Youth to be Served
The Department of Health and Human Services elects for eligibility for programs under the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, all youth regardless of Title IV-E eligibility. Program eligibility includes:
a. Youth, age 16 or older, for whom foster care maintenance payments are being made with Title IV-E funds.
b. Non-Title IV-E eligible youth, age 16 or older, who are in foster care under the custody of the state.
c. Youth, or young adults under age 21, who were in foster care under the responsibility of the state on, or after their 16th birthday. This latter population are integrated into the state's overall planning for discharge and aftercare services. These youth will be provided services in accordance with the newly revised policy and procedures established for this purpose.
Maine's criteria for determining eligibility for Independent Living Program services is to accept all referrals for older youth in care residing in the state regardless of whether or not they are Title IV-E eligible. The criteria for continued work with youth in care after age 18 and up to the age of 21 is governed by the newly revised extended care policy ("V9") (see attached copy of V9 policy)
The Department does not discriminate with regard to referrals of our older youth in care for Independent Living Program services with regard to race, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or any other factor which might prevent an older youth in care from receiving the benefit of program services. Our goal is to provide every older youth in care, particularly those youth after age 18 and up to age 21, every opportunity to take advantages of the services available through the state's Independent Living Program.
This information is also included in Attachment C, State Information on the Independent
Living Program, that was amended to the FY Application and State Plan.
NOTE: The Department's Life Skills caseworkers accept referrals for services for a selected number of youth who are under the age of 16. Some youth under age 16 are currently participating in youth leadership activities. There are also some youth under age 16 who attend other program activities such as the Teen Conference. All youth in care between the ages of 14 and up to age 21 receiving the Independent Living Program's newsletter on a quarterly basis. We are currently unable to serve the needs of youth under the age of 16 in a comprehensive way with our current Life Skills staff resources. However, there are a number of treatment foster care and group and residential care providers who provide independent living and life skills preparation services to youth under the age of 16. Two examples of this are the Casey Family Services foster care program and the Good-Will Hinckley group and residential care program. The Independent Living Program Manager has had discussions with a number of these service providers to encourage them to begin independent living and life skills work with youth before the age of 16.
Number of Youth Anticipated to be Eligible and Served
Based on the ages of children and young adults in the Department's custody, or voluntary extended care as of June 1, 2000, it is estimated that 810 youth age 16 or older will be in care, or custody at any given time during Federal Fiscal Year 2001. At total of 950, or more will be eligible for Title IV-E Independent Living Program services for at least some portion of Federal Fiscal Year
2001. It is expected that these numbers of older youth in care will slowly increase each for each year through FFY 2004.
410 of the 950 youth, age 16 or over, expected to be in care during FFY-2001 will be IV-E eligible. Of those 410 IV-E eligible youth, 122 are expected to participate in independent living program services. 540 non-Title IV-E eligible youth, age 16 or over, are expected to be in care during FFY-2001. Of those 540 non-IV-eligible youth, 218 are expected to participate in independent living program services. There are between 20 to 25 former youth in care who are expected to participate in independent living program services. IV-E eligibility determination is currently pending for 3 youth, 16 and over, who are new in custody. It is anticipated that there will be some youth who are living in a non-licensed placement and will be non-Title IV-E eligible. These youth may move in and out of a licensed placement several times during the coming year affecting their Title IV-eligibility.
Continue to: Expected Results and Outcomes
