Young People Deserve More From the Budget: A Statement from our CARES Ambassadors

Washington, DC (July 28, 2025) – The CARES Ambassadors, young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 years old with experience in the foster care system, are appalled by the tax and budget bill signed into law by President Trump on July 4th. The CARES Ambassadors are working to reimagine how society supports young people and advance youth-centered policies that set all young people up to thrive. This bill moves in the wrong direction, stripping away essential supports like health coverage and food assistance from millions of young people, making higher education less affordable, increasing the costs of raising children for young parents, and limiting opportunity for all.  

This bill undermines health and wellbeing for an estimated 17 million people by slashing health coverage, including deep cuts to Medicaid. Access to health coverage and care is essential for young people to stay healthy and build a strong foundation for their futures—enabling us to pursue our education, careers, and personal goals. Yet this bill will lead to coverage losses due to sweeping and harmful policy changes that are designed to limit access to coverage and care, including burdensome Medicaid work reporting requirements for adults ages 19 to 64 that will cause many young adults to lose health insurance, changes to eligibility redetermination requirements that will make it harder for young people to maintain Medicaid coverage by requiring them to prove their eligibility1 every six months instead of annually, higher out-of-pocket costs for certain services2 that will force many young people to make tough choices between seeking care and meeting their basic needs like buying groceries or making a car payment, and more limited access to reproductive and preventive care as a result of defunding Planned Parenthood clinics that provide critical health care including cancer screenings, prenatal care, and contraception—particularly in rural and underserved areas.  

This bill dramatically cuts foundational supports for young people, including food assistance. It includes billions of dollars in cuts to SNAP, reducing or threating benefits for more than 22 million families. Among other provisions, the bill removes work requirement exemptions for youth aging out of foster care and those experiencing homelessness. These exemptions were critical to supporting young people during a key period of development and allowed them to prioritize their future and goals without fear of going hungry.  

This bill will also make it more difficult for young people to access and afford higher education, narrowing their options and rolling back critical protections for those harmed by predatory or failing institutions. It caps borrowing for two key federal loan programs—one for graduate students and one for parents—potentially preventing some students from enrolling and pushing others toward higher-cost private loans. The bill also delays implementation of Biden-era rules that offer loan relief to students defrauded by their schools or unable to complete their programs due to institutional closures. 

This bill leaves behind many young parents who are struggling with the costs of raising children. The Child Tax Credit (CTC) can provide economic relief to families, but under the bill 19 million children in families with the lowest incomes are excluded from the full CTC because their families’ earnings are too low. The bill also harms children in immigrant families, newly excluding 2.7 million U.S. citizen children by requiring that at least one parent have a Social Security number to claim the CTC. 

Young people are clear about the systemic barriers they face—and the policy solutions they need to achieve their goals and dreams. They want meaningful opportunities, including health care that is affordable, affirming, and includes supports for managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health needs; access to foundational supports like housing and food so they can pursue fulfilling jobs that pay a living wage, have predictable hours, and provide workplace protections; and access to higher education through federal grants and loans that are sufficient to cover real costs, with repayment plans that are fair and don’t lead to long-term debt. For young parents, this also includes access to a CTC that provides meaningful support, along with affordable and responsive child care.  

This budget fails to deliver on any of these priorities. It falls short on providing the opportunities young people need to be healthy, maximize their power and promise, and support their ability to achieve their goals and dreams.  Here’s what we’ve heard from our CARES Ambassadors:

“This bill really hits home for me. I know people who work hard every day, but their jobs don’t pay enough to cover rent, food, or health care. Programs like SNAP and Medicaid help fill that gap. If those are taken away, it’ll make life even harder – not because people aren’t working but because their jobs don’t pay enough to live. I’ve seen it myself, and I know it would hurt people I care about, including youth like me. I grew up on SNAP, but to see how much this is changing for families that need it, especially when there are limited options for families. What are they going to do for the summer when children and families rely on the support?” – Jamie, a CARES Ambassador from Atlanta, GA

