A partnership between DePelchin and A Lighted Path is helping DePelchin youth prepare for adulthood with counseling, guidance, and other resources.
Transition to Adulthood through Guidance and Support (TAGS) is a DePelchin residential program for homeless young adults, ages 18 to 22, who were not adopted at the age of 18 and have “aged out” of foster care. The program offers services and guidance to help them become productive, responsible, and independent.
A two-year-old partnership with A Lighted Path adds to the services available to youth through TAGS. A Lighted Path is a nonprofit organization that works to improve outcomes for children and youth who are disadvantaged by social and economic disparities. Through A Lighted Path’s program called Adults In Training (AIT), DePelchin residents receive lessons in everything from financial planning to stress management to driving to cooking.
The partnership between A Lighted Path and DePelchin has also provided the opportunity for TAGS youth to receive group counseling from The Menninger Clinic. During Emotional Wellness Month in October, we highlighted and celebrated the numerous mental-health services that DePelchin offers, and the counseling available to youth in TAGS is an important component of our approach to mental health.
The transition into adulthood can often be difficult for those who have aged out of the child-welfare system. Fortunately, DePelchin and A Lighted Path are working together to see that the youth in the TAGS program have the skills — and the support — to successfully launch their adult lives.
