About Us

The NRC-FAHE is a dynamic international organization that brings together a diverse group of professionals dedicated to improving higher education access and outcomes for foster care youth and alumni.

Its membership includes:

Faculty and student researchers
Directors and coordinators of foster youth support programs
Program staff
Community practitioners
Policy makers

This collaborative network actively engages in:

Conducting rigorous research to identify barriers and effective intervention
Developing and implementing evidence-based best practices
Advocating for policy changes to support foster youth in higher education
Facilitating communication and collaboration among interdisciplinary scholars and practitioners
Promoting innovative approaches to inform and influence policy-making
Amplifying the voices of youth in care and foster care alumni

Leadership Team

The NRC FAHE is led by a distinguished team of experts who bring together extensive experience in child welfare policy, social work, and higher education research to advance the mission of improving postsecondary access and retention for foster care alumni.

Angelique Day, PhD

School of Social Work

University of Washington- Seattle

Dayangel@uw.edu

Lisa Schelbe, PhD, MSW

College of Social Work

Florida State University

Lschelbe@fsu.edu

Amy M. Salazar, LMSW, PhD

Department of Human Development

Washington State University- Vancouver

Amy.salazar@wsu.edu

Our Priorities

Research

Employ mixed-methods approaches to investigate the processes, effectiveness, and long-term outcomes of postsecondary support programs serving foster care youth and alumni.
Map critical pathways to higher education access and persistence for foster care populations, identifying systemic barriers and facilitators.
Conduct longitudinal studies tracking educational, vocational, and psychosocial trajectories of foster youth from adolescence through adulthood.
Measure satisfaction levels and perceived efficacy of campus-based support programs through stakeholder feedback (students, staff, alumni).
Establish collaborative data networks across institutions to benchmark outcomes, share best practices, and advance equity-focused interventions.
Evaluate pre-college readiness initiatives to determine their impact on college enrollment, retention, and degree attainment rates.
Analyze policy implementation in higher education systems to assess alignment with foster youth needs and equity goals.

Policy

Expand Tuition Support: Champion nationwide adoption of comprehensive tuition and fee waivers for foster care youth and alumni, ensuring equitable access to higher education across all states.
Increase Dedicated Funding: Advocate for robust, targeted funding streams to support diverse post-secondary education pathways for foster care youth and alumni, including vocational, two-year, and four-year programs.
Enhance Chafee Program Allocation: Push for increased Chafee Program funding with specific allocations for:
- Pre-college preparatory programs
- On-campus support services
- Rigorous evaluation of program effectiveness
Extend Pell Grant Accessibility:
- Lobby for:
  - Year-round Pell Grant availability
  - Extended Pell Grant eligibility for foster care youth and alumni to accommodate non-traditional educational timelines
Improve Data Collection and Utilization:
- Advocate for:
  - Dedicated funding for comprehensive data collection on foster youth in higher education
  - Clear directives for institutions on tracking and reporting relevant metrics
  - Development of data-sharing protocols to inform evidence-based policy making
Strengthen Cross-Sector Collaboration: Promote policies that facilitate seamless coordination between child welfare agencies, educational institutions, and support service providers to create a holistic support ecosystem for foster youth pursuing higher education.

Practice

Create Trauma-Informed Training Programs: Develop evidence-based professional development for middle/high school counselors focused on foster youth’s unique academic, social-emotional, and college readiness needs.
Build a Centralized Resource Hub: Curate and disseminate accessible, youth-friendly materials (e.g., scholarship databases, mentorship programs, housing guides) to support foster youth in pursuing post-secondary pathways.
Design Campus-Specific Training:
- Implement standardized training for college personnel covering:
  - Trauma-informed engagement strategies
  - Campus-specific resources for foster alumni
  - Cultural competency in serving this population
  - Program evaluation best practices
Establish Support Program Frameworks:
- Develop an evidence-based model for campus programs that includes:
  - Standardized intake protocols
  - Tiered support services
  - Alumni engagement strategies
  - Outcome measurement tools
Strengthen Campus Support Systems:
- Enhance existing programs by:
  - Expanding mental health services tailored to foster youth
  - Creating emergency funding mechanisms
  - Developing peer mentorship networks
  - Building partnerships with local housing providers
Boost Access and Retention:
- Implement targeted interventions to improve:
  - College application completion rates
  - Financial aid literacy
  - Academic probation recovery support
  - Career readiness programming