County Moves Forward with Cortese’s Plans for Foster Youth UBI Pilot
Young people transitioning out of the foster care system to receive unconditional cash payments; program will be responsive to current needs of foster youth in light of the COVID-19 emergency.
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, today, approved moving forward with a pilot program spearheaded by Supervisor Dave Cortese that would be the first in the nation to target the foster youth population with universal basic income. Under this pilot program, young people transitioning out of the foster care system in Santa Clara County, those of 21 years old and up to 24 years old, would receive unconditional cash payments of $1,000 a month from the period of June 2020 through May 2021.
The Board explored creating a program that would be responsive to the current needs of foster youth during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency, with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation being discussed as potential fiscal and strategical partner to help connect youth with appropriate service providers.
“Foster youth in our County face unique obstacles and challenges, with a disproportionate amount experiencing homelessness, poverty, and multiple chronic health conditions. These discrepancies have only been exacerbated by our current health pandemic,” said Supervisor Cortese who brought the pilot program to the Board of Supervisors last August. “This program will give foster youth the tools they need to be successful to help them achieve parity in education, employment and income.”
Please call the Office of Supervisor Dave Cortese at 408 299 5030 or Gisèle Huff, President of The Gerald Huff Fund for Humanity, at 415 814 2792 with any questions or for comment.