“They’re taking away Medicaid and SNAP. I still receive SNAP…you know my baby’s covered under Medicaid… So that’s concerning and alarming. And it just makes me wonder what the future holds for this next generation.” – S.A., a CARES Ambassador from Los Angeles, CA

“Young adults and students (including me) will have to face reduced student aid, less loan forgiveness to make college affordable.” – Tiffany, a CARES Ambassador from Atlanta, GA

“Even when the cost of food is going up – literally – they are setting us up for failure.” – Gwen, a CARES Ambassador from New York City

“A lot of the things that are gonna be taken away, are very much foundational things that we need, as human beings, honestly to survive…I think also, too, in the space that we’re in, it does make it hard, in the sense of, when you’re trying to progress forward and push these things that are important to you, and then to see someone come behind you and say no, we’re not having that. It’s like when you try to take like two steps forward and something is knocking you back…”  – Brana, a CARES Ambassador from Los Angeles, CA

For more on policies that support—rather than hinder—the ability of young people to access health coverage, care, and other supports they need to be healthy, happy, and well, see our  CARES Policy Agenda. 

About CARES 

In 2021, CSSP launched CARES (Creating Actionable and Real Solutions), bringing together 27 young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 years old with experience in the foster care system to reimagine how society supports young people and advance youth-centered policies. These 27 CARES Ambassadors have worked to identify the greatest barriers to their success and co-develop policy recommendations that would break down these barriers and set all young people up to thrive. 

Empowering Foster Youth: The Case for Supporting the Increasing Access to Foster Care Through 21 Act

In the ever-evolving landscape of foster care, the needs of transitioning youth demand attention and action. As organizations deeply invested in the success and well-being of these young individuals, we unite in support of H.R. 7010, the Increasing Access to Foster Care Through 21 Act. This legislation represents a crucial stride towards providing comprehensive support and services to foster youth beyond the age of 18, recognizing the evolving challenges and opportunities of the present era.

The world has transformed significantly since the federal decision in 1980 that mandated the end of federal foster care at age 18. Traditional paths to adulthood, such as immediate full-time employment or access to college, have become less accessible and affordable. With the rising costs of living and limited opportunities, many young adults, even those outside the foster care system, rely on family support well past their high school years.

“If a young adult leaves foster care at 18, they must have an exit plan with significant resources,” said Elizabeth Villa, a CARES Ambassador. “And if the young person chooses to continue with extended care services, they should be free to select services that meet their individual needs without feeling overly monitored. [The goal] should be to provide a healthy and nurturing environment for them.”

Youth in care face unique challenges, including adverse childhood experiences, disrupted social connections, and barriers to opportunity. The Increasing Access to Foster Care Through 21 Act acknowledges these complexities and aims to bridge the gap by providing necessary supports as young people navigate the challenging transition to adulthood. While this is a necessary step, it is only the beginning of the breadth of support needed. Key revisions in the bill include:

  1. Extended Care until 22nd Birthday: The revised act extends foster care until the young person’s 22nd birthday, recognizing that the transition to independence is not a one-size-fits-all process.
  2. Incentives over Mandates: Unlike its predecessor, the new bill opts for incentives rather than mandates. By delinking young people aged 18-22 from the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) eligibility requirements, the revised act ensures broader federal coverage for this age group, fostering a more flexible and supportive environment.
  3. Guidance for Workforce Integration: Acknowledging the importance of career development, the bill mandates the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Department of Labor (DOL) to provide guidance on connecting young people in extended foster care with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs.

“It’s great [that this bill] extends the age to 21, but I feel like [this] also puts more attention on working with youth sooner, like, even if it’s like extended to 21, you shouldn’t be waiting until they are 18 to begin talking with them about transitioning, it should happen sooner like freshman year of high school,” said Brana Phillips, a CARES Ambassador. “Also, we can’t think only extending the age is going to be the thing that fixes the problem. We have to be transparent about what the needs are and what hasn’t worked before.”

By endorsing the Increasing Access to Foster Care Through 21 Act, we understand that we play a vital role in addressing a critical gap in the support system. This legislation represents a significant step towards ensuring that all young people and we are excited to see what continued change will be built on this legislation.