GA :: Child Welfare Policy Manual :: Chapter 13 Independent Living Program :: Section 13.11 Post Foster Care (PFC) Resources

CODES/REFERENCES

Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 45, § 205.10

John Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-169) as incorporated in the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C § 677 and amended in 45 CFR 1356

O.C.G.A. §15-11-2 Juvenile Code Definitions

REQUIREMENTS

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) shall:

Provide the following Post Foster Care (PFC) services, as funding permits, based on youth eligibility:
1. Transitional Living Supportive Services: Provides eligible youth with supportive services to assist in the development of daily living skills and supports the youth’s transition from foster care to self-sufficiency;
2. Emergency Financial Assistance: Provides eligible youth with emergency financial assistance for up to 90 days in order to stabilize living conditions and/or personal circumstances;
3. Post-Secondary Education Financial Support: Provides eligible youth or youth who were adopted from foster care at age 16 or older with funds to provide financial support toward the completion of post-secondary education.
  NOTE: Eligibility for ILP services are outlined in policy 13.1 Independent Living Program: Eligibility and Enrollment.
Not deny or terminate an eligible youth’s participation in PFC services without a thorough review of the circumstances and efforts to resolve any conflicts.
NOTE: Should DFCS move forward with the decision to deny PFC services, the youth shall be provided written notice of the denial or termination of his or her PFC.
Inform all youth requesting PFC of their right to a Fair Hearing concerning the denial or termination of PFC funding.
Monitor budgetary limits and evaluate a youth’s participation and cooperation with the applicable PFC program.

PROCEDURES

Post Foster Care (PFC) Services for Youth in Foster Care and EYSS

Within five business days of receiving a request from the youth for Transitional Living Supportive Services, or Post-Secondary Financial Support the Social Service Case Manager (SSCM) will:
a. Provide the youth with the Chafee/ETV Grant Program Application; and
b. Advise the youth to submit the application and supporting documentation to the Independent Living Specialist (ILS).
Within five business days of receiving the completed application from the youth, the Independent Living Specialist (ILS) will:
1. Determine the youth’s eligibility to receive requested funds;
2. Upon receipt of the required information from the youth, assess the amount that will be required of the youth to contribute financially and the ability to meet his or her needs in the absence of funding;
3. Determine the amount and duration of the financial support; and
4. Inform the SSCM of the determination to approve or not approve the youth’s request for PFC services.
Within 30 calendar days of determining that the youth is eligible to receive PFC services the SSCM will:
1. Coordinate with the ILS to ensure the youth enters into the appropriate agreement and fully understands their responsibilities in order to remain eligible for the specific PFC resource being provided:
  1. Transitional Living Services- Transitional Living Supportive Services Program Agreement;
  2. Post-Secondary Educational Support- Post Secondary Financial Agreement.
2. Request the Social Services Supervisor (SSS) to add the ILS as a secondary worker in Georgia SHINES; and
3. Update the youth’s Written Transition Living Plan (WTLP) to reflect the agreement as well as any other steps or goals needed to support PFC services.
As a part of monthly visits with the youth, the SSCM will:
1. Monitor the youth’s participation in the applicable services and their compliance with the Post-Secondary Financial Assistance Agreement;
2. Discuss any non-compliance issues or barriers the youth is having and assist the youth in resolving the issues and barriers;
3. Facilitate mediation between the youth and the service provider if conflicts arise and continue to follow up and monitor the relationship;
4. Inform the youth that continued non-compliance with the PFC agreement that cannot be resolved will result in the youth’s dismissal from the PFC program;
5. Staff the case and any non-compliance issues with the SSS on a monthly basis; NOTE: Optional staffings/meetings with the youth, the youth’s support system, the ILS, Life Coach or other relevant parties may be convened, when necessary.
6. Document contacts in Georgia SHINES within 72 hours.

The SSS will:

Complete the request to add the ILS as a secondary worker in Georgia SHINES within 72 hours of receipt;
Review and discuss the request for PFC services with the assigned SSCM;
If PFC is determined appropriate and approved, review and approve the updated WTLP;
Participate in monthly staffings with the SSCM to discuss the youth’s progress and assist the SSCM in resolving any conflicts or barriers the youth may be experiencing; and
Participate in meetings with the ILS and/or service providers and youth when available.

