LA County Foster income program

Los Angeles County's Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to expand the 'Breathe' guaranteed-income program, providing monthly stipends to over 2,000 foster youth transitioning from care. The initiative aims to support non-minor dependents aged 18 to 21, addressing the significant risks of homelessness and poverty they face. The program, which began in 2022, will offer $1,000 monthly payments for two years, alongside career and education counseling and financial empowerment training. Supervisor Holly Mitchell emphasized that the expansion utilizes the state's Flexible Family Support funding, which allocates resources for specific enrichment activities to enhance the recipients' well-being. The program's intent is to disrupt cycles of poverty and improve outcomes for vulnerable youth in the foster care system. This expansion is particularly critical as L.A. County has one of the largest populations of foster youth in the U.S.