Transition to Adulthood

This report examines results of the first National Youth in Transition Database survey of 17-year-old youth in foster care in Washington. A total of 419 youth, or 92 percent of those eligible, participated in the survey. A majority of the surveyed youth report going to school, having no barriers to completing their education, living in a stable setting, having emotional and financial support, and receiving medical treatment as needed. However, the youth also report serious risk factors such as history of involvement with the criminal justice system (35 to 48 percent of the respondents, depending on the questions asked), history of behavioral health problems (34 to 44 percent) or housing instability (19 to 37 percent).