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Kansas teens in foster care could soon pick their own legal families

Kansas could be the first state in the U.S. to allow foster youth ages 16 and above to pick the adults who help support and make decisions for them. The SOUL Family program aims to help create a network of support as foster teens transition into adulthood.

Kansas teens in foster care could soon have a say in their legal relationships if a bill currently under consideration in the Kansas legislature is passed. The SOUL Family Legal Permanency Option would let teens pick the adults that help support and make decisions for them — without forcing them to give up their legal relationships with their parents.

Up To Date's Steve Kraske sat down with Rachel Marsh, CEO of Children's Alliance of Kansas, and Yusef Presley, former foster youth and advocate for SOUL, to discuss the program.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by David McKeel and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
David McKeel is a producer for KCUR Studios. Email him at David.McKeel@kcur.org
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