Opportunities for Youth in Transition from
Foster Care: Youth Perspective
An AYPF Capitol Hill Forum
February 20th, 2015
#aypfevents
@aypf_tweets
Overview
• Over 26,000 youth turn18 and “age out” of foster care
each year.
• Unique challenges:
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•
•
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Less than 10% complete four year college education.1
40% experience homelessness or “couch surfing”.2
More vulnerable to financial fraud.
Ongoing emotional turmoil.
• 2008 Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing
Adoptions Act gave states added flexibility to address
transitional youth.
1. Wolanin, Thomas.“HigherEducationOpportunitiesforFosterYouth:APrimerforPolicymakers.”The Institute for HigherEducationPolicy,2005.
http://www.ihep.org/assets/files/publications/m--‐r/OpportunitiesFosterYouth.pdf.
2. Courtney, Mark and Dworsky, Amy.“Assessing the Impact of Extending Care beyond Age18 on Homelessness: Emerging Findings from the Midwest Study”, Chicago:
Chapin Hall,2010 http://www.chapinhall.org/sites/default/files/publications/Midwest_IB2_Homelessness.pdf.
Information Collection
• How are states implementing policies that support
youth in transition from foster care?
• AYPF gathered information from:
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•
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•
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Outside reports
Conversations with state- and local-level service providers
Interviews with policymakers and researchers
Site visits
Discussions with youth
Data synthesis
Feedback from other events such as webinars and discussion groups
Fostering Connections to Success
and Increasing Adoptions Act
• Also known as the Fostering Connections Act.
• States can choose to provide Title IV-E payments to
youth up to age 19, 20, or 21.
• Title IV-E of the Social Security Act authorized Foster Care
and Adoption Assistance programs to provide federal
matching funds to states for directly administering these
programs.
• Youth must meet certain education, training, or work
requirements to qualify for extended Title IV-E funds.
Fostering Connections: Requirements to
Extend Foster Care Title IV-E Payments Up
to Age 21
1. Completing secondary education or a program leading
2.
3.
4.
5.
to an equivalent credential.
Enrolled in an institution which provides post-secondary
or vocational education.
Participating in a program or activity designed to
promote, or remove barriers to, employment.
Employed for at least 80 hours per month.
Incapable of doing any of the afore mentioned due to a
medical condition.
Image excerpted from AYPF’s Creating Access to
Opportunities for Youth in Transition from Foster Care
Examples of State Variation for Extending
Foster Care Services Up to Age 21
 Youth has not completed high school. –SD
 Youth who request from the court to retain jurisdiction to complete
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

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a course of treatment. –PA
Youth in special circumstances. –CO & MS
Youth may chose to stay in care up until 21 years of age. –KS
Youth who leave care at age 18 or older may voluntarily return to
care at any time before their 21st birthday. –AZ
Youth in school or vocational training, or youth who suffer from a
disabling condition that places youth at risk and remaining in care
is in the youth's best interest. –SC
Challenges, Needs, and Opportunities
• Three categories of need
emerged:
Sustainable Social Capital
2. Permanency Supports
3. Postsecondary Opportunities
1.
• AYPF documented policies and
programs across states to meets
these needs.
Image excerpted from AYPF’s Creating Access to
Opportunities for Youth in Transition from Foster Care
Recommendation Highlights
• In order to address these challenges, AYPF made the
following recommendations:
• Highlight a range of postsecondary options
• Coordinate systems and services
• Develop professional capacity
• Engage youth in decision-making
• Change the Conversation: Transitioning to Opportunities
Opportunities for Youth in Transition from
Foster Care: Youth Perspective
Panelists:
Mary Lee, National Transitional Living Coordinator, Youth Villages
Michelle Morgan, Student, University of Memphis
Sheemeca Berkley, Great Expectations Advisor, Northern Virginia
Community College
Marianna Lagenbeck, Student, Northern Virginia Community College
TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM
Helping young people live successfully as independent adults
February 20, 2015
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved.
Transitional Living Program History

