LEx Leaders Educate Policymakers on Capitol Hill
Last week, FosterClub Lived Experience (LEx) Leaders, along with human services leaders and national partners, spent a few days in Washington, D.C.
These LEx Leaders, as part of the National Collaborative for Transition-Age Youth, talked to policymakers about how to better support young people between the ages of 14-24 who are navigating foster care and the transition from adolescence to adulthood (also referred to as ‘transition-age youth’).
Sharing What Works
FosterClub LEx Leader Knowledge Grant and members of Strong Able Youth Speaking Out (SAYSO) spoke at the Family Focused Treatment Association (FFTA) 2026 Public Policy Institute. They talked about effective programs from their states that actually work for transition age youth, providing real-life examples the audience could share when they met with Members of Congress.
“Real co-design is giving youth the opportunity to share, be heard, and be shown that you are listening. . . Be the person in the room saying: "We need to hear from lived experts."”
— Knowledge Grant, she/her, spent time in Florida's foster care system
Educating Policymakers
LEx Leaders and state leaders met with more than 20 Congressional Offices—both Members and staff—walking them through the Improving Outcomes Playbook, which provides a policy roadmap co-designed with young people that outlines eight specific calls to action. These range from expanding access to affordable housing to increasing Chafee Program funding to making Extended Foster Care more accessible. Finally, LEx Leaders urged Congressional Members and staff to ensure all foster care policy is designed with young people in and from foster care.
“I would not have earned my Master’s degree or hit a decade of advocacy without Chafee funds.”
— Natalie Clark, she/her, spent time in Utah's foster care system
Seeing Results
LEx Leaders watched as the House of Representatives passed six bills supporting foster youth. We know there is more action to be taken and continue to work on elevating recommendations from young people. We also know that hearing directly from people with lived experience and from the leaders working alongside them every day means Members of Congress can make better policies that truly support transition-age youth.
Read the Playbook to learn more about our national calls to action and programs currently supporting transition-age youth.