ETA News Release: [September 29, 2004]
Contact Name: Ed Frank or Juan Solano
Phone Number: 202-693-4685 or 312-353-6976
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Announces $400,000 Job Training Grant for Teens Transitioning Out of Foster Care
DETROIT - U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced a grant of $400,000 to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth to develop programs to help youth aging out of foster care become employed and self-sufficient.
"Young people leaving foster care need help to become productive and self-sufficient members of society," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "This $400,000 grant will help them take the next steps towards a positive future through skills development and job training."
With this funding, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth will create a local consortium of agencies to address gaps in service to current and former foster youth age 16-21. The consortium consists of One-Stop centers, local Workforce Development Boards, the Jim Casey Foundation, public and alternative schools and various local non-profit agencies.
The gaps in service that will be the primary focus of the grant include individual mentoring, transitional housing, paid internships, transportation and physical and mental health services.
The project developed through the grant will be used as a model to assist youth aging out of foster programs around the nation.
For more information on the Department of Labor's Employment and Training programs, please visit www.doleta.gov.
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