Post Foster Care (PFC) Services for Youth 18-21Previously in Foster Care or Opted Out of EYSS

Within five business days of a youth requesting PFC services by submitting a completed application, the Independent Living Specialist (ILS) will:
1. Determine the youth’s eligibility to receive requested funds;
2. Upon receipt of the required information from the youth, assess the amount that will be required of the youth to contribute financially and the ability to meet his or her needs in the absence of funding; and
3. Determine the amount and duration of the financial support.
Within 72 hours of the youth being determined to be eligible, the ILS will contact the legal county of the youth and request a post foster care (PFC) stage be opened and assigned to the ILS in Georgia SHINES.
NOTE: Youth that elect to participate in the EYSS program who receive PFC services will maintain an open case in the FCC stage in Georgia SHINES.
Within 30 calendar days of determining that the youth is eligible to receive PFC services the ILS will:
1. Ensure the youth enters into the appropriate agreement based upon the PFC resources being provided:
  1. Transitional Living Services: Transitional Living Supportive Services Program Agreement;
  2. Emergency Financial Assistance: Emergency Assistance Supportive Services Participant Agreement; and/or
  3. Post-Secondary Educational Support: Post-Secondary Financial Agreement.
2. Develop the youth’s Written Transition Living Plan (WTLP) to reflect the applicable PFC agreement.

Youth Receiving Post-Secondary Education Financial Support

For youth receiving, Post-Secondary Education Financial Support, the ILS will:

Re-determine eligibility for continued funding at the end of each grading period by obtaining and reviewing the youth’s grades within 14 calendar days of availability to ensure:
1. The youth is still in good academic standing with the school;
2. The youth is maintaining at least a 2.0 Grade Point Average(GPA); and
3. The youth is working toward degree completion.
Consult with the youth at least once per semester (or academic quarter, if applicable) regarding maintaining their eligibility and compliance with the Post-Secondary Financial Assistance Agreement (including loan stipulations);
Beginning at age 20 and every six (6) months thereafter, request and obtain the youth’s timeline for graduation from the youth’s academic advisor.
NOTE: DFCS may provide support to youth up to age 25 for Post-Secondary Education Services on a case-by-case basis.

Denial or Termination of Post Foster Care Services

Prior to denying or terminating PFC services for youth that are in foster care, or EYSS the SSCM will:
1. Attempt to discuss and resolve the issues with the youth that are having a negative impact on the youth receipt of PFC services;
2. Schedule a meeting with the youth, the youth’s identified support system, ILS, SSCM and/or SSS, if available, to discuss the issues that are having a negative impact on the youth receiving PFC services;
3. If resolution is not possible, because the youth is not willing to meet or work on a resolution, or cannot be located, submit a request to deny or terminate PFC to the State ILP Manager or Designee within five business days of meeting with the youth or of the youth’s refusal to discuss the denial or termination of his or her PFC services;
4. Ensure the youth is provided with a copy of the Georgia Independent Living Program Notice of the Right to a Fair Hearing and understands how to initiate the Fair Hearing process; NOTE: If the youth cannot be located, mail the Georgia Independent Living Program Notice of the Right to a Fair Hearing to the youth’s last known address with a letter outlining the reasons for denial or termination of PFC services pending a final decision from the State ILP Manager or Designee;
5. Document the meeting or youth’s refusal to meet and relevant steps taken to resolve the issue in Georgia SHINES within 72 hours of occurrence.
Within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the request to deny or terminate PFC funding, the State ILP Manager or Designee will:
1. Review the request and any other supporting documentation necessary; and
2. Provide a written response to the SSCM or ILS concerning the youth’s ability to receive PFC services.
Upon receipt of the written response from the State ILP Manager or Designee concurring with the decision to deny or terminate PFC the ILS or SSCM will:
1. Provide the youth with a 30-day written notice of the intent to deny or terminate the specific PFC resource being provided, including:
  1. A description of the action being taken-denial or termination of PFC;
  2. The reasons PFC is being denied or terminated;
  3. The policy supporting the denial or termination of PFC; and
  4. A copy of the Georgia Independent Living Program Notice of the Right to a Fair Hearing
If the State ILP Manager or Designee disagrees with the County Department regarding the denial or termination of PFC services, the county shall take the necessary steps to provide or continue to provide the services.

