Leaders at the Indiana nonprofit Foster Success, an organization that provides financial, educational and social support to foster care youth when they are about to or have already transitioned out of the foster care system, announced their support Jan. 9 of Senate Bill 151, which the organization has dubbed the Insuring Foster Youth Trust Fund Bill. The measure was filed by State Sen. Kyle Walker (R-Lawrence).
SB 151 includes four key provisions:
- An appropriation for the Insuring Foster Youth Trust Fund of $1.5 million each year of the 2023-2025 state budget.
- Reduces barriers to entry into the State Auto Insurance Plan for foster youth.
- Expands the Foster Care Tax Credit Program to donors of the Insuring Foster Youth Trust Fund and includes extending the program through Jan. 1, 2028.
- Free access for foster families to Indiana State Parks.
“Senate Bill 151 has been years in the making and will go a long way toward ensuring young people with foster care experience are empowered with the support and tools necessary to be successful now and self-sufficient later,” Foster Success President and CEO Maggie Stevens stated. “I commend Sen. Kyle Walker for understanding the importance of this issue and taking steps to improve the lives of young people in foster care.”
Walker authored successful legislation last year that established the Insuring Foster Youth Trust Fund and directed the Indiana Dept. of Child Services to administer it. The public and private dollars in the fund will be used to provide payments to foster youth to help bear the costs of automobile insurance and supervised driving hours.
“It’s critical we take the next step and secure funding for the program so Indiana’s foster youth have access to car insurance, and ultimately the ability to broaden their lives with transportation to work, learning and quality living experiences,” Walker stated. “Everything we do to help Indiana’s foster youth stands to benefit our communities and state overall.”
For more, visit fostersuccess.org.