Created in 1999 with a grant from The Day Foundation

Designed to help youth between the ages of 17 and 22
who are making the transition out of state custody to an
independent life
TITLE
SUBHEAD

Systemic approach that incorporates multiple aspects of
the youth’s natural ecology (community, peers, family,
school in addition to their personal characteristics)

Strength-based approach to services
ADDITIONAL SUBHEAD
DATE
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All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Quick Facts - Transitional Living Program
 Mission: We help young people live successfully as
independent adults
 Since 1999 we have served over 7,600 youth
 Daily we serve approximately 830 youth in the TL program
 Locations include:
SUBHEAD
• Florida
• Georgia
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
ADDITIONAL SUBHEAD
• Tennessee
TITLE
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DATE
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Youth Villages Provides TL in Six States
YV WORKS IN 11 STATES & DC AND
PROVIDES TL IN 6 OF THOSE STATES
MOST YOUNG PEOPLE SERVED ARE IN
TENNESSEE
= YV provides TL in the state
= YV provides other services in state, but not TL
In Tennessee, all young people aging out of
care have access to TL. This has developed
over the course of 10 years through a publicprivate partnership with the Day Foundation,
the Tennessee Department of Children’s
Services, and Youth Villages
Source: Youth Villages’ “Daily Service Capacity and Total Youth Served, By Program by State” as of 6/30/2014
Transitional Living Program Objectives
The program focuses on the following areas:
 Permanency
 Education
TITLE
SUBHEAD
 Employment
 Housing
 Independent Living Skills
 Youth Involvement
ADDITIONAL SUBHEAD
DATE
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All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Key components of the Transitional Living Program that make it successful

Intensity of services: small caseloads of eight to ten youth per specialist with a
minimum of one face-to-face session per week as well as other communication
throughout the week

Comprehensive services: specialists help youth achieve their goals with
education, employment, housing, permanency, basic independent living skills
Youth-driven: young adults in the TL program have input into their service plans,
TITLE
goal development, and the group activities. This input is vital to the program’s

success because youth tend to be more successful when they are invested and
SUBHEAD
actively involved

Staff training and supervision: Staff receive extensive on-the-job training as well
as weekly group supervision and consultation with quarterly boosters and other
training as needed

Formalized program model which uses evidence-based interventions as clinically
necessary

Program evaluation: youth participating in the transitional living program are
evaluated upon admission, throughout the service provision, at discharge and at
ADDITIONAL SUBHEAD
six, 12, and 24 months post-discharge
DATE

