CODES/REFERENCES 

Chapter 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 1355.20 and §1356

John Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-169)

 REQUIREMENTS

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

1. Ensure compliance with federal requirements regarding data collection of case-level information of youth in foster care; otherwise known as the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD). Data collection must include the following:
   1. Services paid for or provided through the state administered Independent Living Program.
   2. Outcome information on youth who are in, or who have aged out of foster care.
2. Ensure participation and collect data on the following three (3) distinct populations as required by NYTD:
   1. Served population: consists of any youth receiving at least one formal or informal independent living service paid for or provided by the Independent Living Program (ILP) whether through a Social Services Case Manager (SSCM), foster parent or group home staff, etc.
   2. Baseline population: consists of all youth in foster care as defined by Chapter 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 1355.20 any time between their 17th birthday and the 45 days following the youth reaching the age of 18; and
   3. Follow-up population: for Georgia, includes all youth who reach their 19th or 21st birthday in a Federal Fiscal Year and who have participated in data collection as part of the baseline Population.
3. Gather data related to Independent Living services provided to youth in the applicable served and baseline population that is reported to NYTD by entering independent living activities and services into the Youth Detail Page in Georgia SHINES.
4. Ensure that youth identified in the baseline population complete the Foster Club online survey between their 17th birthday and the 45 days following their 17th birthday. Effective October 1, 2010 and every FFY three-year cycle thereafter,
5. Ensure that youth identified in the follow up population participate in the outcomes data collection survey. Effective October 1, 2010 and every FFY three-year cycle thereafter,
6. Ensure data is submitted to NYTD semi-annually, based on two reporting periods; October 1 through March 31, and April 1 through September 30 of the reporting year utilizing information captured on the Youth Detail Page in Georgia SHINES for applicable populations.

 PROCEDURES

Reporting NYTD Data

In order to capture all Independent Living services that are being provided to a youth who meets the criteria to be considered part of the Served, Baseline, or Follow Up populations the Social Services Case Manager (SSCM) and Independent Living Specialist (ILS) will:

1. Update the Youth Detail Page in Georgia SHINES during the six-month reporting periods of October 1 through March 31, and April 1 through September 30 with specific information related to services and activities provided for the applicable youth including but not limited to:
   1. Independent living needs assessment
   2. Academic support
   3. Post-secondary educational support
   4. Career preparation
   5. Employment programs or vocational training
   6. Housing education and home management training
   7. Budget and Financial management
   8. Health education and risk prevention
   9. Family support and healthy marriage education
   10. Mentoring
   11. Supervised independent living
   12. Room and board financial assistance
   13. Education financial assistance
   14. Any other financial assistance provided

NOTE: An independent living service is considered provided by DFCS if it is delivered by DFCS staff, or an agent of DFCS, including but not limited to: a foster parent, Room Board Watchful Oversight (RBWO) provider; or if the service is provided pursuant to a contract between DFCS and a provider agency. Services may be formal and informal.

For youth who have been identified as a part of the baseline population; effective October 1, 2010, and every FFY three-year cycle thereafter the SSCM and ILS will ensure that youth identified in the baseline population complete the Foster Club online survey upon reaching the age of 17 and no later than 45 calendar days subsequent to the youth’s birthday.

NOTE: The survey cannot be completed prior to a youth’s 17th birthday.

In order for a youth to receive a survey, the SSCM or ILS must ensure the youth:

1. Has an email account established;
2. Is capable of completing the survey without assistance; or
3. Has assistance to complete the survey, if deemed necessary.

The Social Services Supervisor (SSS) will:

1. Discuss youth participation in Independent Living skills activities and services with the SSCM in a monthly staffing;
2. Review the Youth Detail Page in Georgia SHINES during each of the two reporting periods to ensure the page has been updated with the most current information concerning the Independent Living services the youth has received, or is currently receiving.

NYTD Surveys and Participation in the Baseline and Follow Up Population

In order to ensure that a youth identified as a member of the baseline or follow up population participates in the NYTD data collection process during applicable reporting periods the SSCM and ILS will:

1. Identify the baseline population eligible to participate in the Foster Club online survey within the first 15 calendar days of each reporting period;
2. Identify the follow up population eligible to participate in the outcomes data collection survey within the first 15 calendar days of each reporting period;
3. Attempt to locate the youth whose whereabouts are unknown within the first 30 calendar days of the applicable reporting period;
4. Upon determining the youth’s whereabouts;
   1. Invite the youth to participate in the survey;
   2. Provide the necessary information needed to complete the survey; and
   3. Inform the youth of the timeframe for survey completion.
5. Follow up if the youth does not complete the survey and identify a valid reason for why the youth did not complete the survey. Valid reasons for not completing a survey include:
   1. Youth Declined: The agency located the youth successfully and invited the youth’s participation, but the youth declined to participate in the data collection;
   2. Parent Declined: The agency invited the youth’s participation, but the youth’s parent/guardian declined to grant permission. This response may be used only when the youth has not reached the age of majority in State law or policy requires a parent/guardian’s permission for the youth to participate in information collection activities;
   3. Youth Incapacitated: The youth has a permanent or temporary mental or physical condition that prevents him or her from participating in the outcomes data collection;
   4. Youth incarcerated: The youth is unable to participate in the outcomes data collection because of his or her incarceration;
   5. Runaway/Missing: A youth in foster care is known to have run away or to be missing from his or her foster care placement;
   6. Unable to locate/Invite: The agency could not locate a youth who is NOT in foster care or otherwise invite such a youth’s participation;
   7. Death: The youth died prior to his participation in the outcomes data collection;
   8. Not in Sample: The 19-year-old youth participated in the outcomes data collection as part of the baseline Population at age 17, but the youth is not in the state follow- up sample. This response option applies only when the outcomes data collection is required on the follow-up population of 19-year-old youth.

NOTE: A youth has participated in the outcomes data collection if the youth completes one valid response to any of the survey questions.

 PRACTICE GUIDANCE

Baseline Population Criteria

The Baseline Population consists of all youth in foster care, at any time between their 17th birthday and the 45 days following their 17th birthday, and youth who turn 17 within the FFY of each applicable reporting year. A youth does not have to be in foster care on his/her 17thbirthday to be included, but must be in foster care at some point within the 45 days following his/her birthday. When determining whether a youth should be included in the NYTD Baseline Population, consider the following:

1. Did the youth’s 17th birthday occur during a FFY in which baseline data are required to be collected (i.e., a youth in the first NYTD Baseline cohort must have a 17th birthday between October 1, 2010 and September 30, 2011); and,
2. Was the youth in foster care on this or her 17th birthday; or
3. Did the youth enter foster care between his or her 17th birthday and 45 days after this date?

For the purpose of the baseline survey, Foster Care does not include the following:

1. Youth who are in their own homes under the responsibility of the DFCS, including, for the purpose of the NYTD only, those home on trial visits;
2. Youth Development Centers/Youth Forestry Camps;
3. Detention centers (or facilities that are primarily for the detention of children who are adjudicated delinquent);
4. Secure residential facilities;
5. Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (accredited-PRTF); or
6. Hospitals (general hospitals or freestanding psychiatric hospitals).

Follow-up Population Criteria

The Follow-Up Population includes:

1. All youth who reach their 19th or 21st birthday in a FFY who have participated in data collection as part of the Baseline Population at age 17; or
2. A youth who participated in the data collection at age 17, but not at age 19 for a reason other than being deceased.

NOTE: A youth is in the Follow-Up Population as described regardless of the youth’s foster care status at ages 19 or 21, and regardless of whether the youth ever received independent living services.

NOTE: Youth that complete the survey outside of the 45-day window for survey collection will not be a part of the Follow-up Population.

NYTD Implementation

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) required states to collect both Baseline Population data and Served Population data beginning October 1, 2010. The first reporting period data was then due no later than March 15, 2011. Subsequent data submission to NYTD is required semi-annually based on two reporting periods, October 1 through March 31, and April 1 through September 30 of the reporting year.

In order to comply with Federal statutes and to ensure that all youth are receiving life skills development services the SSCM and ILS must ensure that the NYTD services categories are documented each reporting period. Service providers include DFCS or an agent of DFCS including but not limited to:

1. Non-relative foster homes;
2. Kinship foster homes (whether or not payments are being made to the caregiver);
3. Group homes;
4. Emergency shelters;
5. Residential facilities;
6. Child care institutions (public facilities with less than 25 beds);
7. Private facilities (with any number of beds); and
8. Pre-adoptive homes.

Served Population Criteria

A youth meets the criteria to be classified as in the Served Population if during the reporting period:

1. The youth is eligible to receive independent living services; and
2. The youth receives an independent living service paid for or provided by DFCS during the reporting period.

NOTE: The Served Population is not limited on the Federal level by placement type. Tribal youth, youth involved with the juvenile justice system, youth who receive services through foster care providers, and youth no longer in foster care are a part of the served population, if they receive an independent living service paid for or provided by DFCS during the reporting period.

FORMS AND TOOLS 

NYTD Contact Form