The John H. Chafee Foster Care
Independence Act of 1999
th
17
Annual Risky Business
Conference
Des Moines, Iowa
Youth Transitioning from Foster Care
to Independence
April 23, 2002
The Foster Care Independence
Act of 1999
The Chafee Foster Care Independence Program:
Strengthening the System’s Capacity to Help Young People Make
Healthy Transitions to Adulthood
What Does the FCIA Do?
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Increases funding from
$70 to 140 million/year
Expands services to former
foster youth 18-21 years
old.
Gives states the option to
provide Medicaid to 18-21
yo former foster youth
Changes the state
planning and application
process.
Increases youth asset limit
to $10,000.
Increases access to CIP
services for Native
American tribes.
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Strong focus on collaboration,
youth involvement,
permanency, relationships with
caring adults, and achievement
of positive outcomes for youth
served in CIP programs.
What Opportunities does the New Chafee
Foster Care Independence Program Offer
to States, Communities, and Other
Stakeholders?
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Strengthen the continuum of services and
supports available to older foster youth.
Fill current gaps in services, especially for
youth who have left the system.
Increase the pool of stakeholders committed to
supporting young people in making successful
transitions.
What Opportunities does the New Chafee
Foster Care Independence Program Offer
to States, Communities, and Other
Stakeholders?
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Engage young people as partners in
strengthening the service system.
Increase child welfare focus on supporting
positive development and successful outcomes
for all youth in foster care.
Important Planning Issues
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Eligibility
Level of services to youth who
have left care
Use of CIP funds for room & board
- housing options
In-kind match
Medicaid
Identifying stakeholders
Developing 5-year plan
Identifying resources
Implementing the Plan
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Continuum, continuum,
continuum!
Engage youth as partners; short
term and long term.
Move away from classroom type
instruction to learning by doing.
Identify housing options that allow
for safe transitions.
Create & maintain partnerships.
Some Background…
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2001 AFCARS - Adoption and Foster Care
Analysis and Reporting System
Estimated 1999 data regarding foster
care and adoption in the U.S. - from 49
jurisdictions including Puerto Rico and
D.C.
Available on-line at www.dhhs.gov
Background, cont’d
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1999 estimates: 507,011 children, youth
and young adults in foster care
Under 1 Yr
4%
23,396
1 thru 5 Yrs
25% 143,268
6 thru 10 Yrs
26% 150,574
11 thru 15 Yrs
28% 164,134
16 thru 18 Yrs
16% 90,293
19 + Yrs
2%
9,335
Where are they?
Children, youth, and young adults in care
are in a range of placements:
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Pre-Adoptive Home
Foster Family Home (Relative)
Foster Family Home (Non-Rel)
Group Home
Institution
Supervised Ind Living
Runaway
Trial Home Visit
4%
26%
46%
8%
10%
1%
1%
3%
20,969
140,817
252,326
42,096
52,501
4,597
7,038
14,307
Background
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263,762 [45%] should be considered as the
gross eligible population for Chafee
Services.
The 16+ group is almost 20%- close to
100,000 young people.
In 1998, states reported that 75,000 youth
received IL services.
This estimate includes one-time services,
such as conferences.
Chafee Program
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The legislation requires that the Secretary of HHS,
in consultation with key stakeholders, develop a
set of outcomes and measures to assess state
performance; list of 34 outcomes generated which
involved six discussion groups with key
stakeholders. List then provided to members of
the Standing Workgroup for feedback
2000-2001: Development of the National Youth In
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Pilot of NYTIS
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Transition Information System (NYTIS)
Evaluation & Outcomes
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Traditionally neglected area of work.
Challenges related to confidentiality, ability
to contact youth, resources.
Need to focus on creative strategies for
follow up.
Work with child welfare information systems
and non-CIP caseworkers to ensure follow
up after emancipation, not after completion
of CIP services.
Evaluation & Outcomes
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Don’t forget relationships; this
qualitative result may be the most
important thing you do!
Coordinate with other data collection
efforts, e.g. TANF, Workforce Investment
Act, School-to-Work.
NYTIS - National Youth in Transition
Information System - Six outcomes focus
1.
2.
3.
Increased number of youth who
have resources to meet their living
expenses.
Increased number of youth who
have a safe and stable place to live.
Increased number of youth who
attain educational/voc goals
NYTIS - National Youth in Transition
Information System - Six outcomes focus
4. Increased number of youth who have
positive personal relationships with
adults in the community.
