$4.5M grant to ease transition for Ill. foster-care adults

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois has received a $4.5 million grant to help older foster children make the transition to living on their own.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services announced the three-year award last week. It comes from national nonprofit organizations Youth Villages .

DCFS says that statistics show that young people in foster care are more likely than others to be homeless, unemployed or incarcerated as adults.

DCFS will work with Cook County organizations UCAN and Lawrence Hall and Hoyleton Youth and Family Services near St. Louis. The agencies will use Youth Villages' life-skills program called YV LifeSet to help young adults make the transition.

Illinois' grant is the largest of four totaling $10 million. Grants also went to the District of Columbia, Los Angeles County and Louisiana.