Young people may opt to stay in extended foster care from age 18 to their 21st birthday. As they are adults, they must directly apply and provide consent to receive CASA program services. CASA volunteers provide a unique combination of mentorship, coaching, and advocacy, assisting youth as they learn what it means to be an adult. Foster youth have experienced trauma and transitioning into adulthood can be harrowing. Unlike young people who have the safety net of family support, independent foster youth must immediately find employment to become self-supporting, secure/maintain safe and affordable housing, and/or finish high school, attend college, trade school, or participate in another career development program. Without a safety net and often lacking support and guidance, such milestones may seem completely out of reach, causing overwhelming stress and anxiety, and increasing the potential for failure. CASA volunteers assist their youth in finding employment, applying for college, and establishing lifelong healthy habits. They also encourage their youth to practice positive social-emotional behaviors, while helping to ensure that their basic needs are met during the difficult transition from system-dependency to independence.