AB 12 Informational ConveningPlacement & Licensing Breakout Session

Placement Breakout Session

Guiding principles Supervised Placement Setting Community Care Licensing Additional items

Guiding Principles Value permanency Help youth transition with lifelong connections to

caring adults Create a collaborative youth-centered process Work proactively with youth in developing and

reaching their independent living goals Allow youth to gain real life experience with

independence and allow them to learn from their mistakes

Provide a safety net for the most vulnerable youth so they can be successful as independent adults

Additional Guiding Principles Provide for the health, safety, and well-being

of young adults

Be clear, concise, user-friendly, and simple

Prepare foster youth for adulthood

Where are Older Youth in Placed in Foster Care?

2,985 18 year-olds as of April 1, 2011

Supervised Placement Settings Traditional placement options still available to youth

including: Approved home of relative or NREFM Certified home of an FFA (includes ITFC) Foster Family Home Group Home (with limitations) Home of a Nonrelated Legal Guardian Small Family Home/Dual Agency Regional Center Homes THPP (with limitations)

2 NEW Placement Options: THP-Plus Foster Care Supervised Independent Living (SILP)

Group Homes for NMDsDecision on group home placement is to be a youth-driven, team-based case planning process

Youth can remain in group home if under age 19 AND continuing in group home is in NMDs best interest in order to complete high school or equivalent

Once NMD completes high school or turns 19, whichever is first, continuing in a group home is prohibited UNLESS

•NMD has a medical or mental health condition (participation condition #5) and continuing in group home functions as a short-term placement;•Treatment services to alleviate the medical condition cannot be sole basis for disqualification from group home (Ex: youth is seriously emotional disturbed and is in therapeutic day treatment); •Treatment strategies should prepare NMD for discharge to a less restrictive and more family-like setting.

Transitional Housing Placement Program Youth can continue to participate in THPP

after age 18 and up to age 19 if: In order to complete high school or equivalency

prior to age 19; OR

In order to complete the high school year prior to age 19

THP-Plus Foster Care Modeled after existing THP-Plus programs and will offer

affordable housing and supportive services. Current program:

Three settings: single-site (25%), scattered-site (62%) or host home (13%)

51 counties; 60 providers; 2,209 youth served in FY 10-11 THP-Plus FC not designed to replace THP-Plus

THP Plus will continue to exist to serve emancipated youth between ages of 21 and 24, and for emancipated youth under age 21 who do not want to participate in extended care or are ineligible

THP-Plus FC is a IV-E eligible placement

THP-Plus Foster Care THP-Plus FC ACL on County Plan Requirements is final Future ACLs to cover statewide approval standards and

rates. AB 12 authorizes for approval, renewal and per site fee, which is

calculated into rate. Two rates proposed: one for site based and one for host

family Parenting NMD’s receive the infant Supplement and if in

host family model, may be eligible for the WFFH Shared Responsibility Plan rate in addition

Unclear how 70/30 provision will operate under realignment

Supervised Independent Living Placement Subject to approval by county using statewide approval

standards No service provider/ no caregiver Settings may include but not limited to:

Apartment living Room and board arrangements (including w/ a relative or

family friend) Shared roommate settings, Dorms

NMD may receive the foster care benefit directly – limited to basic rate (currently $776.00/month) and clothing allowance

Parenting NMDs receive the Infant Supplement.

Approval of SILP Settings where there are already health and safety

standards (i.e. dorms or college housing) are deemed to have met the standard.

The privacy of the youth is a key aspect to the SILP placement option. Roommates and landlords do not need to be assessed Important for discussions between the NMD and the

supervising agency and/or case managers to help the youth reach a responsible decision

Process by which a youth is determined ready to live independently (readiness assessment) and whether the home meets IV-E standards is still being developed.

Shared Living Agreements Shared Living Agreements are a best practice to be negotiated between the NMD and

provider/caregiver/roommate Examples of what to include in SLAs

Curfews (up to caregiver and NMD). Overnight guests (caregiver could restrict it or allow it). Using kitchen and utensils.

