Do Transition Aged Youth qualify under prevention services?

It depends. For Title IV-E purposes, California defines “child” as a child up to age 21 in the foster care program, and some youth between 18 and 21 may be eligible for the title IV-E prevention program. As described in federal Program Instructions on page seven of ACYF-CB-PI-18-09:

“the definition of ‘child’ in section 475(8) of the Act applies to the title IV-E prevention program. Therefore, both a “child who is a candidate for foster care” and a child who is a pregnant or parenting foster youth must meet the definition of “child” as elected by the state for the title IV-E program to be eligible for the title IV-E prevention program (section 471(e)(4)(A)(i) and (ii) of the Act). This means that a “child who is a candidate for foster care” and pregnant or parenting foster youth who have not attained age 18 are eligible for the title IV-E prevention program. If a state has elected a higher age under the state’s title IV-E program, an otherwise eligible youth over age 18 may be eligible for the title IV-E prevention program in the following circumstances:

• • If a youth is otherwise eligible as a “child who is a candidate for foster care” and over age 18, the youth could be eligible for the title IV-E prevention program if:
    • a Title IV-E adoption assistance or guardianship assistance agreement is in effect with respect to the youth (that went into effect after the child attained 16 years of age)
    • the youth’s adoption or guardianship arrangement is at risk of a disruption or dissolution that would result in a foster care placement (section 475(13) of the Act)
    • the youth meets the State’s education/employment conditions as elected under title IV-E; and the youth has not yet reached the state’s highest elected age under title IV-E (19, 20 or 21).
  • If a youth is an otherwise eligible pregnant or parenting youth in foster care over age 18, the youth could be eligible for the title IV-E prevention program if:
    • the youth meets the State’s education/employment conditions as elected under Title IV-E; and
    • the youth has not yet reached the state’s highest elected age under title IV-E (19, 20 or 21).”