The Iowa Aftercare Services Network (IASN) was organized in 2002 in response to an Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) request for proposals to provide support and services to youth and young adults ages 18 to 21 who exit foster care. YSS submitted the successful bid and has held the aftercare services contract with DHS ever since. 

Aftercare services for Iowa’s eligible foster care alumni were originally funded from the state’s allocation from the federal Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. In 2006, the Iowa Legislature authorized additional funding to create the Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) stipend. The PAL stipend provides additional financial support for youth who exit Iowa’s foster care system at age 18 or older as long as they are either enrolled in post-secondary education, are employed, or both. In 2014 the Iowa Legislature expanded Aftercare to include youth aging-out of the State Training School (STS) and court-ordered detention. In January 2020, the IASN implemented Extended Aftercare to serve youth that are 21 or 22 years of age and had been served by the Aftercare services program prior to the age of 21. IASN has evolved and grown to effectively serve more than 700 former foster youth each year.