Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
APRIL 25, 2019
Preamble
Motion by:
SOLIS, GARCETTI, BARGER, HAHN, BUTTS AND KUEHL
Expanding the Youth On the Move Program
Young people in foster care and the probation system endure copious setbacks while they are system-involved and when they exit the system in their early twenties. For many of these young people, transportation can be a major barrier. For example, when they purchase vehicles, foster and probation youth are often victims of unjustly high interest loans or they are coerced into buying vehicles that qualify as a lemon, breaking down and proving costly. Unfortunately, these types of scams are pervasive among system-involved youth. The lack of financial support to purchase a Metro TAP card and, therefore, the ability to navigate the county is also widespread.
To that end, in 2011, the Metro Board of Directors approved former Director Antonovich’s motion to create the Youth on the Move pilot program. Two years later, the Metro Board approved Youth on the Move as a countywide program, slated to continue indefinitely. This program provides youth ages 18 to 21 with a free annual TAP card if they were in foster care at age 16. Many young people rely on this program daily. They participate in Youth on the Move to attend school, go to work, participate in their dependency or delinquency hearings, and attend visitation with their parents. Critically, these participants use their free annual TAP card for the everyday, normal experiences of a young adult.
In 2018, there were approximately 3,700 participants in Youth on the Move, indicating the program’s clear success. Yet, only youth ages 18 to 21 can participate. Expanding Youth on the Move to serve a broader age range of young people will result in more stability, including school stability, for youth who experience foster care and probation. Furthermore, targeted marketing efforts and a more seamless application process will make the program more accessible. These efforts would result in greater transportation equity and overall success of our young and most vulnerable residents.
There might be opportunities, beyond the Youth on the Move program, for Metro to support system-involved youth. This might include other modes of transportation to support youth with visitation or regular court hearings. In one example, recently, the City of Los Angeles announced that it will making DASH transit free for students participating in the College Promise program. There are many appointments and responsibilities system-involved youth have to balance-consistent and equitable transportation can ameliorate that reality.
Subject
SUBJECT: EXPANDING THE YOUTH ON THE MOVE PROGRAM
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE Motion by Solis, Garcetti, Barger, Hahn, Butts and Kuehl that the Board direct the CEO to report back in July 2019 on:
A. Recommendations to expand eligibility of the Youth on the Move program, including considering expanding the eligible age range from 18 to 21 to 16 to 24 or beyond;
B. Improved marketing strategies for Youth on the Move, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) and the Los Angeles County Probation Department;
C. Enhancements to the Youth on the Move application process to ensure it is seamless and low-barrier, in partnership with DCFS and the Probation Department;
D. Identification of other transportation needs for youth who relevant foster care or probation contact and recommendations on potential partnerships between Metro, DCFS, Probation, and other relevant stakeholders, to address those needs;
E. Recommendations to ensure students receive support throughout their participation in Youth on the Move, especially during potential changes in their living situations, schools, or case workers; and
F. Recommendations to reduce the cost of transit for K-12 and College/Vocational students in general.