"AGING OUT" RESOURCES
Last year, 457 of the state's 18,959 foster youths "aged out" of the system. At 18, many are basically left
on their own to find housing, transportation, jobs and health care.
Foster youths 14 and over or who have aged out of the system and need help in Wayne County can call the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative site at 313-456-1003 OR Creating Independence and Outcomes (CIAO) at 313-628-2302.
Former foster youths state-wide can call Department of Human Services Youth Coordinator Shannon Gibson at 517-241-8904 to learn about the Youth in Transition Program.
The State of Michigan has launched a Web Site to offer advice and opportunities to foster children who
are aging out of Michigan's child welfare system. The new Department of Human Services site--www.michigan.gov/fyit--has information about services and support for hundreds of current and former foster youths.
Wayne County Community College has announced plans to create a $7 million dollar residence and resource center to aid Michigan youths who grow too old for state-foster care.
It will provide temporary housing for 100-200 young adults older than 18 and provide educational opportunities, vocational training and counseling for hundreds of youths ages 17 to 23. It will be a
one-stop information center.
We will provide further information on this venture as it becomes available....please continue to check back!
Covenant House of Michigan
2959 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Detroit MI 48208
Phone: 313-463-2014
Website: www.covenanthousemi.org
Helps homeless and at-risk youths and young adults.
Boys & Girls Republic
28000 West 9 Mile
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
Phone: 248-476-9550
Website: www.lcfsmi.org/bgrepublic.asp
Has both Residential Treatment Programs AND Supervised Independent Living.
The Sanctuary
122 S. Washington Street
Royal Oak, MI 48067
Phone: 248-547-2260
AND
Common Ground Sanctuary
1410 S. Telegraph Road (at Orchard Lake Road)
Bloomfield Twp., MI 48032
Crisis Line; 248-456-0909 OR 800-231-1127
Website: www.commongroundsanctuary.org
Common Ground--A Step Forward and Transistional Living Shelter
1228 S. Washington
Royal Oak MI 48067
Phone: 248-399-9795
Website: http://www.commongroundhelps.org/
Transitional living shelter for youths ages 16-20 who are homeless and seeking self-sufficiency.
The program includes counseling, job training, career development, educational assistance, financial
subsidies, transportation assistance, housing placement assistance and medical assistance.
Maximum length of stay is two years.
Save Our Children Coalition
University of Michigan School of Education
19000 Hubbard Drive C-25
Dearborn MI 48126
Phone: 313-593-5052
Email: SOCCProject@umd.umic.edu
Website: www.SaveOurChildrenCoalition.org
Non-profit organization that offers community outreach, coordination of efforts & education, educational activities for service providers and the larger community, and support for service reform.
Children's Resource Network
21021 Huron River Drive
New Boston MI 48164
Phone: 734-753-0543
Email: crnc@wideopenwest.com
Specialized support to foster care children and their foster families, bilingual assistance and
migrant children programs.
Starfish and Counterpoint Shelter & Crisis Center
30000 Hiveley Road (main office)
Inkster, MI 48141-1089
Phone: 734-728-3400
Website: www.starfishonline.org
Orchards Childrens Services
Website: www.orchards.org
Conducts a six-week workshop in Southfield called Career Connections aimed at teaching foster and
at-risk teens the skills they will need to find and keep jobs.
JUDSON CENTER
Macomb County Regional Office
12220 13 Mile Road
Warren MI 48088
Phone: 586-258-0206
OR
Oakland County Regional Office
4410 West 13 Mile Road
Royal Oak MI 48073
Phone: 248-549-4339
OR
Wayne County Regional Office
12723 Telegraph Road Suite 200
Redford MI 48239
Phone: 313-794-5653
OR
Foster Care and Adoption Services
23750 Elmira Suite 103
Redford MI 48239
Phone: 313-794-5653
Website: http://www.judsoncenter.org
The Judson Center Independent Living Preparation group is designed to offer self-sufficiency
preparation to youth ages fourteen to eighteen years within Judson Center's Foster Care programs.
The goal is to provide youth with skills to become self-sufficient and thereby avoid homelessness as
they "age out" of the foster care system.
