A state Senate panel is preparing a bill that would overhaul the Road to Independence program for youth aging out of foster care. It's aimed at giving foster parents more leeway to make decisions.
Alan Abramowitz of the statewide director of the Guardian ad Litem program, says state officials have been too cautious about allowing foster youth to live normal lives.
"What we've changed it to is giving the caregiver, the person who's parenting them and cares about them and actually knows the child, not bureaucrats in the back room with lawyers – the actual person that we've said are licensed and can have the child 24 hours a day and can make all the decisions – that that person can make normalcy decisions", said Abramowitz.
The bill would also extend the independent living program to age 21 for teens who chose not to age out at 18.