Higher Education Mentoring Initiative for Foster Care Youth (HEMI)

Every year, between 120 and 150 young people "age out" of Hamilton County's foster care system. Approximately half finish high school. Last year only three of those young people went on pursue higher education.I

n response to these unacceptable outcomes, Greg Vehr, Vice President for Governmental Relations at the University of Cincinnati, Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Hartmann and Lawrence Johnson, Dean of the UC Colllege of Education, have formed the Higher Education Mentoring Initiative (HEMI).

The goal of this initiative is to match young people emancipating from foster care in Hamilton County with educational opportunities at UC, Cincinnati State and Great Oaks vocational school.

For example, UC wants to match interested students with mentors who are already enrolled in the College of Education, and to house them in its Generation I dorm complex, in order to facilitate a home environment and peer support structure for students.

Source: Wells, David. Foster children turn 18, then turned aside. Cincinnati Enquirer, May 22, 2009.