Stepping Stones in Lavalette, W.Va., is part of the state’s Transitional Living for Vulnerable Youth program. Young men transitioning out of foster care can live individually in a tiny home as part of the program. (Susan Fry | Courtesy photo)
West Virginia leaders are expanding their support for young adults who are aging out of foster care and in need of housing, education and employment support as they transition to independent living.
The Department of Human Services has funded additional programs around the state in its Transitional Living for Vulnerable Youth program, which serves youth ages 17 to 21.
There are 5,991 children in West Virginia’s overburdened foster care system, according to DoHS data. The highest rate of those children — nearly 2,000 kids — are in the 13- to 17-year-old age range.
The transitional program offers young adults — some of whom have experienced multiple foster placements or a failed adoption — a place to live.
National data shows that more than 40% of youth aging out of foster care can experience homelessness by age 26.
The program also provides youth a chance to learn independent living skills, like financial management and cooking. It connects them with mental health and educational resources, including help enrolling in universities and vocational schools.
“Expanding the TLVY program is a critical step in providing West Virginia’s vulnerable youth with the tools and support they need to succeed independently,” Cammie Chapman, DoHS deputy secretary of children and adult services, said in a news release on Monday. “We are committed to helping these young adults build a strong foundation for their future and become thriving members of our community.”
In July, the TLVY program expanded to five providers with the additions of Burlington United Methodist Family Services Family Services in Keyser and Youth Services System Inc. Tuel Center in New Martinsville, bringing the total number of beds up to 49.
The state first launched its TLVY program in 2023 with three providers, including Stepping Stones in Wayne County.
Stepping Stones in Lavalette is in need of volunteers to help build additional tiny homes for young men who are in the program. Additionally, the program is in need of volunteers who can teach music classes and with job skills, including construction and insurance sales. Contact Stepping Stones Executive Director Susan Fry at stepupsrf@aol.com.
The program has six tiny homes in the town of Lavalette, where local young men transitioning out of foster care each live in 320 to 350 square feet while learning to cook, manage their finances and more. The young men grow produce and herbs then sell it to local markets as part of their income.
“They’re actually working, earning money, opening checking accounts and learning wants versus needs,” said Stepping Stones Executive Director Susan Fry.
The young men who enter the program have lived in group homes, kinship or foster care homes. Others have arrived after a failed adoption or after experiencing homelessness.
Fry noted that some may have no contact with family members.
“Many of them have no support,” she said. “They’ve been through the [foster care] system, and they’re through with the system, and you can’t blame them because their lives were controlled by others.”
The TLVY has offered steady state funding, Fry said. She currently accepts around four or five young men but plans to build additional tiny homes to accept more individuals.
Through the program, residents can earn their high school diploma and be connected with educational opportunities at nearby Marshall University. The young men also have the option to enter apprenticeship programs with local unions, Fry explained.
“Whatever pathway they want to pursue, we help them with that,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is that nice hand off to the community, so that they’re already connected to our universities and to our workforce … because it’s hard if you’re not connected.”
The TLVY program also includes Golden Girl Group Home in Ceredo and Stepping Stone in Fairmont. Plans for an additional eight-bed facility are currently underway, according to DoHS.
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