On March 5, 2025, three former foster youth—Jaleshia Brown, Adam Hassan, and Michael Outrich—testified before the Ohio Children and Human Services Committee in support of adding the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program to the pending Ohio Budget Bill. Their powerful testimonies show the financial and personal struggles former foster youth face when pursuing higher education.

The Foster-to-College Scholarship Act proposes creating a scholarship program to cover the cost of attendance for any Ohioan who was in foster care after their 13th birthday. It would provide funding for tuition, fees, and other educational expenses not covered by existing federal or state financial aid, helping to eliminate financial barriers that often deter foster youth from attending or completing college.

Adoption Network Cleveland is proud to work with ACTION Ohio and other partners to help the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program become law. We applaud the young people who testified for using their voice and are overjoyed by the positive response they received from legislators. Click here to watch the full testimonies.

Adam Hassan, a 20-year-old college student and iFoster Americorp participant, provided an impactful account of the hardships he and his peers endure in college. He shared stories of students experiencing homelessness, those who were close to starvation, and others who had to pause or abandon their education altogether due to financial constraints.

"There have been moments where, for days, I had nothing to eat, no electricity, on the brink of homelessness, and with no support," Adam said. "There have been moments where I've had a payment plan to cover just one of my semesters at Columbus State because my financial aid did not cover it. There have been moments where I have considered whether it's even feasible for me to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree, let alone a Master’s Degree—because of my circumstances."

Beyond tuition, Adam emphasized that many former foster youth do not have reliable transportation and that he walks two hours to and from class each day.

Jaleshia Brown, another former foster youth who testified, was emancipated suddenly at age 18, during her second semester of college. A caseworker informed her that she was no longer in foster care, leaving her without housing and forcing her to drop out of school.

Despite nearly a decade of obstacles, Jaleshia persevered and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a certificate in Violence Prevention. In her testimony, Jaleshia recounted sleeping in cars, missing meals and showers, self-medicating, and using substances—all while attending school, working multiple jobs, and parenting as a single mother. Being emancipated with no transition planning or support directly led to her first episode of homelessness.

Michael Outrich, who lived in a group home in high school, testified that a lack of resources and guidance led him to unnecessary debt and other obstacles in college.

“When I was accepted [to college], a caseworker drove me down to Ohio University and said his final goodbyes. He told me, ‘Now begins the next chapter of your life. Make the most of it.’ and then I wasn't sure what to do next. I had my class syllabus, my clothes in trash bags, and my schedule and that was it—no guidance or support in that moment for me. As with many other students with foster care history, I felt incredibly alone.”

Without a credit history or a parental figure willing to cosign for his first apartment, Michael had to pay rent in full at the start of each year, forcing him to take out additional loans.

“I lived on a shoestring budget, skipped meals and washing my clothes, and only focused strictly on work and school,” Michael said. “I wouldn't wish that life on anybody, especially former foster care youth who have limited resources and childhood trauma already. As a newly licensed foster parent who seeks to assist teens in foster care to find permanency and support them into adulthood, I want their paths to be better.”

After these three testimonies, legislators expressed strong interest in the program and applauded the speakers for their willingness to share.

At Adoption Network Cleveland, we support these provisions wholeheartedly. First and foremost, it’s the right thing to do for young people who have had Ohio’s child welfare system act as their custodian, stepping in to fill the role of a parent. By taking on this responsibility, we feel the state has a duty to provide not only for their well-being but also to set the foundation for their success. Ensuring access to education and workforce readiness is a critical part of that commitment, giving these youth the tools they need for a stable and successful adult life.

The Foster-to-College Scholarship Program would make services and scholarships available not only to youth currently in foster care but also to anyone who spent time in the foster care system after their 13th birthday—an important distinction that fills a gap for youth who may be otherwise overlooked. We commend the legislation’s approach, which removes barriers for youth who find permanency through adoption during their teen years. No young person should have to choose between a permanent family and access to higher education.

“Every person is just one caring adult away from a success story, and those stories can begin with each of you,” Jaleshia told legislators. “Together, we can create a different story where every child has the opportunity to thrive. You have the remarkable chance to be the caring adults, to transform the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of future, current, and former foster youth.”

Adoption Network Cleveland encourages Ohioans to contact their state legislators and voice their support for the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program and its inclusion in the Ohio budget. Investing in the futures of former foster youth benefits not only these individuals but also our communities. We encourage you to stand with us and help ensure that every young person transitioning out of foster care has the opportunity to succeed.

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