LA County’s Guaranteed Income Program Expands to Include Former Foster Youth

Breathe: Los Angeles County’s guaranteed income program has expanded to support former foster youth from the Department of Children and Family Services or DCFS. Launched in June 2023, the expanded program recently awarded 200 randomly selected qualifying former DCFS foster youth $1,000 a month for two years. Participants started receiving checks Aug. 15.

The expansion, carried out in collaboration with the nonprofit Strength-Based Community Change and the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research, works to address the challenges that former foster youth are more likely than their peers to face, such as homelessness, unemployment, incarceration and being involved in the justice system.

“We know that getting financial resources directly into the hands of residents is one of the most effective ways to help meet their needs and lessen reliance on other public services. This is why I am proud to see Breathe: LA County’s Guaranteed Income Program expand to include one of our most vulnerable populations, our foster youth,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

BREATHE is the first guaranteed income program that has expanded to transitioning foster youth. Additionally, since its expansion, BREATHE is now the most extensive program in the nation.

Details: ceo.lacounty.gov/pai/breathe/.