1 Developing a Comprehensive Transition System of Care for Older Youth3rd Biennial Wisconsin Youth Services Conference: Building a Framework for Youth May 2, 2017

2 513-284-7779 [email protected]Presented by: Mark J. Kroner LISW-S Trainer & Consultant Cincinnati, Ohio

3 My Experience Ran the Lighthouse IL/TLP for 21 years in CincinnatiHelped write the CWLA National IL Standards in 1987 Wrote the first book on youth housing for the field Spoke at over 100 State and National Conferences Helped pass the Chafee Bill in 1999 Taught life skills training classes for over 25 years Trained IL/TL staff from all 50 States Wrote numerous articles, books, studies and workbooks on youth housing & IL prep. and a field curriculum.

4 Signing of the Chafee Bill

5 The Little Field that won’t go away!Permanency should always be the first goal in planning for youth. Permanency is not always permanent!

6 Basic strategies for helping children & youth achieve permanent connectionsPermanency roundtables; educating the system Family reunification/family preservation/family conferences Relative placement/kinship care/guardianship Case-mining; often with the help of the youth Intensive family finding Concurrent planning Adoption incentives/bonuses Wrap around services Independent Living skills training to increase the odds of relationships lasting Creative housing solutions Foster parenting to adoption

7 Reasons for Discharge Percent NumberReunification with Parent(s) or Primary Caretaker(s) 51% 121,241 Living with Other Relative(s) 7% 15,774 Adoption % 49,693 Emancipation % 22,392 Guardianship % 21,055 Transfer to Another Agency 2% 4,173 Runaway % 1,138 Death of Child % 326 2015 AFCARS Report

8 So who still needs Independent Living and Transition Services?Youth who are ready to go out on their own Youth who do not want to/cannot live with others Youth who do not want to be adopted/were adopted Youth who enter system as teens in states that end at 18 Youth with mental health/cd issues Youth with criminal backgrounds/sex-offenses Youth who want to/do not want to return to unstable families Pregnant/parenting youth Youth who do not want to leave foster care but need to Youth kicked out of families for any number of reasons

9 The 10 Key Elements of a Comprehensive Transition System of Care**1. Education and development of entire system 2. Stable sources of funding Training of direct service staff on needs of transition age youth 4. Life Skills assessments and training 5. Social support development/permanency 6. Employment and Educational support 7. Real life experience 8. Most appropriate living arrangements 9. Addressing of special needs 10. Aftercare **And a well-paid case-manager to make it all work!

10 1. Education and Development of Entire SystemChild welfare staff and administrators State licensing Juvenile Court personnel Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) Guardians ad Litem (GALs) Private agency care-providers Education and Workforce development Housing Private donors/Civic organizations/United Way Youth Faith-based organizations

11 2. Stable Sources of FundingPurchase of service contracts; state or country Shifting of funding from other placements HUD-Set-asides Grants Donated buildings McKinney Vento/supportive housing Family Unification Program Foundations Chafee Private donations of supplies/furnishings/cash United Way Medicaid

12 3. Training of Direct Service Staff on needs of transition age youthThe time frame we and youth have to work within The transition realities of all youth The research on homelessness The research on trauma and brain development The developmental needs of T.A.Y. The current service system/lack of Who is in charge of overseeing this process The role of the case-manager/caseworker Life skills assessment/training strategies Community resources/national resources Special needs youth

13 4. Life Skills Assessments and TrainingSharing assessment results Building life skills training from assessment results Creating and using life skills workbooks Using internet for life skills materials Already developed curricula Games, videos, former clients, guest speakers Using Incentives One-on-one training/groups Weekly/monthly/weeklong/camps/retreats

14 5. Social Support Development/permanencyPermanency efforts Adoption of older youth Family involvement/family finding Kinship Care Roommate search Peer support Crisis hotlines/community centers Connections to adult services for MH/DD youth Aftercare/re-entry strategies

15 Basic strategies for helping children & youth achieve permanent connectionsPermanency roundtables; educating the system Family reunification/family preservation/family conferences Relative placement/kinship care/guardianship Case-mining; often with the help of the youth Intensive family finding Concurrent planning Adoption incentives/bonuses Wrap around services Independent Living skills training to increase the odds of relationships lasting Creative housing solutions Foster parenting to adoption

16 Working with Families Permanency and Independent living preparationWho besides bio-parents can help? Creating healthy boundaries Making peace with the past Finding new sources of support Testing the waters for reunification Being prepared for disappointments Be ready to take back youth who return

17 6. Employment and Educational SupportNew options for high-school completion Volunteer/internship opportunities New GED Work Readiness Job seeding grants WIA/workforce investment/OneStop Centers Great idea: HEMI ETVs Guardian scholars

18 Overview of Employment StrategiesJob readiness training Personal connections with employers Work within agency/program Volunteer opportunities/linked learning/internships Established employment programs; one stops, CAA summer youth employment Foundation funded programs; Jim Casey opportunities Grant driven strategies; “seeding” employers Private initiatives: “Cincinnati Works” Federal initiatives; youth build, job corps, AmeriCorps, military Statewide initiatives; workforce investment boards Mentoring/tutoring-connections to education

19 Helpful Employment ActivitiesJob Fairs Job Shadowing opportunities Mock interviews with real employers Simulations: “Independence City” Informational interviews with prospective employers/tours Events with chamber of commerce, local civic organizations Aptitude testing Ongoing life skills/aptitude assessments

