East Tennessee

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — You’ve probably heard, there’s a continuing problem with finding homes to place teens in the foster care system. Hearing that problem, one woman has taken on the matter in a truly amazing way.

Five young adults who aged out of foster care at 18 years old vulnerably shared their experience transitioning to adulthood after spending most of their childhood in state custody.

Charlotte, NC – (April 1, 2025) – Youth Villages, a nonprofit organization providing services to address children’s mental and behavioral health needs, today announced it was awarded a $1.1 million grant to expand its evidence-based Intercept program in South Carolina.

For Makia, the path from foster care to adulthood was filled with roadblocks. At 12 years old, Makia entered the child welfare system and moved between different foster homes, never quite finding stability and guidance.

Thousands of children experience out-of-home placements in North Carolina, and sometimes, finding a forever home isn’t an option before they age out of the system. Programs like LifeSet help young adults who experience foster care establish independence.

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month—a time to recognize the resilience of children and youth in the foster care system and the individuals who support them. At Youth Villages, we understand the unique challenges these young people face.

At 18 years old, Jaylen has already faced a steep climb in life compared to her peers. Without support, many young people find the path to adulthood incredibly difficult. But rather than letting obstacles overload her, Jaylen is using her experiences to build a better future and inspire others.

Life challenges might cause a bump in the road for most families. But for others, trials can result in major upheavals in their lives. Jeremy and his grandmother, Patricia, faced the latter when they were involved in a life-changing situation — one that led to their living apart from one another.

ATLANTA (April 1, 2025) – Youth Villages, a national nonprofit leader in children’s mental and behavioral health services, today announced a pilot contract with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities to expand its evidenced-based Intercept program to Douglas, Paulding and Rockdale counties, bringing access to in-home prevention care to more Georgia families.

After his mom died when he was 14 years old, Isaiah and his brother entered the care of their grandmother. Sadly, their grandmother died soon after, leading them to be placed in the foster care system.