St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Despite federal law, group says Missouri is not extending foster care
Despite a federal law meant to protect foster youth from losing services during the pandemic, Missouri’s Children’s Division has argued the state cannot implement the law without increased guidance from the federal government.
The University of Pennsylvania’s Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research found in a September study that COVID-19 had a negative impact on young people ages 18-23 who were in foster care or had recently left.
Nearly half of the study participants said the pandemic had a negative impact on their living situation, 55% reported food insecurity caused by COVID-19, and nearly half said the pandemic had negatively affected employment.