Casey Family Programs and the Annie E. Casey Foundation collaborated to form The Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative (JCYOI) Foundation, based in St. Louis. This is a major national effort to help youth in foster care make successful transitions to adulthood. The staff of the JCYOI Foundation have reviewed Maine's implementation plan and will be in Maine for a final site visit on March 10 and 11, 2004.

Maine has a unique plan. It is the first site that will implement the initiative statewide, making it available to all youth in care and former youth in care that are between 14 and 23 years old. There are about 1,000 youth in care or former youth in care in Maine that are eligible. Currently about 300 of these youth receive independent living services from the state. For comparison, Los Angeles County, California, which is also a grantee, has roughly 75,000 youth in care. The JCYOI in Maine hopes to reach youth that are between 21 and 23, youth that chose not to sign a V-9, or those who discontinued a V-9 contract.

The Muskie School for Public Service is the grantee and will receive $400,000 each year for the next three years to develop the initiative into a positive force for youth in care. The lifeblood of the initiative is the Opportunity Passport. For each of the three years of the grant, 75 youth will receive a Passport. By the end of year three, 225 youth will have one. Muskie will be looking for ways to continue to fund the program at the end of the three-year grant.

The Opportunity Passport has three components: a debit account, a matched savings account (IDA,) and door openers. Youth that sign up for a Passport must also agree to complete three financial literacy courses. In addition to the Opportunity Passport, youth may participate on a local youth board. In conjunction with a local Community Leadership Board, made up of adult community leaders, they will be responsible for giving $10,000 a year away in grant money. They will identify barriers for youth in care to achieving a successful transition to adulthood.

The boards will focus on improving opportunities and outcomes for youth in care in the following areas: housing, mental and physical health care, employment, education, personal and community connections, and transportation. Youth may also participate on the Friends of Youth in Care Board that will report to the Governor's Children's Cabinet.