Lansing — Three years ago, William Daniel's younger brother escaped a cracking belt and beating at the hands of his mother long enough to call 911.

At 11 years old, Daniel watched as police handcuffed his mother and drove her away in the back of a police car.

"They saw from the bruises, scars and marks on my brother's face and back that the situation we were living in was unhealthy," Daniel said.

Daniel and his brother became two of more than half a million children in the country living in foster care. For youths like Daniel and his brother, as well as adults who have outgrown the foster care system, the Department of Human Services (DHS) launched a new Foster Youth in Transition Web site.

Services and support on major issues facing foster youth, including education, employment, housing and health, can be found at www.michigan.gov/fyit.

Daniel will be able to turn to the new Web site when moving out of his parent's house becomes a priority and when attending college becomes a concern. He says MSU's Air Force ROTC program is his first choice.

While he isn't old enough to get his driver's license, the Air Force Junior ROTC member hopes to get in the driver's seat of a jet and become a fighter pilot after college.

The home of his foster parents is four blocks away from the house he grew up in - the one his mother formerly owned. The site of the house brings about mixed memories for Daniel.

"I still pass by the house every day and just stand there sometimes," he said. "We had pretty good times, and we had bad times. But I'm in a foster home where I'm being loved and cared for. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

However, when Daniel turns 18, he will leave foster care, or "age out." In 2006, 536 former foster youth aged out of care in Michigan, where research shows they are at a greater risk for poverty, homelessness, unemployment and other negative outcomes.

A statewide task force formed to stop this trend suggested in 2006 that DHS construct a Web site. More than 100 members of public and private organizations contributed throughout the last nine months in creating it, including youth representatives from state foster care organizations.

"This Web site was developed with youth input, down to the colors (of the font)," DHS representative Kate Hanley said.

"It will be helpful to many other youths in this state when they're looking for services, not just foster youth, but that's what we've focused on."

Input about what information youth would be looking for came from Jillian Jones, a Traverse City high school student who spoke at the unveiling of the Web site Wednesday in Lansing.

"What's most helpful about the Web site is that it's 24/7," she said. "The DHS office is only open from 9-5 p.m. With this, you can get on at 3 a.m. and get the information you need."

Representing the Wayne County board of the Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative as president, Daniel also attended the unveiling. He enjoys talking with foster youths at his high school and other MYOI members about how to deal with their similar situations.

"I tell them although they're going through trials and tribulations, they can't let it affect their ability to learn and grow," he said.

MYOI consists of 90 youth boards in 30 counties across Michigan, coordinator Shannon Brower said. The fact that the state put together the Web site in the midst of what she called "serious budget challenges" impressed Brower.

"DHS has continued to recognize that, regardless of what funds are available, the need is still there," she said.