First Foundation
First Foundation, an individual transition support program, provides guidance and stability to youth who are not living in the traditional foster family setting, but instead are placed in a residential facility and are within two years of aging out of foster care. Professional, caring staff work with youth using a therapeutic model to set realistic goals. Staff provides youth access to educational advancement, mental health services and employment resources in their communities to prepare them for the transition from foster care. First Foundation also offers the PATH Program, an innovative housing model that builds upon positive, permanent relationships already existing in the lives of young people. PATH (Permanent Avenues Toward Home) pairs youth with a permanent, caring adult of their choosing who provides housing in their home. The program builds on the relationship between youth and adult, allowing for the natural transition from adolescence to adulthood to occur within a supportive and stable environment. To participate in the program, youth must identify a qualified permanent adult in their lives that is able to house the youth in their home for up to two years, or the day before their 25th birthday.