National Youth In Transition Database
Association for Criminal Justice Research
March 25, 2010
Shay O’Brien, Center for Public Policy Research, UC Davis
WHO ARE WE?
The Center for Public Policy Research (CPPR)
CPPR at the University of California, Davis serves state
government and academic institutions.
We conduct research to bring science to policy.
We draw on the expertise of faculty and researchers
at UC Davis and throughout the UC/CSU system.
Mission: To inform public policy through rigorous research
and conscientious, impartial analysis of issues.
CPPR
Core CPPR Research Staff
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Gail S. Goodman, Ph.D.—Professor & Director of CPPR
Michael J. Lawler, MSW, Ph.D.—Co-Director of CPPR
Rudy Haapanen, Ph.D.—Research Director
Ingrid Cordon, Ph.D.—Quantitative Analyst
Shay O’Brien, MSW—Research Writer
Drika Makariev, Ph.D. Candidate—Research Analyst
http://cppr.ucdavis.edu/
TODAY’S TALK
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VI.
What is NYTD?
Confidentiality of NYTD Information
Baseline Survey
Follow-Up Survey
How You Can Help
Discussion and Questions
WHAT IS NYTD?
The National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)
Purpose: To gather nationwide information on the
recipients of foster care services who are reaching
the end of their eligibility at age 18.
Goal: To evaluate Chafee-funded services designed to
transition youth to independent living at the national
level.
Secondary Goal: To provide CDSS with data and
analysis for improving services to foster youth in
California.
WHAT IS NYTD?
NYTD consists of two types of data:
Administrative Data (to be supplied by CDSS)
• Basic demographics
• Independent living services provided
• Youth characteristics (e.g., education level, tribal
membership)
Survey Data (to be collected by CPPR)
• Baseline Survey of outcomes at age 17
• Follow-up Survey of outcomes at age 19 and 21
(for a subsample of the Baseline participants)
SURVEY SCHEDULE
Fiscal Year of
Implementation
CDSS reports
Independent
Living services
Year 1
X
Year 2
X
Year 3
X
Year 4
X
Year 5
X
Year 6
X
Year 7
X
Year 8
X
Baseline Survey
(17 yr. olds)
Follow-up
Survey
(19 yr. olds)
Follow-up
Survey
(21 yr. olds)
X (Cohort 1)
X (Cohort 1)
X (Cohort 2)
X (Cohort 1)
X (Cohort 2)
X (Cohort 3)
X (Cohort 2)
WHAT IS NYTD?
On the survey, youth self-report outcomes in six areas
1. Employment and other sources of income
2. Educational attainment
3. Permanent relationships with adults
4. Housing
5. High-risk behavior
6. Access to health care
Following national trends, California may elect to add
additional questions or measures to address issues
specifically for California.
CONFIDENTIALITY
• We are all deeply committed to protecting the privacy and
confidentiality of this vulnerable population.
• Project staff consulted with
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State of California and UCD Institutional Review Boards
CDSS legal staff,
the state foster care ombudsperson, and
the state Administrative Office of the Courts
regarding appropriate safeguards for participating youth.
• The Foster Care Ombudsperson supports the project, and
has agreed to answer questions and address concerns of
participating youth or others.
BASELINE SURVEY
• To be conducted by CPPR.
• All California youth who
turn 17 while in foster care.
• First cohort: Birthdays
between Oct 2010 and Sept
2011.
• Baseline Survey to be
completed within 45 days
of their 17th birthdays.
BASELINE SURVEY
The Importance of Broad Participation
• The usefulness of the survey data depends on
 Representativeness
 Geographic coverage.
• Different kinds of youth (e.g., ethnic background,
reason for foster care, or length of foster care)
and/or different areas of the state (e.g., rural vs.
urban) may differ greatly in services and outcomes.
• We don’t want to hear only from the “successes” or
only from those youth who are easy to reach.
BASELINE SURVEY
CPPR is planning an extensive outreach program to
educate and support stakeholders about NYTD.
• Foster youth
• Foster parents
• Families of foster youth
• Caseworkers and other local staff
• Probation officers
• Court personnel
Efforts will involve broadcast media, mail-outs,
presentations, social networking, and other online
tools. We welcome your ideas and input.
BASELINE SURVEY
CPPR will contact every foster youth turning 17 and
encourage them to participate in the survey.
Youth will be offered incentives for participation.
Youth will be treated with dignity and respect.
Youth may decline to answer any question.
Youth will have the opportunity to contact the Foster
Care Ombudsperson with questions and concerns.
We want youth to feel supported in participating in the
survey and to know why it is important.
BASELINE SURVEY
The NYTD survey will be designed to be easily-accessed
and youth-friendly.
It may be completed
• On-line (our primary method),
• In groups at local social gatherings,
• By telephone, or
• In person (interviews).
It will be available in English and Spanish, with
additional explanation for each question.
It will include sound files in both languages so that
youth can listen as well as read.
FOLLOW-UP SURVEY
• A random sample of
baseline survey participants.