Children's Center of Wayne County
79 W. Alexandrine
Detroit MI 48201
Phone: 313-831-5535
Website: www.thechildrenscenter.com
Self-referrals as well as referrals from community agencies. Call for an application.
For children age 18 and under and their families who live in Wayne County.
Lutheran Social Services of Michigan
Foster Care Program
21700 Northwestern Highway Suite 1300
Southfield MI 48075
Phone: 248-423-2760
Website: http://fostercare.lssm.org/LSSM/Page.aspx?pid=230
AND
Lutheran Social Service of Michigan/Education & Training Voucher (ETV)
209 E. Washington Suite 284
Jackson MI
Phone: 517-789-6444 OR 877-660-6388
Website: www.mietv.lssm.org
Provides financial assistance to help youth in foster care pay for training or education beyond high school. A youth is eligible until their 21st birthday as long as they meet the eligibility criteria. If the youth participated in the program before their 21st birthday, they continue to be eligible until age 23 as long as they receive and maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average.
Michigan Youth Transition (MYT)
P.O. Box 180731
Utica MI 48318
Phone: 313-942-0854
Website: www.usucceed.org
Catholic Social Services of Oakland County (CSSOC)
50 Wayne Street
Pontiac MI 48342
Phone: 248-333-3700
Website: http://www.cssoc.org/
Offers Independent Living Skills services to youth between the ages of 14 and 20.
Virtuous Family Community Services
Independent Care Unit Prevention (ICU)
23300 Greenfield Suite 123
Oak Park MI 48237
Phone: 248-968-5507 Toll Free 977-892-2731
Provides case management for individuals transitioning from foster care.
Yatooma's Foundation for the Kids
219 Elm Street
Birmingham MI 48009
Phone: 888-987-KIDS (5437)
Email: info@forthekidsfoundation.org
Website: http://www.forthekidsfoundation.org
A non-profit organization dedicated to providing guidance, stability, and financial assistance to families with children who have lost one or both parents.
Creating Independence and Outcomes Program (CIAO)
1641 Porter Street
Detroit MI 48216
Phone: 313-628-2302
To become a CIAO participant, you must be a Wayne County resident between the ages of 17 and 20
years old and in foster care for at least one day on or after your 14th birthday.
Don Bosco Hall
2340 Calvert
Detroit MI 48206
Phone: 313-869-2200
Email: wgunn@donboscohall.org
Website: www.donboscohall.org
A private non-profit agency which provides supportive human services to enhance the quality of
life for youth and their families residing in the Metropolitan Detroit--Wayne County Community.
Supervised Independent Living
5690 Cecil Avenue
Detroit MI 48210
Phone: 313-895-2200
Website: www.hccsnet.org
This intensive program is designed for young women and men ages 16 to 21 who have successfully
completed residential or foster care programs but who cannot return to their parents home.
Starr Commonwealth
Supervised Living Facilities
22400 W. Seven Mile Road
Detroit MI 48219
Phone: 313-794-4447 Toll Free 877-294-4447
Offers Pre-Independent Living and Supervised Independent Living programs designed to assist youth
to prepare for life on their own. For Wayne County youth ages 16-18 who are leaving foster homes
or residential treatment facilities.
Alternatives for Girls
903 W. Grand Blvd.
Detroit MI 48208
Phone: 313-361-4000
Website: http://alternativesforgirls.org/
Helps homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation by providing safe shelter, educational support, vocational guidance, mentoring and counseling.
Holy Cross Children's Services
Supervised Independent Living
19403 W. Chilcago Blvd.
Detroit MI 48228
Phone: 313-838-7500
For youth ages 16 to 19. Average length of program is 12-18 months.
Ruth Ellis Center
77 Victor Street
Highland Street MI 48203
Phone: 313-252-1950
Website: http://ruthelliscenter.com
One of only 4 youth social service agencies in the nation dedicated to helping LGBTQ teens and and
young adults who are experiencing homelessness.
Spectrum Human Services
Supervised Independent Living
28303 Joy Road
Westland MI 48185
Phone: 734-458-8736
For youth ages 16-19 who are delinquent, neglected/abused, dependent, or are emotionally and/or
behaviorally impaired. Average length of stay in program is 7-12 months.
Wolverine Human Services
Supervised Independent Living
24365 Van Born
Taylor MI 48180
Phone: 313-295-6264
For youth ages 16-21.
