This document provides a brief overview of the findings of a study on public resources and policies that can help prevent or mitigate homelessness among young adults who have aged out of foster care in the US. The study was conducted by Mathematica and Chapin Hall on behalf of the Office of Policy Development and Research at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The findings indicate that there are few opportunities for housing for youth exiting foster care. The study found that one program, HUD’s Family Unification Program (FUP), has promise but is not widely applied to the population. Furthermore, child welfare agencies seem to be referring relatively few youth exiting foster care to public housing authorities, despite the availability of vouchers.
