Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care Transitioning to Adulthood Joan Neuville March 26, 2013

Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care Transitioning to

Adulthood

Joan Neuville

March 26, 2013

TACE Center: Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute.Funded by RSA Grant # H264A080021. © 2013

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• How do children enter foster care?

• Who are the children in foster care?

• Who are the key players and what are their roles?

• What are the special circumstances/challenges of youth in foster care?

• What are strategies and available resources may be utilized to assist youth in transitioning from foster care.

Overview


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• The child welfare system consists of a variety of services (foster care, adoption, child protective services) that are designed to promote the safety and well being of children.

• Federal government primary role is to provide funding for services. Each state is responsible for service provision and the services are administered by counties providers.

Child Welfare System


4SUSPECTED CHILD CHILD ABUSE OR

NEGLECT

Professional/community member reports suspected abuse to CPS

Insufficient evidence of abuse/neglect unfounded

Report is screened in CPS investigates

No or low risk of future abuse found

Court petition may be filed

Child has been seriously harmed or serious risk of future abuse

found

Risk minimize

d case close

d

Child stays with family services provided to child and family

Case closed

Referred for voluntary services

Report is screened out may be referred elsewhere

Evidence of abuse or neglect founded

Reunification with family

Custody to

relative

TPR and adoption or permanent

legal guardianshi

p

Emancipatio

n (chil

d turns 18 or 21

while in foster

care)

Child removed from home(foster care) services provided to child and family

Process


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Who are the children in foster care?From AFCARS report JULY 2012• 400,540 children in foster care• 52% male,48% female• 92,000 are 14 to 20 years old and of those 31,000 are 17

years old• 47% live in a non relative foster home, 27% live in a

relative foster home, 6% in a group home and 9% are in an institution

• In 2008 29,000 youth aged out of the foster care system with little or no family or economic support

• Estimated 30%-40% have disabilities (no centralized record keeping)


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Common reasons for children entering foster care

• Child neglect, abuse, sexual abuse

• Child abandonment

• Criminal domestic violence

• Parent incarceration

• Volunteer relinquishment of parental rights


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Foster Care Placements

• Standard foster care

• Therapeutic or specialized foster care

• Kinship care

• Respite care

• Group homes/congregate living


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Key people and their roles

• Child Welfare (Case workers in Child Protective Services, Foster Care and Adoptions)

• Family Court (judge, Attorneys and Guardian Ad Litem)

• School Personnel

• Caseworkers from disability service agencies (ARC, UCPA, ILS, VR, State Developmental Disability services)

• Medical Personnel


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Key people and their roles (cont.)

• Mental Health

• Foster Care Placement (Relative or Non relative foster family, group home staff, institution staff)

• Relatives

• Juvenile justice

• Volunteers


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Special circumstances/challenges• Lack of reporting or under reporting of disability

• No centralized reporting data base of disability

• Implementation of services and funding differ from state to state

• Little coordination among service providers, schools, medical and mental health

• Loss of personal history and information due to multiple moves

• Behind in school due to multiple moves


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Special circumstances/ challenges (cont.)• Victims of crime including child abuse and sexual

abuse• High incidence of emotional and mental health

issues such as PTSD, Attachment and Conduct Disorder.

• No long term healthy adult relationships or support or traditional family support

• Difficulty bonding with adults • Continued contact with birth parents/birth family

after TPR• High incidence of pregnancy


12Special circumstances/ challenges for youth who age out of foster care

• Only 54% of earn a high school diploma• Approx. 20% attend college 2% earn Bachelors or

higher.• 25% struggle with homelessness• 30% lack health insurance• 51% unemployed• 33% deal with drug and alcohol and mental health

issue• High incidence of involvement with juvenile and

criminal justice


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Strategies/Resources• Foster Care Independent Living Act 1999 (aka

CFCIP)Assistance to help current & former foster youth achieve self sufficiency including programs designed to assist with education, employment, budgeting, emotional support. Most programs serve youth ages 14-21.