5. Increased number of youth who avoid
involvement with high risk behaviors
6. Increased percentage of youth who
can access needed phy and mental
health services.
Plan for collection of data
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Current plans, not finalized
Collect outcome data at discharge for
youth ages 14 and older
Collect outcome data annually for youth
up to age 20 receiving IL services
Collect youth characteristics and services
info at 6 mo. or yearly intervals
Proposed Outcomes/Measures
Outcome 1:
Increase the Percent of Youth Who Have
Resources to Meet Their Living Expenses
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1.1 What % of youth currently employed, full/part time?
1.2 What % of youth held a job, apprenticeship, internship
for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months?
1.3 What % of youth are currently relying on financial
resources other than employment?
1.4 What % of youth currently have a bank or credit
account?
Indicates measures relevant to outcomes specified in the
Chafee Independence Act of 1999
Proposed Outcomes/Measures
Outcome 2:
Increase the Percent of Youth Who Have
A Safe and Stable Place to Live
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2.1 What % of youth have been homeless at
some point since discharge?
2.2 For youth who have been homeless, what was
the duration of homelessness? (3 or fewer nights;
more than 3 nights but less than 2 weeks; 2
weeks to a month, or more than one month)
Proposed Outcomes/Measures
Outcome 3:
Increase the Percent of Youth Who Attain
Educational (Academic and Vocational) goals
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3.1 What % of youth have received a hs diploma,
GED, AA/BA?
3.2 What % of youth have received a vocational
certificate or license?
3.3 What % of youth are currently enrolled in, and
attending hs, GED classes, or post hs vocational
training or college?
Proposed Outcomes/Measures
Outcome 4:
Increase the Percent of Youth Who Have a Positive
Relationships with Adults in Their Lives
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4.1 What % of youth report that there is at least one adult in
their lives they can go to for emotional support?
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4.2 What % of youth report that there is at least one adult in
their lives they can go to for job/school advice or guidance?
Proposed Outcomes/Measures
Outcome 5:
Increase the Percent of Youth Who Avoid High
Risk Behaviors
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5.1 What % of youth were referred or self-referred for
alcohol or substance abuse assessment or counseling
during the year?
5.2 What % of youth were incarcerated or detained in a
jail, prison, or juvenile justice or community detention
facility at some time during the past year?
5.3 What % of youth gave birth or fathered a child born
during the past year?
5.4 For youth who gave birth or fathered a child born
during the past year, what % were married to the child’s
other parent?
Proposed Outcomes/Measures
Outcome 6:
Increase the Percent of Youth Who Are Able to
Access Needed Health Services
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6.1 What % of youth have medical insurance?
6.2 What % of youth have insurance with mental health
benefits?
6.3 What % of youth have insurance with prescription drug
benefits?
6.4 What % of youth require on-going medication for
maintenance of physical or mental health?
6.5 For youth require on-going medication, what % are able to
access resources to continue receiving their medications?
Proposed Outcomes/Measures
Outcome 7:
Increase the Percent of Youth Who Have
or Can Obtain Essential Documents
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7.1 What % of youth received, or were given
information on how to obtain, their birth
certificates, social security cards, medical records,
and educational records at the time of discharge?
Decisions About Outcome Assessments
Decisions to be made in two key areas:
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Initial Outcome Assessment
Follow-up Outcome Assessments
Options:
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Conduct initial assessment at point of discharge for all
youth in foster care age 16 and older
Conduct the initial assessment on all youth in foster care
near the time of their 17th birthday, for those youth who
were in foster care for at least six months
Option 2 seems preferable
Other Important Issues for
Adolescents in Out-of-Home Care
Youth Permanency
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AFSA did not specifically speak to adolescent
permanency
Chafee was seen as legislation to specifically
address youth issues
Both missed opportunities to highlight Youth
Permanency Issues
Independent Living is not the enemy of Youth
Permanency
Although IL is a service not a permanency plan, all
youth need an Independent Living Plans
IL and Youth Permanency need to be seen as
concurrent plans for all adolescents
Youth Permanency con’t
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All youth need permanent, connections with caring adults
Concurrently, as youth are being prepared for selfsufficiency, workers should also explore an array of
permanency options; i.e., adoption, mentoring
relationships, self-sufficiency, development of fictive
kinship networks of mutual support and the like.
