SUBPART C: DEPARTMENT CHILD WELFARE SERVICES
A. Description and Purpose
The Youth in Transition Program (YTP) provides supplemental services and cash maintenance payments to adolescent youth for whom the Department is legally responsible who are not in the Youth in College Program (YCP) or the Department Scholarship program and who are employed full-time or part-time and/or are attending school full-time or part-time. The purpose of these services and payments is to motivate and enable youth to attain economic independence and social maturity.
The procedures that follow describe:
o the eligibility requirements of the program
o how to gain approval for a youth to enter the program
o the initial and ongoing service planning necessary to successfully guide a youth through the program and monitor the youth's progress
o payment provisions of the program
o termination of services or discharge from the program
B. Eligibility Requirements
Adolescents considered for entrance into the YTP must meet the following criteria:
1) Youth must be seventeen (17) years of age but not yet 21; and
2) The Department must have court ordered legal responsibility for the adolescent or must have transferred legal responsibility to a successor guardian in accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 302 (Section 302.400); and
3) The permanency goal for the youth must be independence and the time limit for goal achievement shall be established upon date of entry into the program. Generally, the established time period for youth not attending college shall be six months to one year. A time period of more than one year, not to exceed an additional 12 months, requires prior approval of the Regional Administrator/Cook County designee; and
4) The youth must have received some basic independent living skills training and be able to demonstrate minimal readiness based on a current (within last six months) life skills assessment or a referral to the PAL program must be made and life skills assessment administered to the youth; and
5) The youth shall reside in a home or a facility which receives no maintenance (room and board) payments for the youth from DCFS for any period of time during which the youth is receiving YTP cash payments; and
6) All other possible funding sources must have been applied for in order to supplement the program, e.g., Social Security, Veteran's Benefits, etc., which provide a cash value of a minimum of $100 per month; and
7) The youth is capable of contributing a minimum of $100 per month to his/her financial support through a combination of earned income or other sources of income (unearned); and
8) The youth must be in one of these three situations:
a) employed at least 20 hours per week, or
b) enrolled in a secondary educational or vocational program and attending as a full-time student. For youth enrolled full-time in college or a post secondary vocational training program, see the Youth in College Program (YCP); or
c) enrolled as a part-time student (college or vocational training program) for at least the equivalent of eight semester hours and be employed at least ten hours per week; and
9) The youth and the Department must mutually agree to a service contract that details the tasks and life skills that must be accomplished in order to receive YTP payments. The agreement shall include the agreed upon tasks of the caseworker, the terms of payment that the Department will make, and the time limits to achieve specific goals for the contract to continue and eventually be completed. The CFS 497 can be used as this contract.
C. Approval
Prior to acceptance into the program, the youth's worker shall obtain the approval of his/her supervisor and the Supervisor of Field Services/Regional YTP Coordinator. Material to be reviewed shall include the following.
1) A summary of the adolescent's experiences with the Department and basic information about him/her such as age, birth place, medical and dental examination results, and any recent (within one year) educational and/or psychological reports. All medical and dental examinations should be current before acceptance into the program. The summary should include information which illustrates the adolescent's maturity and readiness to enter the YTP and document that a referral to the PAL program was made and a life skills assessment administered.
2) Current CFS 497 series which demonstrates the permanency planning goal of independence and identifies the adolescent's level of functioning and individual needs as well as a schedule of required meetings and a projected discharge date set as one of the objectives.
When the worker's supervisor and the Supervisor of Field Services/Regional YTP Coordinator concur that YTP is appropriate the worker shall:
1) Complete a Placement/Payment Authorization form (CFS 906) to reflect the independent living situation and authorize payment up to $250 using Service Code 0701; and (See Section F for payment provisions as well as Procedures 359.)
2) Provide the Supervisor of Field Services/Regional YTP Coordinator with a copy of all appropriate documentation including the Youth in Transition Program Application and CFS 497.
D. Service Planning
A service plan (CFS 497) will be developed for each youth in the YTP. The CFS 497 will be reviewed at the beginning of each term (minimally every six months) for youth in any educational/vocational program (see YCP), and at least every six months for those youth who are not in school but who are employed.
The CFS 497 shall include:
1) A statement of a permanency goal of independence and date for achievement of that goal.
2) Specifications of services to be provided, including the frequency of direct contact with the caseworker.
3) A schedule of quarterly contacts with youth in college or junior college. (See YCP)
4) A schedule of in-person contacts with youth living independently which range from weekly or monthly to semi-annually depending on the youth's living situation and stability. The frequency of contacts will be established by the supervisor and caseworker and noted in the service plan. Telephone and mail contacts may be appropriate to supplement the in-person contacts.
5) When the youth is in need of the following "life skills" a schedule of training sessions shall be planned. Specific areas of training may be selected from the following list, depending on the youth's needs:
- Money Management. This skill is taught both by giving the youth the responsibility of arranging and paying for necessities as well as by casework monitoring and education in designing budgets.
