RISE aid · Foster Care
Housing, school, health coverage, money, and adults who stay. Everything the system stops providing the day you turn 18.
Your checklist, in order.
Each step links to the listings that do that thing near you. Enter a ZIP above to narrow them.
First 72 hours
- 01Ask about extended foster care
Most states let you stay in care to 21 with housing and a stipend. The window to opt in can be short. Ask your caseworker today.
Benefits & cash near you - 02Get copies of your documents
Birth certificate, Social Security card, state ID, medical records, and school transcripts. The agency must give them to you.
ID & documents near you - 03Confirm where you're sleeping
Transitional living programs, host homes, and youth shelters hold beds for people aging out. Don't leave without an address.
Shelter & housing near you - 04Keep your health coverage
Former foster youth qualify for Medicaid to age 26 in every state. Make sure it's active before any gap.
Health & medication near you
First 30 days
- 01Apply for Chafee and ETV funds
Chafee pays for housing and living costs; the Education and Training Voucher pays up to $5,000 a year for school.
Benefits & cash near you - 02Apply for SNAP
You qualify on your own income. Most state offices process former foster youth applications quickly.
Benefits & cash near you - 03Open a bank account
Many credit unions waive fees for youth; some foster care programs match savings.
Benefits & cash near you - 04Find a job or training program
Youth employment programs, Job Corps, and apprenticeships that provide housing.
Jobs & training near you - 05Find an adult who stays
A mentor, a former foster parent, a coach. Programs can match you with someone who isn't paid to be there.
Family & kids near you
First 90 days
- 01Apply for the Family Unification Program voucher
FUP housing vouchers are set aside for youth aging out. Ask your housing authority and your caseworker.
Shelter & housing near you - 02Enroll in school with tuition waivers
Many states waive tuition at public colleges for former foster youth. Financial aid counts you as independent.
Jobs & training near you - 03Get a driver license
Driving programs for foster youth cover lessons, fees, and sometimes insurance.
ID & documents near you - 04Plan for your records and legal needs
Expunge juvenile records where possible; fix your credit if identity theft happened in care.
Legal help near you
Listings for this program
See all and filter by need →988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for any mental health or substance use crisis. Available to anyone in any program.
211 Utah
Dial 2-1-1 for referrals to food, housing, utilities, health, and more anywhere in Utah.
Lifeline free phone program
Free or discounted phone and service for people on Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or low income. Apply online or through a carrier.
Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics
Birth certificates for people born in Utah. Counter service in Salt Lake City; order by mail or online for other states.
Utah Department of Workforce Services
SNAP, Medicaid, cash assistance, childcare, and job help. Apply online at jobs.utah.gov or at any employment center.
Utah Driver License Division
State ID and driver license. Bring birth certificate, Social Security card, and two proofs of Utah address.
Utah Legal Services
Free civil legal help for low-income Utahns: protective orders, housing, benefits, expungement, family law.
Transition to Adult Living (TAL)
Services for youth aging out of Utah foster care: extended care, Chafee funds, ETV, housing help, and life-skills support.
Volunteers of America, Utah
Detox, youth resource center, homeless outreach, and recovery housing in Salt Lake County.
Utah Youth Village / Milestone programs
Transitional living and independent living support for young adults leaving foster care in Utah.
Stuck on any step?
Call or text and a person will walk you through it. No app, no account.