of that puzzle, but it is a crucial sign that New Jersey, our elected officials, and our communities are deeply serious about building on our achievements caring for all of our young people and setting them up to thrive in adulthood. That is something every resident can and should cheer.
Paula Turso is assistant vice president for Northern New Jersey at Volunteers of America–Greater New York.