Eliminates the Foster Care to 21 Program, which is targeted at helping youth transitioning out of foster care to complete their postsecondary education up to the age of 21. Such youth are now to be served under the regular extended foster care program. This act directs the court to postpone for six months dismissal of a dependency proceeding when the child is in a postsecondary education program.   Official Text and Analysis.

Authorizes the DSHS to provide extended foster care services to youth ages 18 to 21 to participate in or complete a postsecondary or vocational education program. The substitute bill provides that if dependent youth can demonstrate having applied to a postsecondary or vocational program within six months of his or her eighteenth birthday, then the court must postpone dismissing the youth's dependency to allow the youth a reasonable window of opportunity to request extended foster care services.

Clarifies that the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is authorized to provide extended foster care services to youth ages 18-21 to participate in a postsecondary academic or postsecondary vocational education program. Requires the DSHS to develop and implement rules regarding youth eligibility requirements for extended foster care. Clarifies the DSHS duties regarding the state-funded foster care to 21 program. Clarifies that the court must postpone a dependency proceeding for a youth in foster care who, upon turning 18 years old, is enrolled in a postsecondary academic or vocational program, or who have applied for and can demonstrate that he or she intends to enroll in a timely manner. Specifies that the court must dismiss the dependency by the end of the six-month postponement period if the youth: a) has not requested extended foster care services, or b) is no longer eligible to receive foster care services. Clarifies that the department is relieved of any supervisory responsibility for the youth during the 6 month dependency dismissal postponement period, until the youth requests to participate in extended foster care. Provides that under certain circumstances, youth who participate in extended foster care while completing a secondary education or equivalency program may continue to receive extended foster services for the purpoe of participating in a postsecondary academic or postsecondary vocational education program.

Expresses the Legislature's intent that dependent youth seeking postsecondary academic or vocational education will be served through the Extended Foster Care program, and not the Foster Care to 21 program. Requires the Foster Care to 21 program to cease operating in three years.

Expresses the Legislature's intent that dependent youth seeking postsecondary academic or vocational education will be served through the Extended Foster Care program, and not the Foster Care to 21 program. Requires the Foster Care to 21 program to cease operating in three years. Authorizes the Department of Social and Health Services to provide extended foster care services to youth ages 18 to 21 to participate in or complete a postsecondary or vocational program. Requires the court to postpone dismissing a dependency proceeding for certain youth.