Midwest Evaluation of Adult Outcomes of Former Foster Youth: Wave 1 Data

Mark E. Courtney, Ph.D.

Sherri Terao, Ed.D.

Noel Bost, MSW

Purpose of Study• Gather information about services provided to

selected foster youth in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin• Evaluate adult self-sufficiency outcomes achieved by

the youth• Provide guidance to 3 states to comply with

provisions and overall purpose of John Chafee Foster Care Independence Act of 1999

• Plan to follow youth longitudinally across 3 waves • Wave 1 – youth’s 17th birthday• Wave 2 – youth’s 19th birthday• Wave 3 – youth’s 21st birthday

Sample

• Foster youth in 3 states who reach the age of 17 years old while in out-of-home care

• In care for at least one year prior to their 17th birthday

• Primary focus on youth who are placed in out-of-home care due to abuse and/or neglect

Sample

• Cases Fielded (784) - Sample (n = 755) - Response Rate: 96.3%

• In-person interviews took place between April ’02-’03

Demographic Data

• Mean Age = 17.39 years

• Gender - Total Sample• Male: 375 (49.7%) • Female: 380 (50.3%)

Race of Sample

• White: 249 (33.2%)

• Black: 409 (54.5%)

• Asian/Pacific Islander: 5 (.7%)

• American Indian/Alaskan Native: 10 (1.3%)

• Mixed Race: 77 (10.3%)

Hispanic Ethnicity

• Total Sample: 64 (9%)

• By Race• White: 16 (23.5%)• Black: 12 (17.6%)• Asian/Pacific Islander: *• Amer. Indian/Alaskan: *• Mixed Race: 36 (52.9%)

Caregiver Characteristics

• Characteristic Number %• Alcohol Abuse 266 37.2• Drug Abuse 321 44.8• Mental Illness 141 20.1• Mental Retardation 18 2.5• Inadequate Parent 290 41.1

Skills• Spousal Abuse 174 24.2• Criminal Record 183 27.3

Maltreatment History

Abuse Type # of Youth %

• Abuse 271 37.7

• Neglect 439 60.6

• Abuse and Neglect 220 29.1

Current Living Situation

• Non-Relative Foster Home: 278 (37%)• Relative Foster Home: 225 (29.9%)• Group Care/Residential: 122 (16.2%)• Adoptive Home: 6 (.8%) • Independent Living Arrangement: 68 (9%)• Other: 53 (7%) (e.g., living with friends,

siblings, biological parent, dorm at college)

Total Number of Foster Placements

• 1 Placement (25.4%)• 2 Placements (18.6%)• 3 Placements (15%)• 4 Placements (9.5%)• 5 Placements (7.5%)• 6 Placements (4.3%)• 7 or more (15.9%)

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Number ofYouth

Number of Group Homes/ Residential Trtmt. Centers

• 1 placement (22.6%)• 2 placements (13.4%)• 3 Placements (9.3%)• 4 placements (5.9%)• 5 or more (9.1%)

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Number ofYouth

Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Education)

Type of Training Number %• Career Counseling 191 25.7• Study Skills Training 205 27.7• School to Work Supp. 147 20.0• GED Prep 73 9.8• SAT Prep 130 17.4• Help with College Apps 227 30.3• Help with Financial Aid 167 22.4• College Fair 145 19.5• Resume Writing Wkshp. 169 22.7

Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Employment)

Help With Number %• Identifying Employers 155 20.7• Completing Job App 350 46.8• Develop Interview Skills 341 45.6• Job Referral/Placement 194 26.0• Career Resource Library 160 21.4• Explanation of Benefits 143 19.2• Obtaining Work Permit 295 39.7• Explain Workplace Values 275 36.8• Internship 79 10.6• Summer Employ Programs 235 31.3

Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Finances)

Type of Training Number %• Money Management 275 36.7• Help w/ Tax Returns 170 22.7• Use of a Budget 273 36.4• Open a Checking/ 335 44.7

Savings Account• Balance Checkbook 316 42.1• Consumer Awareness 199 26.8• Access Info on Credit 144 19.3

Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Housing)

Type of Training Number %• Help Finding an Apt. 192 25.6• Help w/ Apt. Applic. 116 15.5• Security Deposits/ 189 25.2

Utilities• Landlord Complaints 149 19.9• Health/Safety 219 29.4• Tenant’s Rights/ 186 24.8

Responsibilities• Cleaning Classes 204 27.2

Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Health/Hygiene)

Type of Training Number %• Home Maint/Repair 160 21.4• Personal Hygiene 355 47.4• Nutritional Needs 343 45.7• Meal Planning/Prep 277 37.0• Health/Fitness 345 46.1• Routine Healthcare 265 35.5• Health/Dental Insur. 198 26.5• First Aid Course 264 35.3• Maintain Health Record 204 27.2• Birth Control 349 46.5• Substance Abuse 377 50.3

Reported Training in Independent Living Skills for All States (Youth Development)

Type of Training Number %• Youth Conferences 162 21.8• Leadership Activities 194 26.0• Mentoring Services 218 29.1

Independent Living Subsidy

Number %Received IL Subsidy 89 11.8Currently Receiving 51 6.8Time Received (Months)• < 1 month 9 17.6• 1 - 3 months 15 29.4• 4 - 6 months 14 27.4• 7 - 9 months 2 3.9• 10 - 12 months 4 7.9• > 12 months 5 9.9

Mental Health Status

• 279 (37.3%) youth reported receiving psychological/emotional counseling.

• 171 (22.8%) reported taking medication for emotional problems.

• 53 (7.1%) were hospitalized for psychological reasons.

Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) Results (n=755)

Diagnosis # of Youth %

Post Traumatic 122 16.2 Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder * * Social Phobia 3 .4 Alcohol Abuse 95 12.6 Alcohol Dependence 26 3.4 Substance Abuse 65 8.4 Substance Dependence 46 5.9

CIDI Results (Depression)Major Depression # of Youth %

Single episode, mild 11 1.4 Single episode, mod 7 .9 Single episode, severe 8 .8

Recurrent, mild 10 1.3 Recurrent, mod 7 .9 Recurrent, severe 4 .5

Total 47 6

Health Status (Self-Report)

Health Rating # of Youth %• Excellent: 210 27.8%• Very Good: 226 29.9%• Good: 214

28.3%• Fair: 93 12.3%• Poor:

7 .9%

Health Status

• 631 (84%) report their last medical exam was less than 1 year ago.

• 99 (13.2%) report their last medical exam was 1 to 2 years ago.

• 534 (70.7%) report their last dental exam was less than 1 year ago.

• 164 (21.8%) report their last dental exam was 1 to 2 years ago.

Education• Enrolled in School: 623 (82.6%)• Type of School:

• High School - 611 (85.1%)• Vocational School - 11 (1.5%)• College - 48 (6.4%)• Other - 48 (6.4%)

• Special Education: 357 (47.7%)• Received HS Diploma: 90 (11.9%)• Received GED or Equivalent: 22 (2.9%)• 275 (36.6%) repeated a grade• Median Grade Equivalent Reading Score (WRAT-3):

7th Grade

Educational AspirationsHow much schooling

would youth like to have?

• 9th - 11th Grade: 3 (.4%)• Graduate from HS: 88

(11.7%)• Some College: 98 (13.0%)• Graduate from College:

363 (48.2%)• More than College: 167

(22.2%)• Other: 24 (3.2%)• Don’t Know: 10 (1.3%)

How much schooling does youth think they’ll have?

• 9th - 11th Grade: 2 (.3%)• Graduate from HS: 104

(13.8%)• Some College: 118 (15.7%)• Graduate from College:

334 (44.4%)• More than College: 109

(14.5%)• Other: 39 (5.2%)• Don’t Know: 47 (6.2%)

Employment

• 279 (37.1%) of the sample are currently employed.

• 225 (80.6%) are satisfied with their job.• 51 (6.7%) are dissatisfied with their job.

Feelings About Foster Care

• 409 (54.4%) agree that they should have been placed in foster care.

• 459 (61%) are satisfied with their foster care experience.

• 431 (57.3%) agree that social workers were helpful to them.

• 218 of 278 (78.4%) of youth responding feel their foster parents were helpful.

Future Use of Foster Care System

Likeliness in future to ask foster care agency for help with:

• Financial Help - 342 (46%)• Personal Problems - 351 (47%)• Employment Problems - 367 (49%)• Family Problems - 309 (41.4%)• Housing Problems - 366 (49.1%)• Health Problems - 286 (38.4%)• Other Problems - 334 (45.3%)

Relationships with FamilyCloseness To: Very Somewhat Not Very Not at all

Close Close Close Close• Current Foster 60.1% 29.1% 4.7% 6.1%

Family• Relatives 68% 26.2% 3.1% 2.2%

(live with)• Group Home 33.6% 40.2% 11.5% 14.8%• Birth Mom 36.7% 26.4% 14.8% 21.4%• Birth Dad 18% 16.9% 13.5% 49.6% • Siblings 66.5% 19.2% 5.7% 5.9% • Grandparents 43% 20.2% 6.8% 16.2%

Visits with Family In The Past Year

Family Member Median # visits

• Birth Mom: 15• Birth Dad: 10• Siblings: 24• Grandparents: 11

Visits with Social Worker In the Past Year

Median #% no calls or visits

• Visits 12 3.0%• Phone Calls 6 17%

Legal Involvement

• Respondents: (n=755)

Males 254 (68.5%)

Females 176 (46.4%)

Question Males Females

Arrested 230 (62%) 160 (42.2%)

Convicted of crime 116 (31.3%) 61 (16.1%)

Jail, prison, J. Hall 173 (46.6%) 98 (25.9%)

Delinquency QuestionsBehavior over the past year

Response Paint graffiti on property 64 (8.5%) Deliberately damage property 158 (21%) Lie to parent (figure) about whereabouts 477 (63.6%)

or who you were with Take something from a store without paying 317 (42.3%) Got into a serious physical fight 513 (68.4%) Hurt someone badly enough to need 290 (38.7%) bandages or doctor’s/nurse’s care Run away from home 332 (44.3%)

Delinquency QuestionsBehavior over past yr. Response Drive a car without the owner’s 122 (16.3%) permission Steal something worth more than $50 73 (9.7%) Go into a house or building to steal 90 (12%)

something Use/threaten use of a weapon to get some 81 (10.9%)

from someone else Sell marijuana or other drugs 170 (22.7%) Steal something worth less than $50 288 (38.5%) Participate in a fight involving a group of 266 (35.4%) your friends against another group Were loud, rowdy, or unruly in a public place 366 (48.8%)

Victimization - Past 12 Mos.

• 28.2% of youth have had a knife or gun pulled on them.

• 3.5% of youth have been shot• 15% of youth have been stabbed • 68.5% have been in physical fight• 32.1% have been jumped

Perpetrator - Past 12 Mos.

• 13.1% of youth have pulled a gun or knife on someone

• 5.7% shot or stabbed someone• 5.8% of youth carried a weapon

Optimism About Future

• Very Optimistic 437 (58.2%)• Fairly Optimistic 247 (32.9%)• Not Too Optimistic 31 (4.1%)• Not At All Optimistic 30 (4.0%)• Don’t Know 6 (.8%)