Improving the lives of foster care youth
The "HUB" space for transitional age foster youth
- Supervisor Chavez has worked closely with foster youth to improve the current Hub space, a location where transition age foster youth ages 15 to 24 years old can easily access a range of housing, counseling and other support services, and to plan a future site that will expand these services and include affordable housing for transitional age foster youth.
- It currently provides services to current and former foster youth, including educational assistance, career development and employment resources, housing assistance, independent living case management services, and identity theft prevention. Wellness, medical, and mental health services are also available to youth
Intern and earn
Supervisor Chavez created a year-round work internship opportunity for foster youth who were not enrolled in a post-secondary education program and were not employed. These programs can reduce generational poverty by providing employment-based opportunities to underserved foster youth populations.
Summer camps and enrichment activities
As a parent herself, Supervisor Chavez recognized that vulnerable youth need opportunities to participate in enrichment activities which are proven to increase academic and social outcomes. Since 2018 the County had funded and created opportunities to play, exercise and socialize in supervised healthy environments.
Joint Foster Youth Task Force recommendations
Supervisor Chavez created and led the Task Force to make systemic and transformational changes to the foster care system. Examples of innovations that have come about through the task force include warm hand offs from the Child and Abuse Neglect Center (CAN Center) through the Neighbor to Neighbor Program, a Passport to Foster Youth to get in front of the line for job opportunities, community resources, transportation and educational enrichment, and the application of the successful All the Way Home model used for homeless veterans to assist foster youth with finding housing.