Youthnet Launches LifeSet Program

Youthnet will be offering LifeSet, a program developed by national nonprofit Youth Villages, to young people between the ages 17.5 to 22 who are transitioning from foster care in Snohomish County. 

Young people who have experienced foster care may struggle in the transition to adulthood, especially when working to overcome childhood adversity. The evidence-based LifeSet program model puts young people in the driver’s seat of their lives, with a trained specialist by their side to navigate the complexities of early adulthood. Specialists meet with young people at the location of the young person’s choosing, face-to-face weekly, helping them set and achieve their goals around housing, transportation, education, employment, health and relationships through experiential learning.

“We are thrilled to begin offering the LifeSet program in Snohomish County as it aligns perfectly with Youthnet’s mission to support young people as they transition from foster care to independence” stated Sara Rylaarsdam, Director of Adolescent Services for Youthnet. “By providing individualized guidance, emotional support, and essential life skills, LifeSet empowers foster youth in the Snohomish community to build strong futures and realize their full potential. We believe in giving every young adult the resources they need to thrive, and this program is a testament to our commitment to their long-term success and well-being.”

Since 2016, LifeSet has helped young adults in Washington transition to independence, starting in King County with the YMCA of Greater Seattle. Supported by philanthropic funding and later by state legislature in 2021, the program expanded to include counties such as Pierce, Yakima, Benton and Franklin. In 2023, a Youth Villages grant enabled further growth, with plans to scale the program across Washington by 2027. New launches in Spokane and now Snohomish County through Youthnet brings the total to five active LifeSet programs statewide as of this year.

LifeSet is the largest program model helping transition-age youth who reach adulthood in foster care in the country working in 18 states and D.C. and is the only program to have demonstrated impacts in a number of areas of a young person’s life in a large, randomized controlled trial. The program is provided by Youth Villages directly in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon and Tennessee and through partnerships in Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington state, Louisiana, Connecticut, Illinois, Clark County, Nevada, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.

About Youth Villages

Youth Villages is a national leader in children’s mental and behavioral health committed to building strong families, delivering effective services and significantly improving outcomes for children, families and young people involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems across the country. Founded in 1986, the organization’s 4,000 employees help more than 39,000 children annually in 26 states and the District of Columbia. Youth Villages has been recognized by the Harvard Business School and U.S. News & World Report and was identified by The White House as one of the nation’s most promising results-oriented nonprofit organizations. Learn more at www.youthvillages.org.