The 2022 Acts of Appropriation (Item 144 S.) tasks the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to “examine the feasibility of having a point of contact at each public institution of higher education for students who have been involved in the foster care system." The language also asks SCHEV to review the possibility of using federal dollars and to report the findings to the Commission on Youth by November 30, 2022.

The request builds on the Commission on Youth’s Study on Workforce Development for Foster Care Youth. The Commission’s 2022 report had a series of recommendations, including the establishment of a point of contact at each college (Recommendation 6) and state funding for the existing Great Expectations program at community colleges that supports foster care youth (Recommendation 5).

In addition, through its existing federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant, SCHEV supports a statewide effort to improve transitions for homeless youth to postsecondary education through a single point of contact (SPOC) model. While neither the Commission on Youth report nor the state-budget item includes students who have experienced homelessness, the information herein includes these students as an additional target population, as many foster youth also experience homelessness.

This Single Point of Contact feasibility report provides:

• a description of the role of a single point of contact;

• a profile of foster and homeless youth;

• existing efforts in Virginia to support foster and homeless youth;

• efforts in other states; and

• conclusions regarding the feasibility of having points of contact at public institutions.