• Educational Training VoucherFinancial assistance up $5000/year to help pay for post secondary education and training


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Strategies/Resources (cont.)• Public law 110-351 (Fostering Connections) became

law in Oct 200890 days prior to turning 18 the state elect a caseworker, and, as appropriate, other representatives of the child provide the child with assistance and support in developing a transition plan that is personalized, at the direction of the child; and include specific options on: housing, health insurance, education, local opportunities for mentors and continuing support services, and work force supports and employment services, and is as detailed as the child may elect. (fosteringconnections.org)


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StrategiesUtilize all the same strategies and best practices with this

group of youth as you would with other populations

Independent living, transition plans, IEP’s and employment plans should all be:

• Individually driven youth should be actively involved in the planning and should advocates such as adult friends, extended family, current and previous foster family members and or guardian ad litem involvement.

• Should include clear, concise goals


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Strategies (cont.)Independent living, transition plans, IEP’s and employment

plans should all be:• Should include exposure to a variety of environments

that are of interest to the youth including job training, volunteer or hands on experiences.

• Exposure to post high school way of life and lifestyles including college campus visits, on campus living, etc.

• Most of all understand that foster care services encompass the whole person and you are the employment expert on the team. Be a willing advocate and train on best practices in employment. Help the team to understand the importance of utilizing current employment practices.


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Strategies: be the linkThe most important difference between youth with

disabilities aging out of foster care and other youth with disabilities is the lack of a stable home environment and loving nurturing adult/familial connections.


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Strategies: Foster the connectionsWhere to help foster these connections or

reconnections:• Older youth or adults who were in foster care and are

now self sufficient. (contact Foster Club or foster care services for a list of mentors in your area)

• Extended family members and their friends.• Family members or staff from previous foster placements• School personnel (favorite teachers, guidance

counselors, administrators)• Places of worship• Clubs, hobbies, special interest classes• Remember every connection is also a possible job

resource


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Strategies: Services and Key PlayersIn addition to the current services available to youth with disabilities, those in foster care often are involved with a multitude of other resources. Often these resources have little or no connection or knowledge about the other.


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Strategies: Services and Key PlayersBecome familiar with the services and key players in

the following areas in your community:• Department of Social Services foster care programs

particularly independent living and transition programs• Mental health services (including substance abuse) • Resources for teen pregnancy• Juvenile justice system • Public School System• Crime victim resources• Volunteer/mentor programs

Make a “friend” in each of these area…someone you can got to with questions/concerns


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Transitional Plans to include:

Strategies from fostering connections.org


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Resources• National Crime Victims Center (PTSD), sexual abuse

• Mental Health Centers

• Medical Universities or Medical Centers

• Adoption And Safe Families Act of1997

• 2004 reauthorization of the IDEA

• Foster Care Independence Act of 1999

• John H Chafee Foster Care Independence Program

• FosteringConnections.org


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Comments & Questions


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Contact Information

Joan Neuville

at: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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THANK YOU!

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Education CreditsCRCC Credit - (2.0 - pending)Pending approval by Commission on Rehabilitation

Counselor Certification (CRCC) • By April 10, 2013, participants must score 80% or

better on a online Post Test and submit an online CRCC Request Form via the MyTACE Portal.

My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal


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Southeast TACE Region IV

Toll-free: (866) 518-7750 [voice/tty]

Fax: (404) 541-9002

Web: TACEsoutheast.org

My TACE Portal: TACEsoutheast.org/myportal

Email: [email protected]


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Disclaimer

This presentation was developed by the Southeast TACE Center: Region IV ©2013 with funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) under the priority of Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Projects (TACE) – Grant #H264A080021. However, the contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of the RSA and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government [34 CFR 75.620 (b)].

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Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care Transitioning to Adulthood Joan Neuville March 26, 2013