I first met DJay when he was in Washington, DC participating in our Foster Youth Shadow Day program. His smile lit up dim meeting rooms and his laugh bounded through sometimes-hollow hallways. 1/
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He was an advocate through and through – a champion for health care reforms for current and former foster youth and other changes to our child welfare system. He wanted to make the world a better place than he found it.
And he did. 2/
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Last week, DJay passed away due to complications with COVID-19.
On Friday, and I will be reintroducing legislation to immediately ensure that eligible former foster youth have access to Medicaid until the age of 26 in his honor. 3/
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DJay’s death is a sad reminder that there is no time to waste to act on behalf of our nation’s foster youth. As this pandemic continues, it’s critical that we make sure everyone in this vulnerable population has the coverage and the care they need. 4/
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Do more for foster youth PLEASE - mentor programs, advocacy after emancipation, support centers FOR foster youth 18+... this is a great start but let’s keep going.
From, a former foster kid.