(1) A youth who has reached age 18 years may request extended foster care services authorized under RCW
74.13.031 at any time before he or she reaches the age of 21 years if:
(a) The dependency proceeding of the youth was dismissed pursuant to RCW
13.34.267(5) at the time that he or she reached age 18 years; or
(b) The court, after holding the dependency case open pursuant to RCW
13.34.267(1), has dismissed the case because the youth became ineligible for extended foster care services.
(2)(a) Upon a request for extended foster care services by a youth pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, a determination that the youth is eligible for extended foster care services, and the completion of a voluntary placement agreement, the department shall provide extended foster care services to the youth.
(b) In order to continue receiving extended foster care services after entering into a voluntary placement agreement with the department, the youth must agree to the entry of an order of dependency within 180 days of the date that the youth is placed in extended foster care pursuant to a voluntary placement agreement.
(3) A youth may enter into a voluntary placement agreement for extended foster care services. A youth becomes eligible for extended foster care services as of the date the youth either signs an extended foster care agreement or voluntary placement agreement or turns 18, whichever occurs later. A youth may sign a voluntary placement agreement or an extended foster care agreement anytime within six months of the youth's 18th birthday, in which case the agreement will take effect on the youth's 18th birthday. A youth may sign a voluntary placement agreement or agreement to participate in extended foster care at any time after turning 18. The youth may withdraw his or her consent to participate, at any time, including prior to their 18th birthday. A voluntary placement agreement may be signed by a dependent child or eligible youth over the age of 18 electronically.
(4) A youth who is not in a licensed foster care placement upon signing an extended foster care agreement or voluntary placement agreement, and who has turned 18 years old, shall receive their first supervised independent living subsidy within one month.
(5) The department shall develop a program to make incentive payments to youth in extended foster care who participate in qualifying activities described in *RCW
74.13.031(12)(b) (i) through (v). This program design must include stakeholder engagement from impacted communities. Subject to appropriations for this specific purpose, the department shall make incentive payments to qualifying youth in addition to the supervised independent living subsidy, beginning by July 1, 2025.
(6) "Voluntary placement agreement," for the purposes of this section, means a written voluntary agreement by a youth who agrees to participate in extended foster care.
*Reviser's note: 74.13.031 was amended by 2024 c 298 s 8, changing subsection (12)(b) to subsection (14)(b), effective July 1, 2025.
