Welcome to the SSI Transitions Project website!

The SSI Transition Project is a collaboration between the John Burton Foundation, the Public Interest Law Project and the Alliance for Children’s Rights. The goals of the Project are to help California’s disabled youth make a successful transition from foster care, improve local practices in transition planning for disabled foster youth and develop a state and federal policy agenda to promote SSI utilization among foster youth in transition.

Each year, approximately 4,200 youth “age out” of California’s foster care system. The challenges experienced by youth exiting foster care are compounded further for youth with serious physical and mental disabilities. One important resource for foster youth with disabilities is Supplemental Security Income (SSI). However, despite high rates of disability among foster youth, a small percentage of eligible children in the foster care system exit foster care with SSI in tact.

To ensure youth with disabilities have access to SSI, the Project:

• Develops technical assistance and training materials to educate county agencies and nonprofit providers about SSI
• Disseminates technical assistance materials through regional training and resources on-line
• Provides individual consultation to demonstration counties and individual advocates
• Coordinates statewide organizing and advocacy efforts

WHAT'S NEW

MATERIALS FROM 6/28 TRAINING NOW AVAILABLE!
Download presentation materials from the Oakland Regional Training.

Two Years Later: Has California's Approach to Securing SSI Benefits for Disabled Youth who "Age-Out" of Foster Care Made a Difference?
The final report of the AB 1331 Implementation Study is now available to
download.

Social Security Administration Releases new POMS related to foster youth
View SSA’s new rules about when foster youth can apply for SSI.