New York, NY – The journey to adulthood is especially difficult for young people aging out of foster care, who often must navigate it without the family support, financial stability, and guidance many of their peers rely upon. Extended foster care was created by the federal government to help bridge the transition, but because each state decides how to implement the policy, the level of support youth receive depends on where they live. PhD student Seonyeong Kim has been selected for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Doctoral Student Policy Fellowship for her dissertation project examining how state-level differences in implementing extended foster care policies shape youth outcomes.
Seonyeong’s research focuses on the variability in how states adopt and apply federal legislation meant to assist young people transitioning out of care. These differences include who is eligible, whether youth are allowed to return to care after leaving, and what kinds of services are offered, all factors that can significantly alter the life trajectories of vulnerable youth. “Even though extended foster care is a federal policy, its implementation varies so widely by state,” she explained. “That variation means that some youth receive far more support than others, simply because of geography. That’s not equitable.”
Her dissertation will use publicly available data and government records to map and analyze these disparities and provide empirical evidence to inform future policy recommendations. “No research has yet focused directly on this aspect of implementation,” Seonyeong said. “My hope is to highlight the gaps and call for clearer federal guidance to reduce state-by-state inconsistencies.”
The CSWE Doctoral Student Policy Fellowship is a two-year program that supports social work doctoral students in connecting their research to real-world policy change. Fellows work closely with policy advocates, researchers, and institutions to build skills in policy analysis, advocacy, and communication. The fellowship culminates in the opportunity to present at a national policy conference in 2026 and to contribute to activities such as writing policy briefs and building a community of policy-focused scholars.
For Seonyeong, the fellowship supports her desire to translate research into action. “Social work programs often prioritize practice and intervention, which are so important,” she said. “But I found myself increasingly drawn to policy. This fellowship complements my training and lets me dive deeper into how research can influence legislation.”
In addition to gaining hands-on experience in federal policy-making, Seonyeong is excited to connect with a national network of students who share her interest in policy advocacy. “It’s inspiring to be in a space where people are thinking about how to use research to create change,” she said. “I want to be part of that conversation.”
Seonyeong extended her heartfelt gratitude to her cohort and the following Silver faculty members: PhD program mentor, Professor Kathrine Sullivan; Professor Michelle R. Munson, whose Social and Behavioral Intervention Research course played a pivotal role in shaping her current research direction; and Professor and PhD Program Director Rohini Pahwa, for consistently reassuring her that her work was coming together. “They reminded me to believe in my work, especially when I doubted myself,” she shared.
The fellowship begins this month and will support Seonyeong’s continuing commitment to advancing more equitable policy outcomes for transition-age youth in foster care.
About NYU Silver School of Social Work
Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to more than 20,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field, making it the leading destination for students who want to become innovative practitioners at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. The School has four campuses in the heart of New York City, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Shanghai.