University of Oregon Child Advocacy Conference

1
University of Oregon Child Advocacy Conference

• Professor Michele Benedetto
• Golden Gate University
• School of Law

2
Youth Leaving Foster Care

• 65 emancipate without a place to live.
• Less than 3 go to college.
• 51 are unemployed.
• Emancipated females are 4 times more likely to
  receive public assistance than the general
  population.
• In any given year, foster youth are less than
  0.3 of the population, and yet 40 of persons
  living in homeless shelters are former foster
  children.

3
The Youth Outreach Project

• First program in the nation designed to provide
  civil outreach legal services to emancipating
  youth
• Structure/Funding
• Lessons Learned

4
Legal Issues Facing Foster Youth

• Individual Legal Issues
• The Larger Legal Landscape
• The Chafee Act generally
• The Chafee Act in Oregon

5
To Litigate or Not to Litigate?

• Litigation vs. Legislative Advocacy
• The Value of Litigation
• Lessons from Braam vs. State of Washington

6
Legislative Proposals

• California CAIs proposed Transition Guardian
  Plan
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Other Solutions?