US: As Deadline for Federal Pandemic Relief Looms, Fosters Are Being Failed Yet Again (Opinion)
Imprint – September 09, 2021
Dec. 27, 2020, federal legislation passed directing all states to enact pandemic support for older fosters, starting immediately and ending September 30 of this year. Prior to knowing about the federal bill, I was anticipating aging out in spring 2021. I faced deep stress about how to complete college, raise my son and find a living wage job, all while having no day care and losing extended foster care as my main support system and financial resource–all in the middle of a pandemic. Coming from a history of sexual exploitation and trafficking, my mind resorted to depending on sex work to survive. Knowing it was something I had been trained to do throughout my childhood, knowing day care would not be an issue and knowing our finances would be sitting well, it made the most sense. Learning about the federal bill flooded me with relief. I suddenly had an extension through the end of September to figure out sustainable ways to live. But this relief was crushed when my caseworker reached out in February to complete my 90-day “transition plan.”
Also: Public Law (P.L.) 116-260, Division X and Section 305 of Title III of Division CC of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, enacted December 27, 2020: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/im-21-05.pdf

https://imprintnews.org/youth-voice/as-deadline-for-federal-pandemic-relief-looms-fosters-are-being-failed/58601