ACTION Ohio is an organization dedicated to improving outcomes for current and former foster youth in Ohio. It runs initiatives like Thanksgiving dinners and advocacy trips to promote issues important to foster youth. It also facilitates a statewide youth advisory board to give foster youth and alumni a voice. Many foster youth age out of care without family support, facing challenges in transitioning to adulthood. ACTION Ohio aims to add to their support systems and give them resources and advocacy.

1. Aging out of
foster care

2. Alumni of Care Together
Improving Outcomes Now
ACTION Ohio (Alumni of Care Together
Improving Outcomes Now) is dedicated
to improving outcomes for current and
former foster care youth. Our initiatives
include: Thanksgiving Together, Three
Days on the Hill, and facilitating the
statewide youth advisory board.

3. Foster Care in Ohio
Abus
e
Cleveland:
3,526 foster
youth in 2018
Columbus:
4,012 foster
youth in 2018
Cincinnati:
3,407 foster
youth in 2018

4. Children and youth enter foster care due to factors
outside of our control, such as experiencing
neglect, abuse, or the death, addiction or
imprisonment of a parent.
Abus
e

5. Foster Care Experience
Abus
e

6. Teenage Years and Aging Out
Abus
e

7. Aging Out in Ohio
Abus
e
Cleveland:
108 foster
youth aged
out in 2018
Columbus:
183 foster
youth aged
out in 2018
Cincinnati:
107 foster
youth aged
out in 2018

8. Wife and (step)mother

9. Transition to Young Adulthood for
a young person growing up with their
biological family

10. Challenges faced by a young person
who “ages out” of foster care

11. Plunging into young
adulthood, without family
support

12. Who can we depend on?

13. Copyright Lisa Dickson
Adding to a young person’s
Circle of Support:

14. Peer Support since 2006

15. Giving Ohio foster youth
and alumni a voice

16. Recent statewide conference

17. Recent OHIO YAB Meeting

18. Home for the Holidays

19. Annual Early Thanksgiving
Dinners 2008-current

20. Annual DC Trips
2013-current

21. 2019 Meeting with HUD
Secretary Ben Carson

22. Aging Out into
Homelessness

23. Capitalizes on the predictable nature of the housing
problems facing youth leaving foster care
Addresses the synchronization problem with the Family
Unification Program.
 Directs HUD to issue Tenant Protection
Vouchers “on demand” to Public Housing
Authorities as needed for the purpose of serving an
eligible youth
 Youth would receive a housing subsidy for three
years
 All youth have the option of voluntarily enrolling in
HUD’s Family Self Sufficiency Program, thereby
earning an additional two years of eligibility (for a
maximum of five years).
Fostering Stable Housing
Opportunities Act

24. Practical Needs:
Thanksgiving Dinners
Three Days on the Hill
Suits for Success: Storage Space
Pay It Forward: Baby Clothing Program

25. Suits for Success
and Pay It Forward