If a youth decides to terminate PFC, the SSCM or ILS will:

Convene a meeting, including the youth and the youth’s identified support system, and if available the youth’s SSCM as well as the SSS to attempt to resolve the issue(s) that may be impacting the youth’s decision to terminate PFC.
If the issues cannot be resolved in the meeting with the youth, or the youth is unwilling to participate in a meeting and/or still wishes to terminate PFC services, the ILS will submit notice to the State ILP Manager of the youth’s intent to terminate PFC services including the specific reasons and resolutions attempted with the youth within five calendar days of the meeting (or attempted meeting) with the youth.

PRACTICE GUIDANCE

Emergency Financial Assistance1

Chafee Foster Care Independence Act supports youth with services and financial support to prevent homelessness. Youth applying for emergency assistance will be offered time limited supportive services along with life coaching to assist them in maintaining self-sufficiency. Emergency Assistance must fall under the following guidelines:

Food: Perishable or Non-Perishable food items;
Clothing
1. Wardrobe items
2. Uniforms required for employment or training or educational activities
Rent: Cannot receive funds for more than three (3) months
Medical
1. Prescriptions
2. Medical, Dental, or Vision Exams
3. Medical, Dental or Vision procedures
Transportation
1. Transit or Bus Pass
2. Train or Airline Ticket

To receive emergency assistance funds, the youth will be required to enter into an Emergency Assistance Supportive Services Participant Agreement. This agreement will:

Outline steps associated with remedying the underlying issues which caused the need for emergency assistance;
Provide specific and agreeable terms that define how financial concerns will be resolved; and
Denote the duration of payments (not to exceed 90 days).

NOTE: Emergency financial assistance funds are distributed directly to the vendor for payment for services.

Fair Hearings

Chapter 45, Section 205.10 of the Code of Federal Regulations provides for “fair hearings,” which are used to challenge or appeal actions relating to services paid for by the Independent Living Program out of Federal funds. A youth or their authorized representative may request a fair hearing when DFCS or any agency contracted on behalf of DFCS to provide ILP services take an action that affects the youth’s participation in any part of the ILP program that is paid out of Federal funds. Examples of when a fair hearing may be requested are:

When a youth’s request for services is denied;
When DFCS does not act on a request for services in a timely manner; or
When a service a youth is receiving is reduced or terminated A fair hearing may be requested by submitting a written request to:

Independent Living Program

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services 2 Peachtree Street, N.W.

Suite 18-222

Atlanta, GA 30303

Life Coaches

Life coaching is a practice aimed at helping youth achieve goals related to successfully transitioning to adulthood by providing them with a resource that can provide one on one targeted life skills training based on the individuals particular need. When identified as a need, the ILS can assign a youth a life coach who will use various methods to assist the youth in meeting an identified need. Expectations of Life Coaches are:

To meet with the youth, face-to-face, within two business days of being assigned;
To participate in the development of agreements and plans with youth;
To monitor and ensure compliance with the agreement;
1. The life coach must immediately contact the youth to address issues of noncompliance and assist the youth in rectifying the identified issues.
2. Ensure the youth understands that continued noncompliance issues that cannot be rectified will result in the youth’s dismissal from the program.
To conduct a face-to-face weekly meeting with each youth and provide a monthly report to the ILS regarding the youth’s progress toward self-sufficiency; and
Email the ILS the monthly summary by the 5th of the following month.

If a youth is not satisfied with services provided by the Life Coach or ILS, the State ILP Manager or Designee may be contacted via the Georgia Independent Living Website at www.georgiailp@dhs.ga.gov.

Post-Secondary Education Financial Support

Post Foster Care services also allow DFCS to provide post-secondary education financial assistance to youth who qualify. Based upon the youth’s educational plan, history, abilities and current interests, which may include vocational training, certificate programs and two or four year colleges, the SSCM and ILS can assess a youth’s readiness to receive further schooling or training. DFCS should continue to encourage the youth to seek a degree of his or her choice, or otherwise further their education as much as possible, and provide assistance to the youth as much as possible.

