Safety Inspections



Independent Living Life-Skills Services for Youth Age 15, 16, and 17

Purpose: The intent of the following policy is to ensure that life skills are offered based upon the youth identified needs.

Policy: Life skills services shall be offered and designed to meet the youth’s needs as identified in the independent living skills assessment. When a youth with developmental disabilities, mental health needs or other special needs is identified, services shall be tailored to meet the youth’s needs.

Procedure and/or Process:

1. Screening/Eligibility: A youth who is age 15, 16, or 17 and is in foster care is eligible for life skill services.

2. Access to Life Skills Services:

a. If a youth is unknown to CDS Independent Living program, the PFSF shall make a referral for life skills services, which shall be submitted to CDS within thirty days of a youth’s fifteenth birthday, so that CDS may complete an age appropriate independent living skills assessment within thirty days after the youth’s fifteenth birthday.

b. If the youth is fifteen years of age or older when placed in the custody of the Department, a referral to CDS and an independent living skills assessment completed with the youth by CDS shall be submitted within thirty days after the court enters an order placing the youth in the custody of the Department.

c. If a youth was previously referred for independent living services only an additional independent living skills assessment shall be completed and submitted.

3. Assessment:

a. For youth already enrolled in the Independent Living Program, an independent living skills assessment shall be initiated prior to a youth’s 16th birthday, so that the assessment is completed within 30 days following the birthday, using the “Daniel Memorial Independent Living Life Skills Assessment”, or other state-approved assessment tool intended for statewide implementation.

b. For youth newly enrolled in this age group, a “Daniel Memorial Independent Living Life Skills Assessment” shall be completed within 90 days of the date referred.

c. The results of the assessment shall be discussed with the youth and caregiver and be used to determine the training and services needed for the youth to continue learning skills necessary for successful transition to adulthood.

d. The independent living assessment shall be used to measure life skills development progress and also to determine each youth’s strengths and needs. The Counselor/Case Manager shall ensure that the youth’s identified needs are met.

e. Maintain individual participant files, to include, at a minimum, the youth’s Independent Living Individual Plan, all assessments, copies of reports, and progress notes.

4. Individual Plan:

a. Within 30 days of completing the assessment, the Counselor/ Case Manager shall develop in coordination with the youth, an Individual Plan that reflects the direction established in the youth’s judicial case plan.

b. A copy of the completed plan will be provided to the youth and their PFSF Worker.

c. The Individual Plan will be updated at a minimum of every six (6) months to reflect changing service needs as the youth progresses toward established goals.

d. The Individual Plan will identify the youth’s baseline skill level and will consist of measurable outcome statements that provide a mechanism for documenting progress toward each established goal.

e. The Individual Plan will contain:

i. A description of the youth’s skills and a plan for learning additional skills as identified in the independent living assessment;

ii. A description of proposed services by CDS, such as educational and employment-related assistance, counseling, therapy, skills training, and services to be provided by other agencies, including the type of service, nature and frequency of contact, and expected outcomes;

iii. Planned activities, worksheets, and documentation relating to the 16 life skills specific areas.

5. Services to Foster Youth 15, 16 and 17 Years of Age:

a. The Counselor/Case Manager shall minimally have monthly contact with each youth and have each youth sign a contact/visitation form.

b. The Counselor/Case Manager shall work in concert with PFSF on all cases to be presented in court and attend court hearings involving the youth as requested by the Department or PFSF.

c. The Counselor/Case Manager shall advocate for the participants placement in appropriate educational and/or employment-training environments as determined by the Independent Living Individual Plan.

d. Life Skills Training:

i. The needed skills may be taught through instruction and interaction with the foster caregivers or group-care staff, through contracted services, referrals to community providers, one-on-one coaching and group learning sessions. The youth may also be able to learn some of the needed skills in the public school curriculum.

ii. For every needed skill, the Counselor/Case Manager shall document in the youth’s case file who is to help the youth develop that skill and the timeframe in which the youth will receive the training.

iii. It is the responsibility of the Counselor/Case Manager to ensure the youth receives all needed life skills training.

iv. Life skills services include but are not limited to, independent living skills training including training to develop banking and budgeting skills; parenting skills; educational support; employment training, STD’s health and hygiene.

e. The Counselor/Case Manager will monitor each youth’s attendance, academic achievement and/or vocational skill progress at all academic and vocational placements and assist each youth with identifying and completing applications for student loans, scholarships or other forms of financial aid needed for educational advancement or vocational training.

f. The Counselor/Case Manager shall maintain communication with other agencies involved in providing treatment or service to the youth, with appropriate releases from PFSF or the Department, and provide input into Individual Plans and treatment plans as requested, to prevent duplication of effort and ensure a common direction is established for each youth.

6. Staffing:

No later than 30 days before or after a youth turning 17, the Counselor/Case Manager shall coordinate an administrative staffing to advise the youth verbally and in writing of the availability of Road-to-Independence Scholarship, Education Training Vouchers, Transitional Support Services, Aftercare Support Services, and the benefits of each. These staffings will include by invitation the Independent Living Coordinator, the PFSF Worker, the PFSF Worker Supervisor, and the youth. The youth may invite others involved in his or her life. These staffings should be coordinated around the youth’s educational and employment schedule and may not be held without the presence of the youth. If CDS determines necessary, CDS will conduct a face-to-face or telephone follow-up to ensure the youth’s understanding of the extended services available through the program. If a youth is out of district, CDS will request that the PFSF Worker arrange for transportation of the youth to the staffing. If a youth is on runaway status, a staffing will be held and the youth’s status documented, indicating the youth is on “inactive” status and will be invited to a staffing if and when he/she is located.

The Independent Living Coordinator shall request a staffing in writing to the PFSF for any participants with whom CDS has concerns.

If a youth refuses to participate in the program, the Counselor/Case Manager shall document reasonable efforts to engage the youth and submit a written request to the PFSF contract manager for a staffing to request assistance in engaging the youth.

Stafffings will be held every six months for youth age 13 through 17 and include the youth’s educational and vocational goals as well as a full exploration of the RTI, Transitional, Aftercare funds, and the ETV and Tuition Waiver benefits if the youth remains in care until age 18. Staffing documents will be provided to all staffing participants.

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