YV culture: “We do whatever it takes”
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All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Transitional Living Program Outcomes and Randomized Control Trial
To date: Strong outcomes demonstrated
• TL program
developed
Next phase: Adding a control group
• RCT launched by leading
evaluators:
TITLE
1999
2010
SUBHEAD
Outcomes at two-year
follow up
Living with family or
independently
84%
Reporting no trouble with
the law
76%
In school, graduated,
ADDITIONAL
SUBHEAD
employed
DATE
or
84%
2014
• RCT implementation results
in March 2014
2015
• Report on RCT
impacts
expected
• Key findings:
- Implemented in
accordance with the
model
- Participation and
engagement were high
- Variation in local context
shaped experience (e.g.
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access to transportation)
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Randomized Clinical Evaluation
 Random assignment evaluation conducted by an
independent third party (scientific gold standard)
 Largest random assignment study of program for transitionTITLE
age youth – 1,322 youth
SUBHEAD
 One year follow-ups completed by January 2014
 Follow-up at years 2 – 5 will be completed with
administrative records
 Implementation evaluation due out this year
 Impact analysis due in the fall of 2014/spring 2015
ADDITIONAL SUBHEAD
DATE
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All contents ©2013 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
“This is one of the largest experimental
evaluations ever conducted in the child
welfare services field and the largest by
far of a program focused on improving the
transition to adulthood for foster youth. It
will provide invaluable evidence to the
field regarding ‘what works’ for foster
youth.”
Mark Courtney, Ph. D.
Program Evaluation and Outcome Data
 Client satisfaction surveys are administered every 2
months
 After discharge, follow-up surveys are conducted at
6,12, and 24 months to collect data in the following
areas:
• Maintenance of stable housing
• Educational status
• Employment
• Criminal/legal involvement
• Pregnancy/parenting
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Transitional Living
Program
Information through December 2014
Founded in 1999 with a grant from The Day Foundation, the Transitional Living Program is still
supported through private donations including continuing support from The Day Foundation,
the employees of Youth Villages (through the Our Family Campaign), and grants from other
generous supporters. In 2007, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services partnered
with Youth Villages and the Day Foundation to reach more youth across the state. We have
expanded the program to serve youth in six states (Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina,
Massachusetts, Florida and Georgia)
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Transitional Living Program
Demographics
Through December 2014
N = 7,639
100%
80%
60%
49%
51%
51%
41%
40%
20%
4%
4%
0%
Male
Female
Gender
African
American
Caucasian
Hispanic
Race/Ethnicity
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Other
Transitional Living Program
Age at Admission
Through December 2014
N = 7,639
4%
5%
10%
35%
17 Years Old or Younger
18 Years Old
19 Years Old
20 Years Old
21 Years Old and Older
46%
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Transitional Living Program
Youth Served by Region
July 2000 through December 2014
2,541
2,600
2,400
2,200
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
2,301
2,233
927
518
West
Tennessee
Youth may be served
in multiple regions
Middle
Tennessee
East
Tennessee
North
Carolina
Other States*
* includes youth served in Alabama, Florida,
Mississippi, Texas, Washington, DC, Georgia, and
Massachusetts
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Transitional Living Program
Discharge Location
Youth discharged July 2002 through December 2014
N = 6,420
100%
87%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
6%
3%
4%
0%
Home
Psychiatric Hospital
Only includes youth who received at least 60
days of service; 10.9% (782 out of 7,202) of
admissions ended prior to 60 days.
Detention/Corrections
Lost to Contact
Other*
*Other includes placements such as group
homes, runaway, foster care and rehab centers
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Transitional Living Program
Satisfaction at Discharge
Includes surveys conducted October 2009 through December 2014
100%
88%
88%
88%
90%
90%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Satisfaction w ith the
Quality of Services
Received
Only includes youth who received
at least 60 days of service
Satisfaction w ith the Kind
of Services Received
Would Return to YV
services if Needed
Satisfaction w ith the
Quantity of Services
Received
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Overall Satisfaction
Transitional Living Program
Success at Follow-up
Follow-ups conducted through December 2014
100%
88%
88%
84%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Six Months
Twelve Months
Only includes youth who received
at least 60 days of service
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Twenty-four Months
Success is defined as living
with family or independently
at the time of follow-up
Transitional Living Program
Youth reporting NO Trouble with the Law
Follow-ups conducted through December 2014
100%
84%
82%
76%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Six Months
Twelve Months
Only includes youth who received
at least 60 days of service
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Twenty-Four Months