(caregiver can’t restrict it as off limits but could have “no cooking past midnight” rules.)

Allowances or passing along money for personal spending – it is not required but should be addressed in the Shared Living Agreement.

Meetings with Social Worker/ Probation Officer Monthly face-to-face meetings with Social Worker/PO

Youth and SW/PO work together to develop case plan reflecting goals to live independently, including:

The NMD’s supervised placement setting-where the youth is going to live

Permanent plan for transitioning to living independently which includes maintaining or obtaining permanent connections with caring, committed adults

TILP is updated every 6 months and submitted to court

Placement Agreements If a NMD remains in his or her current

placement no new placement agreement is required

for any change in placement by the NMD, each new placement requires a new placement agreement.

Placement agreements are being updated to be appropriate for the NMD rights a adults.

Assembly Bill (AB) 12 Licensing Regulations

Identified “Big Ticket” Sections

Definitions

Plan of Operation

Safeguards for Cash Resources, Personal

Property, and Valuables

Reporting Requirements

Admission/Intake Procedures

Criminal Record Clearance

Identified “Big Ticket” Sections, cont’d.

Removal or Discharge Procedures

Nonminor Dependents’ Records Personal Rights Expectations, Alternatives, and Consequences Health-Related Services Food Service Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision Activities Buildings and Grounds

Issue Guidance

Definitions New definitions applicable to nonminor dependents (NMDs)

Plan of Operation Information to be included in Plan of Operation to address NMDs.

Records Control of records shared by caregiver and NMD.

Definitions, Plan of Operation & Records

Issue Guidance

Safeguards for Cash Resources, Personal Property, and Valuables

Control of these resources shifts from the caregiver to a NMD.

Reporting requirements What is to be reported to licensing, placement agencies, and authorized representatives in regards to a NMD.

Criminal record clearance

NMD not subject to criminal record clearance to be in a children’s residential community care facility.

Safeguards, Reporting & Criminal Record Clearance

Admission/Intake Procedures

Process for the caregiver and a NMD regarding admission into a licensed children’s residential community care facility.

Appraisal of a NMD to address needs of a NMD, ability to meet needs, and compatibility of the NMD with the facility or home.

Removal or Discharge Procedures Reasons and procedures for removal or

discharge of a NMD from a children’s residential community care facility in an emergency or non-emergency situation.

Personal Rights

Personal Rights that apply to a NMD, e.g., allow NMD to acquire and maintain as well as possess and use personal items.

Expectations, Alternatives, and Consequences Reasonable expectations for living in the

facility or home with emphasis on reasonable alternatives and consequences for noncompliance with expectations.

A NMD is to participate in review based on needs.

May use Shared Living Agreement as a Model

Responsibility for Providing Care and Supervision

Caregiver to assist a NMD in developing skills necessary for self-sufficiency.

Issue Guidance

Activities Entitles a NMD to participate in activities of his or her own choosing

Food Permits a NMD to have opportunity to plan and prepare meals as well as be provided with meals.

Heath-Related Services Caregiver responsibility for health-related services to a NMD, e.g., assistance to a NMD with self-administration of medication.

Activities, Food & Health-Related Services

Buildings and Grounds

Permits a NMD to share a bedroom with a child or another NMD

Permits a NMD to have access to household items needed for cooking or cleaning.

Relative Approval Standards for NMDs Now that we have the draft of Article 3 of

the CCL regulations, the process for relative approval for NMD’s needs to be correspondingly modified to meet the new Article 3 standards.

Fingerprinting

Youth remaining in care in the same placement attaining age 18 – no fingerprints.

Youth who exit and re-enter – they may be fingerprinted only for the purpose of assessing the safety and appropriateness of placement in a facility that has minor dependents

County Grievance Procedures Grievance process currently exists for relative

approvals (not placement); defined in Division 31

Disputes arising around placement decisions – resolved through social worker, NMD and ultimately by the court

Other grievance processes around placements will be locally determined

QUESTIONS?