Help aging out of foster care in Utah
We've found 8 places in Utah for people aging out of foster care, mostly in Salt Lake City, and 6 that serve the whole state. 1 has been confirmed by a RISEaid volunteer. Most of them help with shelter & housing (4), benefits & cash (3) and jobs & training (3).
What's different in Utah
Two secondary documents, such as jail or prison papers and a utility bill, can stand in for a photo ID. Homeless people and former foster youth under 26 can get a free copy at any local vital records office in Utah.
Covers ages 18 to 26, through the month you turn 26, with no income or asset test. Foster care through DCFS, a tribe, Catholic Community Services' refugee program, or an equal agency in another state counts; youth from other states have been covered since February 1, 2016. Juvenile Justice Services custody doesn't count. Apply at jobs.utah.gov/mycase, at any Workforce Services office, or call 1-866-435-7414.
Workforce Services runs the voucher: up to $5,000 a year for tuition and books, plus mentoring and help with living costs and transportation while in school, until 26. You must apply for federal aid, keep a 2.0 GPA, and apply for DCFS's Olene S. Walker Transition to Adult Living Scholarship.
Utah runs extended foster care and serves young adults with Chafee aftercare up to 23. Aftercare can help with rent, bills, deposits and car costs for youth who left care at 18 or older, or were adopted or went to a guardian after 16. Call a Transition to Adult Living coordinator; DCFS lists them by office.
From our guides, where every fact links to its official source.
Places in Utah
211 Utah
Dial 2-1-1 for referrals to food, housing, utilities, health, and more anywhere in Utah.
Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics
Issues certified Utah birth certificates, the first document most people need before a state ID. Order online at secure.utah.gov/vitalrecords, by mail, or in person at the Salt Lake City counter or most local health departments. Every request needs a completed application, the fee, and valid identification.
Utah Legal Services
Free civil legal help for Utahns at or below 125% of the federal poverty line with very limited assets, including domestic violence, housing, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and family cases. Offices in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and St. George; apply online or call the Salt Lake intake line. Free interpreters.
Utah Youth Village / Milestone programs
Milestone Transitional Living is a Salt Lake County Youth Services program for young adults 18–21 who are homeless or at risk of it, including those who have left foster care, aimed at self-sufficiency. Apply with the Milestone Referral Application. (Utah Youth Village is a separate agency providing treatment foster homes and family programs, 801-272-9980.)
Transition to Adult Living (TAL)
DCFS program for youth leaving Utah foster care. Aftercare support can cover rent, bills, housing deposits, vehicle costs, and crises; education and employment funds, counseling, and medical and substance use supports are also available. Start with your assigned TAL coordinator, or email the coordinator team if you do not know who that is.
Volunteers of America, Utah
Runs Salt Lake County's 24/7 social detox for men (Recovery on Redwood) and women (Center for Women and Children in Murray, children 10 and under may stay), the Youth Resource Center for ages 15–22 with a 50-bed overnight shelter and free legal clinic, the Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center, a street outreach team, and Cornerstone Counseling.
Utah Department of Workforce Services
Runs Utah's SNAP, Medicaid, financial assistance, and child care programs and the state's employment centers. The fastest way to apply or check a case is the myCase portal at jobs.utah.gov/mycase; employment centers around the state can help in person.
Utah Driver License Division
Issues Utah identification cards and driver licenses. An ID card is $23 and a regular Class D license is $52. Documents must be originals or certified copies; photocopies and hospital birth certificates are not accepted. The division has a separate intake form for homelessness service providers helping clients get an ID.
National lines that work in Utah
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.