99, the President signed into law theFoster Care Independence Act of 1999, Public Law 106-169. The law includes provisions relating to foster care andattached to the law are provisions that establishes newtitle VIII of the Social Security Act for providing specialcash benefits to certain World War II veterans.Political ForcesA number of organizations, including CWLA, the NationalResource Center for Youth Development, the NationalIndependent Living Association and the Daniel MemorialInstitute supported bill H.R. 3443 and provide resources,information, training and other support to independentliving programs nationwide. Groups or organization opposingbill H.R. 3443 were not found. The bill had support in theSenate and the House. The vote in the House was 427 for itand 8 opposing the bill.ValuesValues underlying this policy would be in support ofthe worthy poor. Orphaned children have always been deemedas worthy poor and it was obvious the needs of the childrenaging-out of foster care have without governmental help. These children are mostly wards of the State and it is theStates responsibility to care for them. Bill H.R. 3443gives the States more flexibility and funds to assist thesechildren, the worthy poor.Social Programs ImplementedServices and programs provided through federally andstate-funded independent living programs represent one partof the continuum of services and opportunities available toyoung people in foster care. Independent Living programservices may include:Centralized state-wide activities, resources,information, and program planning available throughfederally funded independent living program, andimplemented by the state Independent Living Coordinatorand, if in place, the state Independent Living AdvisoryBoard;Assessment, life-skills activities, training, support andcase management related to preparation for independent living provided by individual case workers andindependent living coordinators at the local or...
