Youth Aging Out of Foster Care and Homelessness in the US and Other Developed Nations
Youth aging out of foster care (typically at age 18) in the US and other developed nations often have serious challenges as they attempt to "make it" as independent adults. Based on his own follow-up of such youth in the Detroit area and other studies, Dr. Toro will present data on homelessness and many other outcomes among these youth. He will propose interventions that might alleviate the poor outcomes often seen in these youth.
Paul A. Toro, PhD is Professor of Psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit. He was President of the Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27, Community Psychology, of the American Psychological Association) in 2003-04. He and his Research Group on Homelessness and Poverty have conducted a wide range of studies on homelessness over the past two decades, including studies on homeless adults, families, and youth. His studies have compared homeless to matched housed samples, assessed prevalence and public opinion, evaluated interventions, provided careful assessment of mental and substance abuse disorders, tested social psychological theories, collected data across nations, analyzed media and professional coverage, analyzed groups at-risk for homelessness (e.g., youth aging out of foster care), and followed large homeless samples in longitudinal designs. For additional details on his research, see his website at http://sun.science.wayne.edu/~ptoro/.
