We are making progress!

The STEM INSTITUTE (STEM)  is a collaborative effort focused on helping youth who have experienced foster care in the state of Georgia And South Carolina overcome their unique challenges and find success. We will not let our next generation of young people fall through the cracks. STEM is dedicated to filling service gaps and building innovative solutions within the child welfare system by collaborating with partner agencies and focusing on providing care coordination and other services that emphasize youth voice and choice at the forefront of everything we do.

STEM  focuses on serving youth in foster care with high-end behavioral health needs, serving over 500 youth each month between various identified programs  addressing needs such as placement, self-sufficiency, crisis recovery,  gainful employment and more.

STEM,S  residential network brings together highly qualified and accredited agencies (as well as numerous affiliate partners) from across the various states in order to secure the best possible outcomes for youth in care through dedicated placement planning. The  STEM team utilizes strengths-based planning to coordinate a unique, individualized approach for every STEM  youth, while maintaining youth voice and choice as the center of the work, placing them in the partner agency or affiliate best suited to meet their needs and personal goals. Each STEM youth within the placement network is supported by a staff member dedicated to their unique situation, who will follow their case no matter where their placement moves take them.

The STEM Initiatives are structured to provide solutions to key areas of need identified by youth advocates and stakeholders — supporting a holistic vision for success during and after transitioning from foster care. The Initiative programs focus on helping youth ages 14-26 affected by foster care make a positive journey into healthy, independent adulthood through education, mentor ship, and creating lasting connections.