Youth permanency can be achieved in many ways, but
adoption and the development of specific families for
adolescents should also be investigated as permanency
options
NRCFCPP is committed to focusing attention, resources,
and time on exploring the continuum of youth
permanency options and strategies
Independent Living Issues
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Initial IL Assessments; Semi-Annual
Assessments; Discharge Assessments; AfterCare Assessments
IL Curriculums – Life Skills
Formal verses Informal Training
Tangible and Intangible Skills
Relationship Building
After Care Services
IL Program Types
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Relative Care Homes
Family Foster Homes
Agency Operated Boarding Homes – AOBH
Community Based Group Homes
Group Residences
Supervised Independent Living Programs – SILPs
Transitional Living Programs – TLPs
Residential Treatment Centers
What are the Outcomes
We Want for Young People?
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Success in youth
programs, school, and
work
Happiness; a sense of
fulfillment
Strong relationships
Self-awareness
Health
Self-sufficiency
Are there others you
would add?
How do Youth Workers Support
Positive Youth Development?
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Youth workers...
Provide a balance of
challenge and support
Have strong selfawareness
Focus on youth’s
strengths and capacity
Help youth build
bridges to the
community
What are Some of the Systemic
Challenges to Successful Outcomes for
Youth in Foster Care?
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The child welfare system can foster
dependency in children and youth
System often focuses on problems and
perceived deficits of clients (and families)
Youth are often worked with apart from
family and community contexts
Youth workers can get caught up in a culture
of control
What is a Culture of Control and
why is it a Problem?
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Focus of problems is
client issues apart
from contexts and
relationships
Quick fix mentality of
more rules/more
restrictions
More problems lead to
personalization of
issues by staff, which
leads to more
problems…..
What Impact Does a Culture of
Control Have on Youth Workers?
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Frustration toward
program and youth
Increased attention to
information/data/
points/rules, and less
attention to youth
Burnout from overpersonalization
High turnover rates
Inability to access
youth potential
What Impact Does a Culture of
Control Have on Young People?
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Learned helplessness
Manipulation/ acting
out
Increased ability to
push staff buttons
Decreased ability to
look at self instead of
system
Reflect on Program
Challenges
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What is the role of staff in creating and
perpetuating barriers to program and youth
success?
Does individual training and supervision
address the need to understand the youth
worker’s role in staff/client relationships?
Is equal time spent on strengthening youth
worker’s self-awareness and personal
growth skills, in comparison to client
supervision and administration?
The Youth Worker’s System
*Chart does not refle ct a hierarchal or influential
relationship among component members: It simply
reflects current examination of youth worker’s role
Self-Awareness
Clinical Supervision
Personal learning
Experience
Individual
Youth
Worker
Youth Workers as Group
"The Team"
Youth in Program
"Clients"
"Participants"
"Consumers"
The Organization
Mission
Community
Management
Group Supervision
Group Skills Training
Team Meetings
Staffing of Clients
Skill Based Training
Program Design
Program Supervision
Client Interaction
Orientation/Supervision
Evaluation
Community Relations
Administration
How Do We Promote Systemic Culture
Change for Youth Workers and Youth
Programs?
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Organizations must:
Adopt a strengthsbased, or positive
youth developmentfocused mission
Promote accountability
to the mission through
supervision and
evaluation
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Managers/
supervisors must:
Provide training and
supervision that
support a youth
development approach
Model a strengthsbased approach to work
with staff
Emphasize selfawareness and personal
growth
How Do We Promote Systemic Culture
Change for Youth Workers and Youth
Programs?
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Program Design
must:
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Provide opportunity for
youth participation
Hold youth and staff
accountable for active
youth participation
Avoid reliance on
behavior management
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Youth Workers
must:
Invest time and effort
in personal growth and
self-awareness
Model a strengthsbased approach in work
with peers
Connect youth to the
community and
identified family
Reflect on Walking the Positive
Youth Development Talk
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Addressing the culture of control is
one way to increase youth workers’
ability to promote youth development.
Are there other systemic barriers to
successful program and youth
outcomes?
Are there characteristics of the
system that make it easier to promote
positive youth development? What are
they?
What is one change you could make
today to help you work with youth?
Conclusions
“Young people may
forget what you say
and do, but they will
never forget how
you made them
feel.”
Dr. Michael Carrera
NRCFCPP
Gerald P. Mallon, DSW, Director
The National Resource Center for Foster
Care and Permanency Planning
Hunter College School of Social Work
129 East 79th Street
New York, New York 10021
(212) 452-7043 – Phone
(212) 452-7051 - Fax
Mrengmal@aol.com
www.guthrie.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp