Youth Development Program urges House Human Services to expand motel-voucher eligibility for former foster youth

Statewide Youth Development Program leaders testified to the Vermont House Human Services Committee on testimony about H.91, “an act relating to emergency temporary shelter,” and asked that youth ages 19 to 24 exiting state care be added to the list of people eligible for motel and hotel vouchers. Ellen Lehman, statewide director of the Youth Development Program (YDP), joined former director Jesse Warren and Youth Advocacy Coordinator Zoe Souder to describe YDP services, funding limits and the housing needs of youth with foster care experience.

The request came as YDP described its statewide service model and its shortfall in staff and funding. “Our mission is to ensure that youth with foster care experience enter adulthood with the necessary supports and that they need to build productive and fulfilling lives,” Lehman said. YDP operates under a contract with the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) and subcontracts with local youth mental-health agencies to provide case management and flexible financial supports.

YDP serves youth ages 14–23 who are in custody or who exited custody at age 16 or older. The presenters said the program serves about 450 youth statewide annually—about 40% of the eligible population—and that YDP currently has 16…