20 First step: Assuring that all youth have the basics Dressing appropriately for interviews – this may necessitate assisting youth with obtaining appropriate clothing; Appropriate personal hygiene – Does the youth have and know how to use hygiene products?  Time-management skills – does the youth have and know how to use an alarm clock, a phone, an appointment book? Are they on time for appointments?  Transportation skills – does the youth know how to get to job sites, employment offices, etc.? Is public transportation available? Can the youth use a map? Follow directions?  Literacy skills – can the young person read and complete an application? Read a job description? Use a computer?  Documents – do they have a social security card and other documents necessary for employment?  References -do they have references and know their contact information? Have they consulted with their references to obtain permission to use them for particular jobs?  Interpersonal skills – can they interact with a potential employer appropriately in an interview? Do they establish eye contact? Is their demeanor appropriate for the situation? How do they handle stress? Directions? Feedback?

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22 Google these Resources…AmeriCorps/city year Building a Comprehensive Youth Employment Delivery System: CLASP California One-Stop Centers Cincinnati works Linked learning Employment of Former Foster Youth as Young Adults: Evidence from the Midwest Study First place for youth (oakland) JOBS FOR AMERICA’S GRADUATES (JAG) CORE COMPETENCIES Larkin street (san francisco) Project search (cincinnati) Youthbuild What We Know About Youth Employment: Research Summary and Best Practices Work appreciation for youth

23 7. Real Life Experience Chances to put life skills to use Practice apartments “Independence City” Cooking classes, shopping trips Scavenger hunts Increasing responsibility/freedom “Normalcy” policies

24 8. Most Appropriate Living ArrangementsFoster/relative homes Group homes Individual apartments Shared housing Supervised apartments Host homes Roommates Shelters Adoptive homes Boarding homes Trailers Adult/youth apartments What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?

25 Common Concerns Who signs the lease?How can you tell if a youth is ready for IL housing? What about liability? Damages? What is the best housing option? How often do you need to see a youth? How do you find landlords willing to rent to youth? Do youth have to contribute anything? Can we place foster youth in TLP/HUD programs? Shouldn’t we focus more on keeping youth with adults? What about visitors/roommates? What about after office hour crises?

26 9. Addressing of Special NeedsPregnant/parenting youth Youth with MH/CD issues Youth with developmental disabilities Youth with criminal records/sex-offenders Youth with unique cultural backgrounds LGBTQI2-S youth Youth involved with gangs Immigrant/refugee/undocumented youth Youth with chronic medical problems

27 Consider Cultural IssuesHow do they impact the transition process? How do they impact a youth’s expectations about the future? How do they impact getting help for special needs? How do they impact perception of self-sufficeincy? How do they impact your thinking? How do they impact your staff-client relationships

28 10.Aftercare Emergency assistance Non-emergency financial assistanceProvisional discharge Allow for re-entry Counseling/support Involvement of former youth in training/policy development Connections to adult services Referrals to needed resources

29 Talking Transition Help youth see problems/options Help youth make decisions Give youth responsibility to take action Keep a future focus Expect resistance Process “mistakes” Develop patience Emphasize time frame/limits

30 Ways that Agencies Capture OutcomesPre-post measurement of self-sufficiency skills Achievement of client expressed goals Progress in money-management Progress toward educational goals Referring agency surveys Client satisfaction surveys Global Assessment of Functioning/DLA20 scores Movement to a more appropriate program/situation Stable housing at discharge Less involvement in criminal activity Fewer hospitalizations Reunification with family/significant others/permanency

31 Google these Resource Centers:Daniel Memorial Institute National Resource Center for Youth Services Independent Living Resources Inc. Northwest Media Inc. Chapin Hall National Alliance to End Homelessness Child Welfare League of America National Foster Care Alumni Association Casey Family Programs Youth Communications Foster Club Chris Downs and Associates

32 Helpful Resources “A Path Near Me: Questions to guide a Young Native American Journey to the Future” National Resource Center for Youth Services “Housing Options for Independent Living Programs” Available at or or “Moving In: Ten Successful IL/TL Program Models” Available at Northwest Media or “My Next Best Move: Making the Right Moves toward Independence” National Resource Center for Youth Services “Operation Independence: Individual and group life skills training activities” National Resource Center “V.I.P. Becoming a Very Independent Person” 20 exercises designed to help young adults succeed as they prepare to move out for the first time . Daniel Memorial Institute (904)

33 More Useful PublicationsCWLA “Standards of Excellence” – CWLA Standards of excellence for transition, independent living and self-sufficiency services. Housing Assistance for Youth Who Have Aged Out of Foster Care: The Role of the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program Housing for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: A Review of the Literature and Program Typology Kroner Mark J., & Mares Alvin S. Living arrangements and level of care among clients discharged from a scattered-site housing-based independent living program. Children and Youth Services Review 33 (2011) 405–415.

34 Even more Helpful ResourcesAchieving & Maintaining Permanency https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/permanency/ Ansell, Dorothy I. Permanency vs. Independent Living: The Dilemma of Either/Or. NRCYD Update. National Resource Center for Youth Development. Fall/Winter 2002 (nrcys.ou.edu). 2015 AFCARS Report Working With Children, Youth, and Families in Permanency Planning https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/permanency/planning/ Enhancing Permanency for Youth in Out-of-Home Care https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/enhancing.pdf

35 Notes

36 Notes