COVID-19 Strips Safety Net for Foster Youth 'Aging Out' During Pandemic

This is the first in a series produced under a USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism 2020 National Fellowship, focusing on the stories of vulnerable communities.

Last October when Larry Malcolm Smith Jr. approached his 21st birthday -- the year most foster youth in New York City leave the system -- he thought he would be linked to healthcare, housing, and job opportunities before gaining his independence.