SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaheim Smith "aged out" of foster care just last week, a transition that can be distressing for young people who have spent most of their lives in the child welfare system and for the first time are living on their own.
But Smith, recently 21, is confident in his new life. He is renting an apartment in Sacramento and works as a behavioral consultant for children with autism, teaching them skills that help them thrive in school. He works shifts at McDonald's to make ends meet.
Smith attributes his newfound independence in part to the Court Appointed Special Advocates program. When he was 11, it paired him with a dedicated mentor who helped him over the years with everything from homework to acquiring a driver's license.
