"Of those referrals that we receive, we can receive anywhere from 15 to 50 referrals per week. Almost 80 to 90 percent of those come from some type of drug-related issue attached to them," said Mindy Arlotta, Director of Lighthouse Foster Care & Adoption.

Every couple of weeks or so, Hamilton County child welfare workers pull out a cot between the desks and file cabinets of their downtown Cincinnati office building and put a child to sleep because they can’t find a suitable family member or an available foster home.

"You are sitting out there, excited and relieved at the same time,'' said Laquita Howell, a foster care graduate who is now a mom, a JFS worker, and Lighthouse Board member. "Lean on your mentors, ask for help when you need it." And perhaps most important, she told them to never give up on themselves: "Keep telling yourself: 'I can finish it. I know I can, I know I can.' "

We did it! On May 25, 2016, the Ohio Senate passed HB 50 unanimously, with a vote of 33-0. Governor Kasich is expected to sign the bill into law within 10 days. Thank you for your support and advocacy. Together, we made a difference. The new law will establish a statewide program to serve youth who age out of foster care through their 21st birthday.