MedinaCounty Training

Alumni of Care Together Improving Outcomes Now

We bring together the voices of foster care youth, alumni and allies, to create lasting change and generate hope for current and former foster youth, based on access to resources, ally support and alumni expertise.

Participants will learn about:

1.) OAC requirements for Independent Living Services

2.) Life Skills Assessments

3.) Exit Plans (including vital documents)

4.) Statewide and Local Resources

5.) Hands-on Activities

6.) Permanency Pacts

Transition to Young Adulthood fora young person growing up with their

biological family

Challenges faced by a young personwho “ages out” of foster care

What’s an Exit Plan?

*a.k.a.

• “Discharge/Case-Closing Plan”• “Self-Sufficiency/Emancipation Plan”• “Transition Plan”• “Personalized Transition Plan”

Federal Legislation

Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008

Title II, Section 202

• Mandates that 90 days prior to emancipation from foster care, “a caseworker on the staff of the State agency, and, as appropriate, other representatives of the child provide the child with assistance and support in developing a transition plan that is personalized at the direction of the child, includes specific options on housing, health insurance, education, local opportunities for mentors and continuing support services, and work force supports and employment services, and is as detailed as the child may elect.”

Ohio Administrative Code

• Ninety days prior to the youth’s emancipation from the agency’s custody, the PCSA or PCPA shall work with the youth to develop a final transition plan.

• The plan shall be youth-driven and as detailed as the youth chooses.

Essential Elements:• Post-Emancipation Services (if available)

• Healthcare; insurance, power of attorney

• Higher Ed; secondary, post-secondary

• Housing; obtaining, paying for

• Budgeting; credit report

• Selective Services (males must register)

• Existing Court Fees (preexisting)

• Existing Benefits; i.e. Social Security

Vital Documents:Prior to the youth’s emancipation from the agency’s custody, the PCSA or PCPA shall coordinate with the following agencies, to obtain necessary documents:

• an original birth certificate• an original social security card• a current state identification card

*OAC 5101:2-42-19: “Requirements for the provision of independent living services to youth in custody”

Handout: Ohio Administrative Code: Requirements for the provision of independent living services…

Handout:Sample Life Skills Assessment

Essential Elements:

Life As A Juggling Act

Our Youth Need Two Things

1. Preparation

2. A Safety Net

“Name That Logo”

Filing as an “Independent

Student”

Three categories:• Student who is an orphan, in foster care, or a

ward of the court, at any time when the student was 13 years of age or older

• Student who is an emancipated minor or is in legal guardianship as determined by the court in their state of legal residence

• Applicant is verified as an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or at risk of homelessness and self-supporting

2007 College Cost Reduction and Access Act

ETV Eligibility:

A current, or former foster youth who:

• Was in foster care on their 18th birthday and aged out at that time; OR

• Was adopted from foster care with the adoption finalized AFTER his/her 16th birthday; OR

• Will have his/her foster care case closed between the ages of 18 and 21

• At least 18, but younger than 21, to apply for the first time.

ETV Benefits:

• Up to $5,000 per year to assist former foster youth pursing higher education

• This includes college and vocational institutions

• Funds can be used for: Tuition, textbooks, and living expenses

• Must be already accepted or enrolled in a degree, certificate or other accredited program at a college, university, technical, vocational school

• To remain eligible for ETV funding, students must show progress toward a degree or certificate.

• Students remain eligible for ETV up to age 23 if they received ETV funding prior to their 21st birthday.

• The goal of Ohio Reach is to increase the number of foster care youth who enroll in and graduate from college.

• By establishing Foster Care Liaisons at Ohio universities and community colleges.

• Ohio Reach awarded $60K mentoring grants to four schools: Central State University, Columbus State Community College, Ohio University and Tri-C

www.ohioreach.org

• Medicaid Hotline: 1-800-324-8683www.benefits.ohio.gov

• The 1950 form that caseworkers fill out is NOT the application, it is only the referral form – youth still need to fill out the application form, and renew every year

Job Corps

• Job Corps is a great way to complete an education, learn a marketable trade, make friends and graduate with a good job in hand.

• Each Job Corps Center is unique, but they all feature campus-like settings with dormitories where students can live.

CCMEP

Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program

• “Effective July 1, 2016, the CCMEP will marry TANF and WIOA funding streams to provide intensive case management and employment services to two targeted populations: 1) a volunteer population including currently enrolled WIOA youth, and; 2) a mandatory cohort of TANF recipients ages 18-24.”

• Contact: Medina County Office of Workforce Development

B-E-G-I-N

Handout: Statewide and Local Resources

Handout: Sample Hands-on Activities

Teens learn

by doing

Activity:

“Get from where you are to where I am, in one jump”

Six Tasks of Older Adolescence:

•Self-esteem and self-awareness•Increased independence•Responsible and able to make complex decisions•Relationship skills•Interpersonal communication

Ladder to Success

Who are or were the top

three people in your personal Safety Net and

why?

Interdependence

Recommended Reading: Transitioning Youth: Blending the Worlds of Permanency and Independent Living. The Casey Center for Effective Child Welfare Practice.

“The blending of the worlds of permanency and independent living

Is imperative if our youth are ever to be adequately prepared for life,

love and work in adulthood.”

The social task of young adulthood is to create strong, long-lasting bonds of friendship and love. Those who fail in this task risk remaining isolated for the rest of their lives.

Erickson Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation

Copyright Lisa Dickson

Permanency Pact:

What exactly can I rely on you for?

It is critical to the youth’s success to identify those adults who will continue to provide various supports through and beyond the transition from care.

Clarifying exactly what the various supports will include can help to avoid gaps in the youth’s safety net and misunderstandings between the youth and the supportive adult(s).

• A home for the holidays• A place to do laundry• An emergency place to stay• Care packages while in college• Storage• Someone to discuss problems with• A phone or computer to use

Activity #3Blindfold activity

• One person is blindfolded

• We each can give them a different instruction, but only one instruction

• Try to navigate them to the front of the room

#ACTIONSteps

1.) Sign up for email updates

2.) Brainstorm next steps locally to move forward and make this transition a success

3.) Early invitation to NE Ohio Thanksgiving dinner for foster care teens and alumni