Help aging out of foster care in Florida
We've found 7 places in Florida for people aging out of foster care, mostly in Clearwater and Miami, and 5 that serve the whole state. Our volunteers haven't confirmed these yet, so a quick call ahead is worth it. Most of them help with benefits & cash (4), shelter & housing (3) and food (2).
What's different in Florida
Valid photo ID is required. Florida names VitalChek as its only contracted online vendor.
From our guides, where every fact links to its official source.
Places in Florida
MyACCESS Public Benefits
Florida's single application for SNAP food assistance, Medicaid, Temporary Cash Assistance and the Refugee Services Program. The MyACCESS self-service portal is open around the clock; a customer call center handles questions and case changes.
Extended Foster Care and Aftercare Services
Florida lets young people stay in foster care until 21 and offers Aftercare to anyone who turned 18 in DCF custody, with help available until the 23rd birthday. Aftercare covers mentoring, mental health and substance use support, life-skills and parenting classes, job training and temporary financial aid; a separate tuition exemption runs through age 28 and Medicaid through 26.
Florida's Independent Living Resource Center
Free statewide information-and-referral clearinghouse for current and former foster youth, run by Daniel Kids in Jacksonville. Staff answer questions about Extended Foster Care, PESS, Aftercare, Keys to Independence and other transition benefits and point youth to the right local contact.
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Issues certified copies of Florida birth certificates by mail, online through VitalChek, or at the walk-in office in Jacksonville. A computer-generated certificate costs $9 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy; county health departments can also issue records from 1917 forward.
211 Tampa Bay Cares (First Contact)
Round-the-clock information and referral for the Tampa Bay region, including a Homeless Helpline, a sexual assault services line, emergency financial assistance for adults and the 988 crisis line. Call, text your ZIP code, or chat online.
Legal Services of Greater Miami
Free civil legal help for low-income residents of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties on housing, benefits and other barriers to economic stability. Phone intake runs four afternoons a week; walk-in intake is Monday and Wednesday mornings.
Florida Driver License and ID Cards
FLHSMV's Division of Motorist Services issues Florida ID cards and driver licenses at service centers across the state; some take walk-ins and others require appointments. Renewals and replacements can be handled online through the MyDMV Portal.
National lines that work in Florida
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for any mental health or substance use crisis. Available to anyone in any program.
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.