In Tennessee, the number of foster youths near adulthood has dropped slightly, according to a new report.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation looked at the transition period for young adults in foster care and found the number of young Tennesseans aged 14 and up dropped from 48% in 2006 to 36% in 2021.

Kylie Graves, policy specialist for the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, said the foster care system poses numerous challenges, especially with youth aging out of the system, and supporting them through the process is critical. She added Tennessee was one of the first states to offer the extension of foster care services.

"We coordinate the youth transitions Advisory Council, which is a group of people looking at that age group specifically," Graves explained. "I think that's really been beneficial and seeing some of these improved numbers that are reflected in the report. And then additionally, I think it's really important for Tennessee because our foster population does trend just slightly older than the average. "

Graves argued setting youth up for success is critical, whether through education or employment. She added the Department of Children's Services aims to establish an independent living plan for youth as they get closer to aging out, which would determine the best steps young people need to take to move into adulthood, such as knowing how to get a driver's license and Social Security card.

The report found 73% of Tennessee young adults with foster care experience who were 21 years old in 2021 had a high school diploma or equivalent.

Richard Kennedy, executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, said as part of the extension of foster care services and federal support from the Chafee funds, young adults who are aging out can voluntarily elect to stay in the system and pursue funding for higher education.

"There's funding that will be available that help with tuition and fees," Kennedy outlined. "There's funding that's available to help with housing subsidies, they're programs that are available through resource centers that really connect them with other young people who are or have aged out of the foster care system to really teach life skills and financial support and things like that."

Todd Lloyd, senior policy associate for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said there are about half as many adolescents in foster care as there were 15 years ago. But he added the reasons they are entering foster care have shifted.

"In the past, young people were coming in for foster care for reasons of behavior, adolescent behavior, child behavior problems," Lloyd pointed out. "Now, there's more of a shift towards them entering care for reasons of neglect, which are often you know, connected to issues of poverty. "

Lloyd stressed to help improve outcomes the state systems must do more to ensure young people in their care receive the resources, relationships, and opportunities to foster success as they navigate the journey to adulthood. He added greater investment is needed for essential services, educational assistance, and economic stability, upon leaving foster care.

Over the next couple of weeks, kids across Minnesota will head back to school. Addiction specialists say now is a good time for parents to address any concerning behavior in their child's online habits. Internet addiction is not formally recognized yet in a key reference tool from the American Psychiatric Association.

But Dr. Sara Polley, Minnesota-based child & adolescent psychiatry specialist and director of addiction psychiatry at Ellie Mental Health, feels it will eventually be considered a disorder. For adolescents, being on social media too much can be harmful to brains that are still developing, she said. So, if they have been spending a lot of time online this summer, parents need to re-establish healthy habits.

"It's really helpful to discuss with your family a media plan that applies to both the children in the family and the parents in the family, with potentially specific times set aside for use of social media or use of the internet not related to completing school assignments," she explained.

She also recommended "tech-free zones" in places like the kitchen, in hopes of sparking more family conversations. If your teen becomes combative when asked to limit screen time or is becoming socially withdrawn and only prefers to be online, Polley said it is time to seek advice from a family doctor or mental health professional.

Polley added pushing above the "three-hours-a-day" mark of social media use can put adolescents at greater risk for depression and anxiety. It can also prevent them from getting a good night's sleep, making the back-to-school transition problematic.

"And when I ask young people, 'What are you doing when you're up late at night?' - nearly 100% of the time, they say that they're on their computer, they're using social media, they're watching videos on YouTube." she continued. "And that can make it really difficult for them to do what they need to do during their usual full-time job, which is going to school."

Other experts worry the effects could result in disruptive behavior in the classroom. Middle school and high school students are often sent home with tablets and laptops for school use. They might come with settings limiting what can be done online, but Polley said it is still good for parents to set their own boundaries. Those could include only allowing the devices to be used in the living room, or making sure they are placed in backpacks when homework is completed.


get more stories like this via email

Mental-health coverage and using digital devices to communicate with doctors' offices are among the health-care priorities of Generation Z. Providers are urged to make note of the needs of patients born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s. Industry researchers say like a lot of other age groups, Gen Z embraces telemedicine. But as these individuals begin to navigate adulthood, they also value apps that make it easier to schedule appointments, manage conditions and look up data.

Richelle Andrae, government relations specialist with the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association, said more importantly, this generation wants to feel empowered when receiving care.

"I don't think a Gen Z individual is really likely to just be directed to what to do with their health care," she said. "They need that buy-in and options so that they can have a voice in the process of providing care."

She said Gen Z deserves praise for normalizing conversations regarding behavioral health amid nationwide calls to expand mental-health care and insurance plans to cover those expenses. According to Y-Pulse data, 71% of consumers in this age group say they value brands that incorporate mental health as part of their marketing.

Dr. Donald Tavakoli, national medical director for behavioral health with United Healthcare, said Z is just starting to enter the workforce. Because they report higher rates of depression, eating disorders and even suicidal behaviors, he said it is important they understand terms such as deductibles, co-insurance and out-of-pocket when signing up for plans.

"They have significant rates of mental illness, so we think it's really important that they first have their health insurance lingo down - really understanding the common terms of how to navigate health insurance," he said.

Industry experts say because they prioritize their mental health, these individuals are likely to seek out employers who offer packages with quality behavioral health coverage.

Health equity is another priority for Gen Z. Andrae said her organization, which is the member association for community health centers around Wisconsin, is trying to reduce access barriers for underserved populations, including young adults and adolescents.

"They may not have a parent or a family member or a guardian who can take them to a clinic after work," Andrae said. Maybe that parent or guardian is working multiple jobs."

Wisconsin has the largest and longest-running youth apprenticeship program in the country. And social policy researchers are out with new findings that detail its strengths in creating pathways for better economic outcomes.

This summer, the Urban Institute issued a policy brief about the history and reach of the state's apprenticeship program for high school-age students.

The authors say Wisconsin has adopted a well-structured, low-cost system with state support that allows for plenty of local control.

Robert Lerman is a fellow with the Institute's Center on Labor, Human Services and Population - and he helped compile the findings. He said the Badger State's approach really gets to the heart of blending academics with "on-the-job" training.

"They have part of the day or part of the week," said Lerman, "they're at their workplace. But the whole point is that the workplace is a learning center for them."

Lerman said that's especially important for high-school students worried about the cost of college.

The Institute says another highlight of Wisconsin's program is that it has statewide curricula and skill standards, meaning an apprentice's credentials can be portable.

Researchers say a weak spot is limitations for youth to move on to registered apprenticeship systems that offer extended training.

Lerman said even though rising college costs might inspire more teens to take up apprenticeships, it's important to remember that some people like to "learn by doing," no matter the circumstances.

He suggested that if more states beef up their programs as Wisconsin has, the nation could benefit in a variety of ways.

"We can improve equity and improve opportunity," said Lerman, "and efficiency, and productivity for the country."

He added that his research has found that in general U.S. apprenticeship programs lag behind many other countries in terms of their scope.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin's program for youth has seen strong demand - including this past school year, with more than 5,700 employers providing apprenticeships to nearly 8,300 students.




get more stories like this via email