Social worker Taryn LaMaison is a state worker in Louisiana who provides hands-on guidance for 18- to 21-year-olds who are no longer in traditional foster care because they have officially aged out of the system. She’s what’s known as a LifeSet specialist — a counselor who helps these young adults with everything from where to live to how to find a job.
The goal is to guide them through a critical moment of transition where success is far from a guarantee. Every year, roughly 20,000 young people turn 18 in foster care and venture out on their own. States have a hodgepodge of programs aimed at helping them find independence, but for many of them, the start of adulthood is followed by more struggle. Research has shown that many of these young adults are more likely to experience homelessness and less likely to complete their education or earn a living wage.