Changing the Health of Adolescents Impacting the Nation Reaction, Inc. DBA C.H.A.I.N. Reaction, Inc.

C.H.A.I.N. Reaction, Incorporated was founded in 2005 by Jessica Saint-Paul, a group home provider who witnessed the consequences of foster care and probation youth who aged out (>18 years old) of the Child Welfare System without valuable resources to access housing, medical and mental health services. “Youth were no longer eligible for foster care. They experienced homelessness, STI's, unplanned pregnancy, unemployment and incarceration at higher rates than their adolescent peers.” C.H.A.I.N. Reaction, Inc. was established to address the health needs and health behavior challenges expressed by foster care adolescent girls residing in group home facilities in Los Angeles County. In response to these needs faced by present and former foster care youth, C.H.A.I.N. Reaction, Inc. formalized services and provided health education, case management, independent living and volunteer opportunities to residents and former foster care youth who emancipated from the Child Welfare System. Emancipated youth received opportunities to practice independent living skills and receive health education services without cost, to assist in their transition from the dependence of the foster care system to self-sufficiency. The I Choose Me © Peer Health Advocate Program was later established to give adolescents experiential learning opportunities to serve as peer educators and role models in their communities. Expansion of services to a larger population provided the opportunity for C.H.A.I.N. Reaction, Inc. to create community partnerships so that more youth were able to access services. C.H.A.I.N. Reaction, Inc. provides staff training and development workshops to assist direct care workers in providing comprehensive quality services to foster care youth living in residential-based programs.