Senate committee backs extending foster‑care support to age 23

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 245 to the Senate floor with a due‑pass recommendation. The bill would allow young people to continue voluntary foster‑care services through age 23 instead of the current cutoff at 21.

Senator Carl Bjerke (R‑District 5) introduced the bill as a measure to strengthen outcomes for ‘‘emerging adults’’ who left foster care. "We're thinking about the return on investment," Bjerke said, citing research he said links extended foster care to lower rates of homelessness, crime and higher educational attainment. Bjerke also described statutory changes to streamline placement with relatives, quoting the bill language that would allow the department to expedite placement and grant limited waivers or separate licensing standards for relatives.

Monty Prow, deputy director for the Department of Health and Welfare’s support and child‑welfare division, told the committee the program provides each participant an independent living or transition plan and ongoing case‑management…