Teen foster-care advocate urges lawmakers to back college access and share youth feedback

Kate Pirtle, a 17-year-old student from Greenville, told the committee about a youth-led "fostering feedback" effort that asks foster youth to submit letters about their experiences and recommendations for policymakers.

Pirtle recounted her own experience — neonatal health challenges, foster placement and eventual adoption — and said the project has already surfaced repeated concerns: a shortage of foster homes, a need for better-trained, trauma-informed group-home staff, and limited safe housing options for youth aging out of care. "We need more foster homes," she said, and urged committee members to help distribute the initiative and connect it to agencies that can use the data.

Pirtle also asked lawmakers to support the Fostering Futures Act, a proposal to waive tuition for foster youth at state colleges and universities. She noted that many other states offer similar tuition waivers and described the measure as low-cost and high-impact; presenters in the room said colleges had expressed conditional support subject to funding and program details.

Department of Children's Advocacy and Department of Social Services staff in the room described collaborative steps to continue advocating for youth who sign into extended foster care and to formalize consent for continued advocacy after youth turn 18.

The committee applauded Pirtle; members said her testimony was compelling. No formal action occurred during the meeting.