Redesigning the Journey for Foster Youth Aging Out of Care
In partnership with the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, Belmont Innovation Labs is applying the SOLVE model to one of our state’s most urgent challenges: improving outcomes for youth aging out of foster care.
Each year, around 850 young Tennesseans leave the foster care system at age 18—often without the stable housing, supportive relationships, or access to the mental health support needed to thrive. These young people are full of potential, yet face disproportionate risks of homelessness, incarceration, and unemployment.
Through the SOLVE process, we are designing solutions with—and not just for—these youth.
From Insight to Action
Mid-Term Report | March–July 2026
Six venture pilots are now live across Tennessee, each testing a different approach to supporting young people transitioning out of foster care. This mid-term report documents what we are learning: who we are serving, how the work is unfolding, and what early results are telling us. In the first five months, 39 young people have been served, 19 have been newly housed across two pilots, and each of the three leverage points identified in our research is now being actively delivered. By March 2027, every pilot will reach a clear decision to continue, adapt, expand, or conclude responsibly.
In the News
Phase 1: Discover
Landscape Study | May–October 2024
Our work began with deep listening. Over 250 hours of research, 10 hours of stakeholder conversations, and the synthesis of 75+ national and state-level resources formed the backbone of our Landscape Study.
We mapped system dynamics, elevated youth perspectives, and identified three critical leverage points for change:
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Supportive Adult Relationships |
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Accessible Mental Health Services |
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Safe & Affordable Housing |
Phase 2: Design
Impact Case | November 2024–June 2025
With clear priorities, we moved into collaborative strategy development. The Impact Case outlines high-leverage interventions and investment-ready pilots, built from data, design sprints, and the lived experience of foster youth.
Two signature pilots emerged:
Lumen Flats
Led by Elmington Capital and co-designed with youth, this project repurposes a senior living facility in Knoxville into supportive housing for youth aging out of foster care, leveraging Foster Youth in Transition vouchers.
The Reconstruct Challenge: Thriving Youth
A statewide venture philanthropy platform aiming to raise $1.5 million to support 8–10 scalable youth empowerment pilots with catalytic capital, technical assistance, and cross-sector collaboration.
Both initiatives embed impact measurement, tracking what matters most: housing stability, relationship quality, and access to healing.
Phase 3: Deploy
The Reconstruct Challenge | October 2025–March 2027
The Deploy phase is where research and design meet real investment. In October 2025, Belmont Innovation Labs launched the Reconstruct Challenge: Thriving Youth in partnership with Every Child Tennessee and Access Ventures, a statewide venture philanthropy platform that raised $1.5 million from 16 funders to support scalable solutions for youth aging out of care. From 58 applications across 11 states, six ventures were selected and awarded $100,000 each for 12-month pilots in Tennessee.
Each pilot targets at least one of the three leverage points our research identified: supportive adult relationships, safe and affordable housing, and access to mental health care. Alongside the Reconstruct Challenge, Lumen Flats — a new supportive housing model led by Elmington Capital and co-designed with youth — is repurposing a senior living facility in Knoxville using Foster Youth in Transition vouchers, with 20 years of federal rental assistance secured through a new HUD partnership.
Winners were selected and announced in February 2026. Pilots are currently underway, with a final evaluation and investment decisions set for March 2027.
Why It Matters
We’re not just imagining a better future. We’re building it with and for young people.
For youth transitioning out of foster care, success means:
- A stable relationship with a trusted adult
- A safe place to live
- Access to mental healthcare and space to heal
- A pathway to belonging, purpose, and independence
Through the SOLVE process and deep community partnership, we’re working to break generational cycles and replace it with a foundation of opportunity, healing, and hope.
Our Partners
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Whether you're a funder, policymaker, practitioner, or advocate—there’s a place for you in this work.