The Department of Human Services on Tuesday announced older Pennsylvania youths exiting the foster-care system are now eligible for aftercare services until age 23.
Previously, youth became ineligible for aftercare services on their 21st birthday.
The extension of aftercare services to age 23 will benefit about 1,500 former foster youths in fiscal year 2020-21, according to a DHS news release.
In addition, the release said, DHS recently extended eligibility for the Chafee Education and Training Voucher program – known as Education and Training Grants (ETG) in Pennsylvania – to youths up until their 26th birthday.
The program provides eligible youths financial support to attend post-secondary education and training classes for up to five years (consecutive or nonconsecutive), according to the release. The previous cutoff age was 23.
The ETG application for the 2020-21 academic year is available online.
