The Ohio Youth Advisory Board will meet on April 18th at the Quest Conference Center in Columbus. The meeting agenda includes advocating to end the foster care to homeless pipeline, legislative visits, and a meeting with Ohio Medicaid to address reports that former foster youth between 18-25 are being denied Medicaid coverage despite their eligibility. Additional topics for discussion include the Family First Act, fostering college success, creating a youth page on the Ohio CASA website, and preparing for July elections by accepting applications for officer positions and developing priorities for 2020.

1. Ohio Youth Advisory Board
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Quest Conference Center, 8405 Pulsar Place,
Columbus, OH 43240

2. We exist to be the knowledgeable
statewide voice that influences policies and
practices that impact youth who have or
will experience out of home care.
OHIO YAB Mission

3. Ombudsman Advocacy

4. National Advocacy to End
the Foster Care to
Homeless Pipeline

5. Federal Briefing and
Legislative Visits

6. 2019 Pathways
Conference

7. Upcoming Meeting
with Ohio Medicaid
• The OHIO YAB has received multiple reports from former
foster youth (between 18- 25 years old) that they have gone
to their local Medicaid office and been told they aren’t eligible
for Medicaid.
• Sample quote: "I am a former foster youth who lost my
coverage in September and I have had no health coverage
since then. And I have applied for it. I’m only 21. It’s terrible
not having health insurance because now I can’t afford my
medicine. And appointments.”
• We have an upcoming meeting with the new Ohio Medicaid
Director tomorrow (April 19th) to explore solutions.

8. Brainstorming Topics
1. Family First Act (including requiring Qualified Residential
Treatment Programs)
2. Fostering College Success: Tips on how to succeed in college
from representatives of the Scholar Network. Future
opportunity to advocate for tuition waivers for foster youth.
3. YAB Toolkit: Youth brainstorm about how to overcoming
transportation barriers, and share how their YAB is working
locally to build leadership skills.
4. Ohio CASA: Creating a page on their website specifically for
youth.

9. Preparing for July
OHIO YAB Officer
Elections
1. OHIO YAB Officer in Training Application
2. OHIO YAB Code of Conduct
3. OHIO YAB Officer Roles
4. Youth voice in developing OHIO YAB priorities for 2020

10. New and good