How Technology Connects Foster Youth with Resources: Rudy Yakym and Martin Elisco

Connecting Foster Youth with Resources

• 💡 Care Portal is highlighted for its work in Indiana, connecting families to essential resources like car seats and cribs, serving over 10,000 children.
• 🎯 This service is crucial for family preservation, preventing children from entering the foster care system by meeting tangible needs quickly.
• 🚀 For youth aging out of foster care, services like Care Portal can facilitate crucial connections, as seen with a young woman who received a crib and baby supplies, leading to a lasting supportive relationship.

The Role of Neighbors vs. Government

• 💬 The idea that "Government cannot love a child, but neighbors can" is emphasized, positioning Care Portal as a neighbors helping neighbors initiative rather than a large government solution.
• 🤝 The core issue identified is not a lack of resources or caring individuals, but a lack of connection, which Care Portal aims to facilitate at scale.

Technology's Impact on Foster Care Casework

• ⚠️ Teenagers in foster care face higher risks, including early parenthood, often due to limited knowledge of parenting skills and gaps in caseworker understanding.
• 🧠 Augintel's AI technology utilizes natural language processing to analyze caseworker notes in child welfare systems.
• 🔍 The AI identifies various factors like risks, strengths, social determinants, and unmet needs by looking for specific language patterns in case notes.
• ⚡ Once an unmet need is identified, the AI notifies the caseworker, enabling proactive outreach and referral to necessary services for foster youth.
• 📊 This AI solution sits on top of legacy systems, making existing data accessible and actionable for caseworkers, thereby fostering crucial connections and resource delivery.