(SACRAMENTO, CA.) — In a move hailed as a national model for social safety nets, the Sacramento City Council moved forward Tuesday with a plan to provide guaranteed basic income (GBI) to young adults aging out of the foster care system.
The initiative, funded by Measure L (the Sacramento Children’s Fund), marks a pivotal shift from short-term pilot projects to a sustained, publicly supported model. Under the plan, approximately 200 transition-age foster youth will receive consistent monthly payments for 30 months, paired with wrap-around support like housing navigation and financial coaching.
“This effort represents a shift from short-term pilot programs to a sustained, public-supported model,” said Edward King, Chief Program Officer for United Way California Capital Region, during public testimony. “You are innovators. This is one of the first in the nation to do so. We are especially grateful this aligns with the Measure L vision for prevention, equity, and long-term outcomes—ensuring young people have a real foundation, not just services, but stability.”
OpGov.news reports the program targets a critical gap in the social services system: the moment a foster child turns 18 or 21 and loses their state-mandated support. Council members cited harrowing data to justify the investment, noting that within two years of "aging out," more than half of these young people face homelessness or incarceration.
“No young person should leave foster care and immediately worry about affording a place to sleep; giving them a chance to move forward, not in crisis, but in confidence," King added.
Council Member Eric Guerra emphasized that the income is not meant to exist in a vacuum but as a foundation for other resources. “I am excited to support this because it does link all the wrap-around services to make sure that we have a successful path for our (foster) youth moving forward,” Guerra stated.
For many on the Council, the program is a direct response to the systemic trauma foster children endure. Council Member Rick Jennings highlighted the severity of the crisis, comparing the mental health struggles of foster youth to those of combat veterans.
“The rate of PTSD among foster children who aged out was greater than the PTSD incidents among troops coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq,” Jennings told the chamber. “Let that settle in for a moment. That is what makes programs like this to provide stability and promise to those who have aged out of the foster care system so important.”
As Sacramento implements the program, local leaders hope the "Sacramento model" will catch on elsewhere. “We know the good that guaranteed income does for our families, and so often foster youth are left out, and this can truly make a difference in their lives” said Council Member Lisa Kaplan. “Seeing this truly come into fruition and knowing the good it is going to do—we won't be the last in the nation. If we are the first, I hope this catches wildfire to do more for our foster youth.”
Council Member Mai Vang expressed pride in the city's "courage" to lead on the issue. “So many young people aging out of foster care often face no financial safety net,” she said. “A modest guaranteed income can be the difference for saving their lives.”
OpGov.news reports the program is expected to begin disbursements as part of the strategic investment plan recently adopted by the city, aiming to ensure no young person leaves the foster system only to immediately worry about where they will sleep.
Cover image by Craig Adderley, pexels.com. Submit Sacramento County tips and story ideas to Sarah Denos at sarahkdenos@gmail.com.
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