Testimony: SOUL Amendment Act of 2025

Children’s Law Center Policy Director Tami Weerasingha-Cote testified before the DC Council’s Committee on Youth Affairs and Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety in support of B26-399 – Support, Opportunity, Unity, Legal Relationships (Soul) Amendment Act of 2025. SOUL is a youth-driven, new permanency goal for older youth (16+) in foster care. SOUL legally recognizes and supports the circle of loving adults in an older youth’s life who are committed to their future. 

Youth who are or have been in DC’s foster care system worked with Children’s Law Center, DC agencies (OAG and CFSA), and other government leaders to develop SOUL as a solution to better meet the needs of older youth in foster care. As a result, SOUL has been informed by the perspectives of those most deeply impacted by the system, as well as the government agencies responsible for implementing it, ensuring it will be an effective program for supporting older youth in foster care.