July 25, 2007
Medicaid Access for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care
The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-169) and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA, P.L. 109-171) have provided unique opportunities for states to extend Medicaid coverage for youth who have aged out of foster care. This report is intended to provide state child welfare and Medicaid officials and state legislatures with data on how these legislative changes are being and can be used to cover youth that continue to need support after leaving state custody. APHSA, in conjunction with the National Association of State Medicaid Directors (NASMD), and the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA), surveyed states on several key areas to develop this report. This report covers the following:
- Current Medicaid programs that are being used to cover foster youth who have aged out of the system.
- Cost estimates associated with providing this coverage.
- How the newly enacted DRA can be used to create a program to cover these youth.