By age 21, nearly half of former foster
youth surveyed for the Midwest Study
had been arrested as adults.
Transitional Living Program
In School, Graduated, or Employed
Follow-ups conducted through December 2014
100%
83%
85%
84%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Six Months
Twelve Months
Only includes youth who received
at least 60 days of service
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
Twenty-four Months
Indicates the number in school, graduated
from high school (diploma or GED) or
employed at the time of follow-up
Transitional Living Program
School and Employment Status
Follow-ups conducted through December 2014
Indicates the number in school only,
in school and working, or working
only at the time of follow-up
100%
6%
80%
60%
8%
9%
36%
38%
41%
37%
Twelve Months
Twenty-Four Months
24%
40%
53%
20%
0%
Six Months
School Only
Only includes youth who received
at least 60 days of service.
School and Work
Work Only
At age 21, nearly a quarter of former foster youth do not have a high school
diploma and almost half are unemployed according to the Midwest Study.
Transitional Living Program
Correctional Facility Placements
during Follow-up Period
Follow-ups conducted through December 2014
100%
Nearly a third of former foster
youth had spent time in a
correctional facility by age 21.
80%
60%
40%
20%
5%
9%
6%
0%
Six Months
Only includes youth who received
at least 60 days of service
Twelve Months
Twenty-Four Months
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Transitional Living Program
Selected Outcomes at One Year Post-Discharge
Follow-ups conducted through December 2014
100%
80%
60%
36%
35%
40%
18%
18%
20%
0%
Young women ever
pregnant
Only includes youth who received
at least 60 days of service
Youth parenting a child
Youth receiving mental
health services
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If so, receiving mental
health services regularly
About our Response Rates
Surveys through 12/14
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•
•
•
Discharge Surveys
50.9% (1,938 out of 3,804)
6-Month Follow-up
50.3% (2,834 out of 5,637)
12-Month Follow-up
44.5% (2,228 out of 5,005)
24-Month Follow-up
36.1% (1,499 out of 4,152)
Due to the number of youth served, beginning in
2010 youth are randomly selected at discharge for followup surveys. The sample has been found to accurately
represent the population of youth served based on
demographics, length of service, and outcome at discharge;
figures presented here represent outcomes for the
population of youth discharged from the program within +/3% at the 95% confidence level.
Surveys are conducted by research staff via
phone with letter surveys to non-respondents.
Internet search of public records (Lexis-Nexis) is completed
to locate accurate contact information
Please note: Surveys are completed with youth/families
who have discharged from YV services altogether. If a youth
re-enters YV services, the survey cycle is reset and begins
again at their discharge.
C (Public Works and Government Services Canada). (2008). Advisory Panel on
one Public Opinion Survey Quality: Standards and Guidelines for Response Rate.
•While no consensus exists regarding adequate response
rates, 40% - 60% has been identified as appropriate for
surveys of this type and size1.
•Rate of re-entry into YV services:
6-Month Follow-up – 3.9% (230 out of 5,867)
12-Month Follow-up – 5.6% (297 out of 5,302)
24-Month Follow-up – 6.7% (297 out of 4,449)
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
All benchmarks on the previous slides come from the
Chapin Hall study cited below.
Courtney, M., Dworsky, A., Cusick, G., Havlicek, J., Perez,
A., & Keller, T. (2007) Midwest evaluation of the adult
functioning of former foster youth: Outcomes at age 21.
Chicago: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago.
All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
For additional information, please contact:
Mary Lee, National Transitional Living Coordinator
mary.lee@youthvillages.org
(901) 251 – 4934
or
visit our website at www.youthvillages.org
All contents ©2013 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved
About Great Expectations
•
An initiative of the Virginia Foundation for Community
College Education
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Launched in 2008 at 5 Virginia Community Colleges
•
Offered at 18 colleges
About Great Expectations
Current Great Expectations
Virginia Community College locations
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Blue Ridge
Central Virginia
Danville
Germanna
Reynolds
John Tyler
Lord Fairfax
Mountain Empire
New River
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Northern Virginia
Patrick Henry
Piedmont Virginia
Southside Virginia
Southwest Virginia
Thomas Nelson
Tidewater
Virginia Highlands
Wytheville
About Great Expectations
• Helps Virginia’s current/former foster youth age 17-24
gain access to community college education.
• Provides education and employment opportunities that
will improve the likelihood of success for foster youth.
• Offers individual support for at-risk foster teens as they
finish high school, leave their foster homes and transition
to living on their own.
Great Expectations Offers
• Participation in workshops, college tours, community
service, etc.
• Individualized tutoring
• Help with the college admissions/financial aid
• Career exploration and coaching
• Job preparation
• Life skills training
• Personalized counseling
• Help with transportation, housing, food, etc.
C
Contact Information
Sheemeca Berkley, MSW
703.845.6477
sberkley@nvcc.edu
greatexpectations@nvcc.edu
www.Greatexpectations.vccs.edu