State lawmakers call for halt to foster care age-outs during COVID-19 crisis

State lawmakers are demanding top officials halt youth in foster care from aging out of the system during the COVID-19 crisis, they said, as young adults released during the pandemic are more likely to be homeless, jobless and suffer health risks.

Young adults in foster care who have not been united with a permanent family “age-out” of the system after their 21st birthday in most of New York’s 62 counties, excluding New York City.

Senate bill S8503B, sponsored by state Sen. Velmanette Montgomery, D-25, would establish a six-month moratorium on aging out of foster care and allows certain youths to return to care of their foster families and receive benefits through the public health crisis. It would expire 180 days after the state emergency declaration because of COVID-19 ends. The bill, first introduced June 6, was amended Thursday and recommitted to the Rules Committee.

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