Extension of Foster Care and Independent Living Redesign Implementation Planning Meeting

1. Extension of Foster Care and Independent Living Redesign Implementation Planning Meeting June 12, 2013

2. Brief History and Background Federal Law • The Chafee Foster Care Independence Act (1999) State Law • Road to Independence Act (2002) Privatization of Service Delivery • Child Welfare System Institutionalized in CBCs (1998 – Legislative Authority) (2002-2005 – Implementation)

3. Allocated Funds

4. Independent Living FY2011-12 Aftercare Services Case Coordination and Life Skills Training Subsidized Independent Living Total Expenditures $628,794 # Clients Served 561 Total Expenditures $13,066,982 # Clients Served 5,212 Total Expenditures $276,761 # Clients Served 76 Road To Independence Transitional Support Services # Clients Served 3,418 Total Expenditures $29,858,300 Total Expenditures $5,208,321 # Clients Served 1,527

5. Today’s Young Adults Of the 2,956 young adults reported in FSFN: • 1,103 young adults reflect some college, college degree, post-graduate work or post-graduate degree. • 217 reflect Vocational/Technical education status. • 1,615 are pursuing a high school diploma or GED. • 15 have a None or Unknown or Non-graded special education listed in their record. • 6 have no educational record.

6. 2013 My Services Survey Results • 2% are employed full time at age 18; 9% at age 22. • 40% of 18- to 22-year-olds had no home and "couch surfed.” • 28% have been homeless. • 47% between ages 18-22 receive public food assistance. • 40% report that they have been arrested; 30% report they have been in jail or detention. • 27% of females have a child by the time they are 18; 59% of females who are 22 have a child.

7. 2013 Landmark Legislation “Nancy C. Detert Common Sense and Compassion Independent Living Act” • Extends foster care to age 21 • Transfers life skills training responsibility to foster parents or group home parents • Restructures Road to Independent Program

8. New Service Delivery Model for Young Adults RTI Post Secondary Education Extended Foster Care Opt Out Post Secondary Education High School Diploma/ GED Aftercare Case Management & Judicial Reviews Post Secondary Campus Coaches

9. Extended Foster CareEligibility • Extends Foster Care from 18 to 21 if certain criteria are met: • Completing a secondary education program leading to a high school diploma or equivalent credential • Enrolled in a postsecondary or vocational institution • Participating in a program or activity designed to promote or eliminate barriers to employment • Employed for at least 80 hours per month • Unable to participate in any of the activities listed above due to a documented physical, intellectual, emotional, or psychiatric condition • Permits young adults who have opted-out of Extended Foster Care to re-enter

10. Foster Care Redesign • “Reasonable and prudent parent” standard • Minimum foster care room and board rates and annual cost-of-living adjustment • Caregivers equip youth with Life Skills and prepare youth for Postsecondary Success • 10% supplemental monthly board rate payment to foster parents teaching life skills to youth age 13-17 placed in their care • Court-Approved Transition Plan for 17-year-olds • Important documents provided to 17-year-olds (Medicaid, social security card and identification cards, a birth certificate, educational and health records) • Information about RTI, extended foster care, public assistance to 17-year-olds

11. Extended Foster CareRequirements • Appropriate Supervised Living Arrangements: Foster Home, Group Home, College Dormitory, Shared Housing, Apartment or another housing arrangement approved by the community-based care lead agency • Bi-Annual Judicial Reviews • Regular Case Management Services and Supervision, including Monthly Contact/Visitation

12. Independent Living Redesign • All students currently enrolled in the Road-to-Independence (RTI) program who are attending secondary or postsecondary educational programs as of Dec. 31, 2013 will be “grandfathered in.” • Students “grandfathered in” who are attending secondary educational programs will have the opportunity to enter Extended Foster Care beginning Jan. 1, 2014. • Placement, method of payment, and amount of payment remains the same for any “grandfathered in” student. • A ‘Campus Coach Program’ will be created to provide postsecondary support for current or former young adults in foster care.

13. Road-to-Independence Eligibility As of Jan. 1, 2014, RTI is a post-secondary educational stipend program. • Students must have “aged out” of the foster care system and have spent a total of 6 months in licensed care; or • Have been at least 16 years of age when they were adopted from foster care or placed with a court-approved dependency guardian after spending at least 6 months in licensed care within the 12 months immediately preceding such placement or adoption. • Be a Florida resident. • Have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent. • Have reached the age of 18 but are not yet 23.

14. Road-to-Independence Payments • Individual RTI payments for students who opt to leave foster care are fixed at $1,256 per month. • For students who opt to stay in foster care and reside in a foster home or group home placement, the RTI payment amount will be the equivalent of the foster care board rate or negotiated group home rate. • For students who opt to remain in foster care and temporarily reside away from a foster or group home placement, the RTI payment amount is fixed at $1,256 per month. • Students are eligible to receive RTI payments for those months for which they are enrolled as a full-time student at a Florida Bright Futures eligible institution (part-time with a documented disability).

15. Aftercare Services Emergency and short-term services for young adults formerly in foster care who opt out of Extended Foster Care include: • Emergency rent payments to prevent homelessness • Payments for emergency car repairs • Employment assistance and training • Mental heath and substance abuse services • Educational planning, preparation and application supports

16. Services Being Phased Out As of Jan. 1, 2014, the following will be phased out: • Preindependent Living • Subsidized Independent Living • Transitional Support Services

17. Upcoming • Monthly statewide meetings • New Web site for updates • Frequent communication • FAQs, fliers, posters, brochures, guides

18. THANK YOU! Countless children and young adults in Florida stand to benefit from these changes. Thank you for helping to make the implementation of this landmark legislation efficient, comprehensive and effective!