Supporting the Health and Well-Being of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: Policy Statement

This policy statement examines disparities and structural barriers affecting youth aging out of foster care and evaluates existing policy efforts, such as extended foster care and Medicaid expansion, that have expanded access to care but remain constrained by administrative complexity, workforce shortages, and fragmented systems of care. This statement provides policy recommendations to improve outcomes for this population, including centering lived experience in policy development, strengthening collaboration between pediatricians and child welfare systems, expanding access to extended foster care, and enhancing transition planning for health care. Pediatricians play a key role in advocacy and trauma-informed care to support successful transitions to adulthood.