Services for Youth Age 13 and 14

Purpose: The intent of the following policy is to ensure that life skills are offered based upon the youth identified needs.

Policy: Pre-Independent Living life skills shall be offered and designed to meet the youth’s needs as identified in the independent living skills assessment. When a youth with developmental disabilities, mental health needs, or other special needs is identified services shall be tailored to meet the youth’s needs.

Procedure and/or Process: 1. Screening/Eligibility: A youth who is age 13 but not yet 15 years of age and is in foster care is eligible for life skills services. 2. Access to Pre-Independent Life Skills: a. Each youth in the custody of the Department shall be referred for independent living services thirty days prior to his or her thirteenth birthday. b. Each youth in the custody of the Department shall receive a pre-independent living assessment within thirty days after his or her thirteenth birthday. c. A youth placed in the custody of the Department after his or her thirteenth birthday shall be assessed within sixty days after the court enters an order placing the youth in the custody of the Department. 3. Assessment: a. The results of the assessment shall be filed with the court. b. The Counselor/Case Manager shall develop a progressive curriculum for successful teens for pre-independent living skills using the “Ansell-Casey”, or other state-approved assessment for statewide implementation. c. The “Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment” or other state-approved assessment tool intended for statewide implementation is used as a part of the pre-independent living skills assessment. This assessment shall be completed within 30 days of a youth’s 13th birthday or within 30 days of date of referral to the pre-Independent Living Program. d. The assessment for a youth thirteen to fifteen years of age shall be conducted through the use of an approved assessment tool; review of the file; review of other assessments and evaluations, including educational, psychological and psychiatric evaluations; personal observation and interviews with any person who is familiar with the youth and can be helpful in the assessment process. e. The Counselor/Case Manager shall discuss at the bi-annual staffing the results of the assessment with the PFSF Worker, youth, and caregiver and shall use the results to determine the training and services needed for the youth to begin learning skills necessary for success and self-sufficiency in the future. f. The Counselor/Case Manager will work with the PFSF Worker to ensure that the youth’s identified needs are met.

Rev. 2/08 Page 1 of 2 P-1173 g. Maintain individual participant files, to include, at a minimum, the youth’s Independent Living Individual Plan, all assessments, copies of reports, and progress notes. 4. Individual Plan: a. The Counselor/Case Manager shall develop an Individual Plan based on the results of the assessment. b. The Counselor/Case Manager shall encourage the youth to choose and achieve realistic goals. 5. Services Provided: Pre-Independent Living Skills include but are not limited to life skills training, educational field trips and conferences. a. Counselor/Case Managers should have a minimum of quarterly contact with each youth and have each youth sign a contact form in a format approved by the PFSF contract manager. b. Counselor/Case Managers provide life skills training, which can be taught through instruction and interaction with the foster parents or group-care staff through contracted services, referrals to community providers, one-on-one coaching and group learning sessions. The youth may also be able to learn some of the needed skills in the public school curriculum. c. For every needed skill, the Counselor/Case Manager shall document in the youth’s case file who is to help the youth develop that skill and the timeframe in which the youth will receive the training. It is the responsibility of the Counselor/Case Manager to ensure the youth receives all needed life skills training. d. Youth in foster care shall be fully informed when making decisions about educational options, including high school participation choices and college or vocational school entrance requirements. Possible rewards and consequences of the available options shall be presented to the youth. e. The Counselor/Case Manager shall discuss with the youth his or her potential limitations, including physical, emotional, and behavioral limitations. f. The youth shall not be told that a career or educational option is unavailable unless an explanation is given and ways to overcome perceived obstacles are explored. g. During contacts with the youth time shall be dedicated to evaluating progress in learning the skills identified through the assessment process as well as to educate the youth and the caregiver about available independent living services. 6. Staffing: The Counselor/Case Manager shall coordinate the bi-annual staffing for youth who are thirteen and fourteen years of age and meet the requirements for these staffings. a. Each youth shall be staffed on at least an annual basis to determine educational goals. b. If a youth refuses to participate in the program, document reasonable efforts to engage the youth and submit a written request to the PFSF contract manager for a staffing to request assistance in engaging the youth.

Rev. 2/08 Page 2 of 2 P-1173