SWAN IL Services Quarterly Meeting

1. Statewide Adoption & Permanency Network Independent Living Services 2009 Spring Quarterly Meeting

2. Please turn cell phones off or on vibrate

3. Housekeeping Items CE Applications • $10.00/day-Payment due with completed application - CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS ONLY • Don’t forget to include your social security number and signature Certificate of Training • No payment required

4. Welcome Lorrie Deck, Director, SWAN Christine Tirendi, Program Specialist Independent Living Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network Independent Living Services

6. What Works?Promising Practices for Adolescents and Young Adults Brenda Lawrence, SWAN Program Administrator Christine Tirendi, Program Specialist OCYF/DPW

7. Handouts • SWAN units of service • Independent Living services • OCYF initiatives

9. What have you heard about SWAN services for older youth or youth who are receiving Independent Living services??

10. For Example • Why refer a teenager for child preparation when they are not a child? • I did my part and referred the youth on my caseload for all IL services. If they aren’t interested, there’s nothing I can do.

11. For Example • Why refer a child profile or share a child profile for older youth when the information can be difficult to handle and they already know it? • Youth on my caseload refuse to participate in IL, then why apply for the ETG?

12. From audience • Some Counties are being creative with Child Prep monies to run skill groups • If a child has IL services, why do they need child prep • Youth is in therapy why would they need child prep services • Youth are not prepared for transition aging out especially woman with children • Youth making mistake/issues they are being dismissed from programs on their own • Slot for IL limited, so on wait-list for a long time

13. From audience • They go well together (SWAN and IL) • Why need services if youth is with a family? • Youth are not ready to hear about difficult things of their past-at any age • If receiving IL they don’t need Child Prep or Profile • Don’t need Child Prep if they are getting therapy

14. Key Service you would refer or use XService you would NOT refer or use ?Maybe or maybe not

15. SWAN Units of Service • Child Preparation • Child Profile • Child Specific Recruitment

16. SWAN Units of Service • Child Placement (adoption) • Adoption Finalization (adoption) • Family Profile

17. SWAN Units of Service • Post Permanency • Advocacy • Support Group • Respite

18. Youth Advisory Board Representative • Barbara Huggins

19. IL Services Available to Youth Needs assessment or case planning Life skills training Prevention services Education Support

20. IL Services Available to Youth • Employment • Housing • Room and board • Aftercare services

21. Needs Assessment / Case Planning • IL plan or assessment for every youth 16 and older must be in Child Permanency Plan • Required by state and federal law

22. Needs Assessment / Case Planning May be done for youth under 16 • Ansell Casey Life skills assessment • Daniel Memorial • County specific assessment

23. www.caseylifeskills.org Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment Career Planning Life Skills Guidebook Supplements

24. Life Skills Training • General skills needed for daily life • Hard skills • paying bills • cooking nutritional meals • Soft skills • coping with feelings • resolving conflicts

25. Life Skills Topics • Available community resources • police, clergy, lawyer, insurance, dentist, banker • Community social activities • churches, recreation, parks, concerts • Personal ID • Time management • Human sexuality

26. Topics to Cover continued… • Money management (budgeting-banking) • Shopping • Work attitudes and responsibilities • Transportation • Health care • Nutrition • Obtaining and maintaining a home

27. Prevention Services Services that educate youth on • Pregnancy prevention • Alcohol abuse prevention • Smoking avoidance • Substance abuse prevention Examples: Planned Parenthood, Action AIDS

28. Education • Services • Vocational training • High school support and retention • Preparation for GED • Higher education assistance • Education and training grant • College Cost and Reduction Act

29. Helpful Web sites • http://www.pheaa.org – Download application and information on grants • http://www.independentlivingpa.org/ - Youth Advisory Board • http://www.educationplanner.com – information on choosing, paying for college, etc.

30. Support • Individual and or group counseling • Stipends • Program participation, deposits, tuition, uniforms, prom dresses, class rings, program completion….. • Services for teen parents • Mentoring

31. Employment • Job placement • Arrange interviews • Resume writing • Practice interviews • Subsidized employment

32. Web sites • http://www.dol.gov – U.S. Dept. of Labor. Workplace rights and benefits, getting or leaving a job, statistics, etc. • http://careerlink.com - View jobs, search for jobs, post resumes, etc.

33. Housing Supervised IL (SIL) placement • Least restrictive placement possible for dependent or delinquent youth • No more than 4 youth share a residence or unit • Lets youth put life skills into practice before discharge • State reimburses at 85%

34. Housing Transitional Living Placements (TLP) • Next least restrictive placement for dependent or delinquent youth • No more than 5 youth share a residence or unit • Youth learn and practice life skills while receiving consistent, but not constant, supervision and guidance

35. Planned Room and Board Services • Both temporary and extended services with room and board costs for eligible youth • Detailed planning and assessment while youth is in or after leaving substitute care • Housing in an apartment or other appropriate setting for a pre-determined time

36. Emergency Room and Board Services • Short-term funding for fewer than 10 nights • Prevent conditions jeopardizing physical health in unplanned housing • Distinctly different than locating permanent housing • Does not replace locating permanent housing

37. Room and Board • Financial support for youth who aged out or emancipated on or after age 18 and up to age 21 • Includes reimbursements for shelter, food, rent, security deposits, utilities, furniture, household items and other start-up expenses

38. Aftercare • All previously identified services are available for youth who left substitute care after 16 and returned to CCYA seeking help These are often the most vulnerable youth who need help locating resources

39. Aftercare continued….. • Mandatory under federal law • CC&Y agencies must provide IL aftercare to youth who left foster care when they reached 18 and who are not yet 21

40. OCYF Initiatives • ICSP • FGDM • Family Finding • AOPC • NGA

41. Older Youth - Sarah • 16 year old Hispanic girl • In a group home • Goal of PLC • Enrolled in combination academic and vo-tech curricula • Hoping to leave care with custodial family

42. Team Activity • In table groups, try to include one county representative • We will show a brief case clip • In groups determine which of SWAN and IL services you see this youth can use and which OCYF programs exist at county which the use can take advantage of

43. Older Youth - Josh • 17 year old Caucasian young man • Goal of Kinship • Currently living with aunt • Enrolled in work/study program • Interests in construction • Hopes to be hired upon completion of HS or end of next school year

44. Older Youth – Mike • 16 year old African American young man • Resides in community based group home – all male • Goal – adoption, visiting status, TPR completed • Enrolled in regular classes, IEP specific • Part time fast food job

45. Report out • Summarize discussion and what process was like – agreeing on which of the 21 services to use or participate in • Talks about opposing views if any and how you handled them • How can or will you learn about the services with ?? ‘s

46. Who to contact • ctirendi@state.pa.us • lcg7@pitt.edu • SWAN TA’s • kdeiter@diakon-swan.org • phostetter@diakon-swan.org • kwalkingshaw@diakon-swan.org • cswank@diakon-swan.org