HELPFUL WEBSITES:
FosterClub Inc.
Website: http://www.fyi3.com
AND
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
Website: www.jimcaseyyouth.org
The National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America (NAFFCCA)
5505 5th Street NW
Washington DC
Phone: 202-291-1603
Email: info@naffcca.org
Website: www.naffcca.org
NAFFCCA provides mentoring, job training, housing and an independent-living program for youths
who are aging out of the foster care system.
Programs like V MENTOR seeks volunteers to give caring support (even just by email) to
orphaned children. Sign up online! Many of the mentors are there to give career advice
too. Click on logo above or go to www.vmentor.com.
National Foster Care Coalition (NFCC)
605 North Carolina Avenue SE, Unit #2
Washington DC 20003
Phone: 202-280-2039
Website: http://www.nationalfostercare.org
National Network 4 Youth (NN4Y)
1140 Connecticut Ave. NW., Suite 1210
Washington DC 20036
Phone: 202-783-7949
AND
603 Stewart Street, Suite 902
Seattle WA 98101
Phone: 206-382-4949
Email: info@nn4youth.org
Website: http://www.nn4youth.org
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FOSTER KIDS
Orphan Foundation of America (OFA)
21351 Gentry Drive Suite 130
Sterling VA 20166
Phone: 571-203-0270
Website: http://orphan.org
Provides college scholarships, connects youths to mentors and internships, etc.
The University of Michigan offers eight current or former foster youths
up to $5,000 a year through a new Paul and Amy Blavin Scholars Fund.
Go to www.finaid.umich.edu OR call 734-763-4119
Michigan State University offers scholarships to former foster youths
going into social work. Go to www.finaid.msu.edu OR call 517-353-5940.
The Michigan Department of Human Services offers up to $5,000
through its Education and Training Voucher at www.michigan.gov/dhs
Foster Youth & Higher Education Initiative
John Seita Scholars Program
Western Michigan University
Phone: 269-387-8362
Email: fyit-info@wmich.edu
Website: www.wmich.edu/fyit/
Orphan Foundation of America
21351 Gentry Drive Suite 130
Sterling VA 20166
Phone: 571-203-0270
Website: http://www.orphan.org
Nationally, the Orphan Foundation of America provides scholarships of up to $10,000 to people younger than 25 who have spent at least 12 months in foster care and were not subsequently adopted.
Education and Training Voucher (ETV)
Lutheran Social Services of Michigan
209 E. Washington Suite 284
Jackson MI 49201
Phone: 517-789-6444 Toll Free 877-660-6388
Website: http://www.mietv.lssm.org/
The ETV program provides financial assistance to help youth in foster care pay for training or education
beyond high school. A youth is eligible until his/her 21st birthday as long as they meet the eligibility
criteria. If the youth is participated in the program before his/her 21st birthday, they continue to be
eligible until age 23 as long as they receive and maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average.
No Worker Left Behind
Phone: 517-335-1319
Email: nwlb@michigan.gov.
Website: www.michigan.gov/nwlb
Up to two years of free tuition at any Michigan community college, university or other approved training
programs. There is three years to sign up for the program beginning August 1st, 2007. Tuition
assistance is capped at $5,000 per year for two years or a total of $10,000 per person.ewct
The Finance Project
1401 New York Avenue, N.W. Suite 800
Washington DC 20005
Phone: 202-628-4200
Email: info@financeproject.org
Website: www.financeproject.org
OTHER RESOURCES:
For the Seventh Generation
Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Foundation
Penobscot Building
645 Griswold St.
Detroit MI 48226
Phone: 313-961-6120 ext. 214
Email: 7thGen@detroitlawyer.org
Website: www.7thgen.detroitlawyer.org
Provides non-law related services to all wards of the court, by encouraging and coordinating volunteer
participation by community organizations and individuals. We enable organizations and individuals who
desire to give back to the community, the opportunity and structure to participate in a program that
addresses the needs of children and their families.
Michigan Association for Foster Adoptive and Kinship Parents
Phone: 989-733-4527
Website: www.mafak.msu.edu
Committed to the retention and empowerment of families to successfully parent all children placed in their care by providing training, advocacy, legislation and support groups.