• Follow-up surveys at age 19
and again at age 21.
• 60% of follow-up sample
must complete the surveys
or California will face Chafee
Fund penalties.
FOLLOW-UP SURVEY
CPPR will attempt to maintain regular contact with
youth in the follow-up sample.
• birthday cards
• newsletters
• easily accessible website
CPPR will offer incentives for youth to keep in touch
and to update their contact information.
• music downloads or other small incentives
• monthly raffles of larger items for youth who
update or verify contact information
HOW YOU CAN HELP
• Be knowledgeable about and aware of the issues related to
this important project.
• Discuss the purpose and procedures of NYTD with youth
and other stakeholders to encourage participation.
• Assist youth to complete the survey as possible.
• Share your expertise to help us do the best job possible of
completing this federally mandated project.
• Contact us anytime to share ideas, get more information,
or pass along feedback you receive in the field.
CONTACT US
Center for Public Policy Research
1632 DaVinci Court Davis, CA 95618
530-757-8616
cppr.ucdavis.edu
Gail S. Goodman, Ph.D. (ggoodman@ucdavis.edu)
Michael J. Lawler, MSW, Ph.D. (mjlawler@ucdavis.edu)
Rudy Haapanen, Ph.D. (rahaapanen@ucdavis.edu)
Shay O’Brien, MSW (sobrien@ucde.ucdavis.edu)
MORE INFORMATION
Children’s Bureau Administration for Children and Families
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/index.htm#nytd
National Resource Center for Youth Services
http://www.nrcys.ou.edu/yd/nytd2.html
National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
https://www.nrccwdt.org/resources/nytd/nytd.html#nytd_links
Foster Club’s NYTD page
http://transition.fosterclub.com/article/nytd
Link to the Federal Rule and other important documents
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/nytd/federal_guidance.htm
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
DEMOGRAPHICS
1. Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy):__________
2. Sex:
3. Race (check all that apply)
○ American Indian or Alaska Native (you maintain tribal affiliation or
community attachment)
o Asian
○ Black or African American
○ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
○ White
○ Hispanic or Latino
○ Unknown
○ Declined
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
EMPLOYMENT
(Yes/No/Declined to answer)
1.
Currently are you employed full-time? (35 hours/week or more)
2.
Currently are you employed part-time? (34 hours/week or less)
3.
In the past year, did you complete an apprenticeship, internship,
or other on-the-job training, either paid or unpaid?
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME (Yes/No/Declined to answer)
4.
Currently are you receiving social security payments
(Supplemental Security Income (SSI, Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI), or dependents' payments)?
5. Currently are you using a scholarship, grant, stipend, student
loan, voucher, or other type of educational financial aid to cover
any educational expenses?
6. Currently are you receiving any periodic and/or significant
financial resources or support from another source not
previously indicated and excluding paid employment?
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME (Yes/No/Declined to answer)
(continued)
7. Currently are you receiving ongoing welfare payments from the
government to support your basic needs (CalWorks)?
8. Currently are you receiving public food assistance?
9. Currently are you receiving any sort of housing assistance from
the government, such as living in public housing or receiving a
housing voucher?
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
EDUCATION
10. What is the highest educational degree or certification that you have
received?
• ○ High school diploma/GED
• ○ Vocational certificate
• ○ Vocational license
• ○ Associate's degree
• ○ Bachelor's degree
• ○ Higher degree
• ○ None of the above
• ○ Declined
11. Currently are you enrolled in and attending high school, GED classes, posthigh school vocational training, or college?
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
EDUCATION
10. What is the highest educational degree or certification that you
have received?
○ High school diploma/GED
○ Vocational certificate
○ Vocational license
○ Associate's degree
○ Bachelor's degree
○ Higher degree
○ None of the above
○ Declined
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
EDUCATION (Yes/No/Declined to answer)
11. Currently are you enrolled in and attending high school, GED
classes, post-high school vocational training, or college?
PERMANENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS (Yes/No/Declined)
12. Currently is there at least one adult in your life, other than your
caseworker, to whom you can go for advice or emotional
support?
HOUSING (Yes/No/Declined to answer/Do not know)
13. Have you ever been homeless?
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
RISKY BEHAVIORS (Yes/No/Declined to answer)
14. Have you ever referred yourself or has someone else referred
you for an alcohol or drug abuse assessment or counseling?
15. Have you ever been confined in a jail, prison, correctional
facility, or juvenile or community detention facility, in
connection with allegedly committing a crime?
16. Have you ever given birth or fathered any children that were
born?
17. Were you married to the child's other parent at the time each
child was born?
BASELINE SURVEY QUESTIONS
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
(Yes/No/Declined to answer/Do not know or N-A
18. Currently are you on Medicaid or Medical?
19. Currently do you have health insurance, other than Medicaid?
20. Does your health insurance include coverage for medical
services?
21. Does your health insurance include coverage for mental health
services?
22. Does your health insurance include coverage for prescription
drugs?