This program offers youth, ages 18-20, with a plan of independent living, ideally from a TLP group home, the opportunity to practice life skills and prepare for the future in an apartment setting. Youth in this type of placement receive support and guidance, but supervision is minimal.  To be considered for TLS, youth need to demonstrate the ability to make responsible decisions, maintain employment, and have a clear understanding of the financial and emotional demands of living independently.  Youth entering TLS ideally would be currently enrolled and actively participating in Chafee Program Services. 

A scattered site apartment is defined as a self-contained furnished (refrigerator, stove, bed, oven, table, chairs, etc.) unit with utilities (trash, sewer/water, electricity/gas, phone accessibility, etc) cooking, sleeping, and bath facilities for no more than one (1) youth per bedroom. Scattered site apartments may include apartments adjacent to other treatment programs, or sites scattered throughout the community and/or apartments clustered together.  The apartment must provide a pleasant, clean, safe and healthful environment.  Placement settings are located in community environments to allow the youth full access to services and resources in order to fully develop independent living skills.

The apartment must provide a pleasant, clean, safe (including fire extinguisher and fire alarm), and healthful environment The apartment should be in good repair, including proper screening for ventilation, sufficient window coverings to assure the privacy of each client, and pest controlled. All painted surfaces should be in good condition.  All areas and surfaces must be free of undesirable odors.  Placement settings are located in community environments to allow the youth full access to services and resources in order to fully develop independent living skills.

Furniture and furnishings should be comfortable and maintained in clean condition and good repair. All upholstered furniture should not be torn.  If furniture is torn, it must be covered with fitted slipcovers.  The slipcovers must be clean and in good repair with no tears.  Throws are not acceptable to cover torn furniture.  Chairs should not be broken, have cracked frames, or in any other way be unsafe or unsightly.

All sleeping areas must be physically separated by gender unless otherwise pre-approved by the state agency in writing. There should not be more than one (1) resident per bedroom occupying a given living arrangement unless otherwise approved by the family support team, the youth, the state agency case manager, the provider, and the state agency.

There are two types of Transitional Living Single/Scattered Site Apartment services:

• A structured Transitional Living Single/Scattered Site Apartment service is defined as a support being available for the youth to contact twenty-four (24) hours per day and the youth is visited, at a minimum, every seventy-two (72) hours in the youth’s living arrangement.
• An unstructured Transitional Living Single/Scattered Site Apartment service is defined as a support being available to the youth upon request of the youth and the youth is visited a minimum of one (1) time per week. At least one (1) such visit each month is in the youth’s living arrangement.

If the Family Support Team (FST) decides that placement in a TLS would be in the best interest of the youth, staff should refer the youth through FACES by using the Referral – Transitional Living Group Home/Scattered Site Services screen. In addition, the child’s Children’s Service Worker will submit the Residential and Specialized Placement Referral, CS-9, to their supervisor as part of the referral packet.  The CS-9 must have been completed within the last thirty days. A life skills assessment tool of the Children’s Service Worker’s choice should be completed to assist with youth engagement, assessment, and goal development.  The Adolescent FST Guide (CD94) and Individualized Action Plan Goals (CD94) must have been completed within the last six months. 

It is the responsibility of the child’s Children’s Service Worker to update the youth’s case in FACES showing a placement type of TLS, with the vendor number of the TLS facility and a maintenance code of no maintenance.

NOTE: This is not an ILA placement; therefore, maintenance payments are never paid directly to the youth.  Payment is always made directly to the provider for the youth.  The case manager should be sure that the Alternative Care Client Information Screen reflects no maintenance payment.  If a youth has a child, the child’s Children’s Service Worker would then pay monthly CYAC payments to the youth through a FACES Payment Request (PR).

Once a youth is residing in a Transitional Living Scattered Site Placement, Chafee Program Services will be provided by the TLS provider.

Once placed, the TL Provider is responsible for completing a day-to-day service plan that addresses all items listed in the Adolescent FST Guide (CD94) and Individualized Action Plan Goals (CD94) within 30 days of the youth’s initial placement and quarterly thereafter. The TL provider’s service plan should address:

• Academic Achievement;
• Job Readiness;
• Community Services and Support;
• Youth Leadership;
• Independent Living Skills Training

The provider will demonstrate, document and report competencies obtained by youth for inclusion on the Adolescent FST Guide (CD94) and Individualized Action Plan Goals (CD94). In order to meet the individual day-to-day service plan, the provider is responsible for contacting, interviewing and screening youth, lesson planning, liaison activities, skills assessment, record keeping, pre and post testing evaluation, material and resource organization, organization of field trips, incentives for youth, and purchasing supplies for independent living skills training.  

Once a youth is residing in a Transitional Living Scattered Site Placement, Chafee Services will be provided by the TLS provider. If at any time the child’s Children’s Service Worker thinks that the contractor for TLS is not meeting the requirements outlined in the Transitional Living contract and the issue cannot be resolved with the contractor, the child’s Children’s Service Worker should contact the Older Youth Transition Specialist with the concerns to be addressed.