The Independent Living Program funds Post-Secondary Financial Support services through the Federal Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) Program as well as State Independent Living Program college funding. Services that may be funded through these programs include:

Application fees (waiver of fees should be requested);
Registration fees;
Tuition;
Room and board (On campus housing and meal plans must be used, if available);
Course books & supplies;
Tutoring;
Testing (SAT, ACT, etc.);
Educational stipends for hygiene and personal maintenance (youth may be eligible for funds up to $75.00 a month if youth live on campus, or up to $150 a month for youth living off campus); and
Transportation assistance

To be eligible for Post-Secondary Education Financial Support, youth must meet the following criteria:

For ETV:

Meet ILP eligibility requirements;
Be between the ages of 18 and 21 years old and participating in the EYSS program;
Be between the ages of 18 to 23 years old and not participating in the EYSS program; or
NOTE: If the youth meets the eligibility requirements stated above, but graduated high school between the ages of 20-22, the youth will be assessed for post-secondary state funding support.
Adopted from foster care after his or her 16th birthday
NOTE: If a former foster youth requests ILP post-secondary funding on the date of their 21st birthday, the youth must provide documentation that supports their previous enrollment in a full- time post-secondary educational or training program at least 6 months prior to their 21st birthday.

For State ILP College Funding:

Meet ILP eligibility requirements;
Be under the age of 25; and
Have been adopted on or after age 14 but prior to the 16th birthday.

Monitoring Post-Secondary Education Financial Support:

To access post-secondary education funding and maintain support, the youth must:

Submit acceptance letter, scholarship, application, award letters, financial aid application and any other documents to validate enrollment in a post-secondary education/training program;
Be interested or enrolled in a certification program that is at least 12 months in length or a two-year college;
Develop and maintain the Post-Secondary Financial Assistance Agreement;
Be enrolled part-time and must provide a post-secondary academic completion plan as document by their institution’s academic advisor and WTLP to receive funding after the age of 21; (for youth age 20.5);
Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or be in good standing with the institution; NOTE: Youth failing to achieve a 2.0 GPA will be referred for tutoring or any other known supports available through their educational institution.
Notify the ILS immediately if they receive notice that they will be placed on academic probation, probation based on the institution’s code of conduct or ethics policies, or is otherwise being threatened with a suspension from the institution; and
Submit their grades within 14 days of grades being posted by the educational institution; NOTE: If grades are not submitted timely, youth will have to reapply for post-secondary support to receive financial support for the next semester. Youth, ages 18 to 23 failing to maintain a 2.0 GPA for two consecutive semesters will be ineligible for funding for one academic year, only if they are not in good standing with the institution.
Enroll in the next available enrollment session offered by the applicable educational institution if his or her chosen course of study or institution is changed for which he or she is currently receiving funding.

If a youth is dismissed from his or her educational institution for failure to maintain an adequate Grade Point Average (GPA), ILP services will discontinue financial payments to the school. Ifthe youth determines that he or she wishes to re-enroll and requests Post-Secondary Education Financial Support the youth must participate in a meeting with the ILS, SSCM (current or former, as needed), life coach, and any other supporting person identified by the youth. During the meeting, the youth must be prepared to discuss the reasons he or she feels they are ready to re-enroll in school, and what changes have been made so that they will be able to maintain an acceptable GPA. During this meeting, remedial tutoring should be offered to the youth in addition to assistance in re-enrolling the youth in school if it were determined that Post-Secondary Education funds would be appropriate.

Transitional Living Supportive Services

Transitional Living Supportive Services for youth who are no longer in foster care but is supported entirely by Chafee Foster Care Independence Program2 (CFCIP) funds for a period of one year or until the youth reaches his or her 21st birthday3. Funds are monitored and distributed via the Independent Living Program and may be used for the following based on the youth’s identified needs:

Transitional Living Assessments to determine youth’s eligibility and needs;
Life Coaching Services;
Short term Counseling and Support Group related expenses; and
Start-up Costs that include:
1. First month’s rent, security deposits, renter’s insurance, start up utility and telephone connection fees (No cable or satellite television installation fees are allowable);
2. Basic furniture items (bed, chest of drawers, table and chairs);
3. Cooking and cleaning supplies;
4. Monthly housing support;
5. Rental assistance; and
6. Emergency assistance.