- Vocational and Career Planning. This area is discussed with the youth during casework visits and counseling sessions in order to help him/her to evaluate progress in current program and future plans. The youth employment coordinator from the Department of Employee Security should be involved if available.
- Legal Rights and Responsibilities. Knowledge of basic areas of legal involvement will be taught to the youth during the counseling sessions. It shall include discussions regarding landlord and tenant rights, laws governing the use of credit, legal issues which may arise in employment and any other areas appropriate for the particular adolescent.
- Sex Education and Family Planning. Information regarding these areas shall be made available to adolescents in the program and will be discussed during counseling meetings in order to assure that the youth is aware of basic facts.
- Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. An alcoholism and drug abuse expert shall conduct at least one counseling session with the youth in order to impart information and to respond to the adolescent's questions. If it is determined that he/she is in need of further information or treatment, this shall be provided as recommended by the specialist.
- Adjustment Counseling. This is to be provided at several different levels. Weekly counseling sessions and casework contact would provide time for discussions regarding adjustment. If group counseling is available, peer exchanges of experiences would be a very effective teaching mechanism and support system. Finally, the caseworker must be available to the youth when the adolescent feels that he is confronted with a situation which he feels incapable of resolving.
- Homemaking Skills. The adolescent shall receive instruction in basic cooking, cleaning and personal care skills. Homemakers may be used to provide this instruction.
6) Family Counseling. The families of adolescents shall be seen by the caseworker monthly if appropriate. A good relationship between the youth and his parents is a desired goal and shall be part of the service program.
E. Monitoring
1) Verification of Employment/School. Workers (the YTP Coordinator in Cook County) shall, in writing, verify with an employer the youth's job status, including attendance and income, during the first month of employment and every three months thereafter. Verification of a student's enrollment and progress must also be made with the educational program.
2) Worker Contact. In-person contacts with youth living independently will range from weekly or monthly to semi-annually depending on the youth's living situation and stability. The frequency of contact will be established by the supervisor and worker and noted in the service plan. Telephone and mail contacts may be appropriate to supplement the in-person contacts.
3) Evaluation of Progress. The youth's progress shall be evaluated during the case review in accordance with Procedures 305, Client Service Planning. A copy of the CFS 497 series shall, in addition to those specified in the procedures, be given to the Supervisor of Field Services/Regional YTP Coordinator. The youth's progress toward the desired achievements for discharge shall be detailed on the 497 series.
4) Income Redeterminations. Income redeterminations are to be made every six months as a regular part of the case review for those youth who are employed.
F. Financial Provision
1) Direct Payment to Youth. Payments to the adolescent by the Department will be made to him/her by mail.
2) Payment Stops. Payments shall be stopped immediately if the youth fails to attend two (2) scheduled appointments with the worker or counselor, or if the youth drops out of the educational/vocational program or fails to meet YTP requirements set forth in Sections D, E and G within three months after leaving school. The youth shall be notified in writing and may request a review of the decision in accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 309, Review and Approval Process.
3) Initial Expenses. Initial expenses related to setting up a household may be partially subsidized by the Department. The adolescent will present an itemized list of necessities to the worker. They will review it and the worker will authorize the payments of the necessary amount up to $200 (0702) using a CFS 931-1, Purchase Authorization.
4) Start-up Grant. A start-up grant is the monthly payment of $250 given to the youth as an initial independent living payment. This start-up grant (0703) will be received by the youth and, at the same time, the foster parents will receive their last board payment. Use CFS 931-1, Purchase Authorization to authorize the start-up grant.
5) Initiating Regular Payments. The worker will start the regular monthly YTP grant by completing a CFS 906 using service code 0701 effective the first day the youth begins living independently. Payment to the foster parents will terminate on the same day.
6) Medical and Dental Payments. Youth in YTP will receive a Medicaid card to cover medical and dental needs.
7) Income and YTP Payment. There is no limit on how much income a youth may have from earned or unearned income services, although the youth must be capable of contributing a minimum of $100 per month through a combination of earned or unearned sources of income. Youth may earn up to $250 per month initially from the YTP program by achieving tasks in the YTP service agreement. The terms of payment and tasks achieved will be specified in the service agreement. A scheduled reduction of $50 per month at six month intervals will be applied after twelve months resulting in monthly maximums as follows:
$250 from 0-12 months
$200 from 13-18 months
$150 from 19-24 months
These reductions will not occur automatically but must be controlled and adjusted at the regional level.
G. Termination of YTP
The YTP service agreement will be terminated upon successful completion and emancipation. Service agreements will have a maximum time limit of 24 months. Payments will not be made after a youth's 21st birthday.
1) Successful Completion
Youth will have successfully completed their service agreement when:
A) The youth has been employed for at least six consecutive months or has been able to earn $700 per month (exclusive of YTP payments) for three consecutive months, and
B) The youth has obtained safe, affordable housing, and
C) The youth has received instruction in basic living skills or has shown other evidence of knowledge regarding basic independent living skills, and
D) The youth has completed the other specific tasks detailed in the individual service agreement.
After all these goals have been met and before the 24 month maximum time limit (whichever comes first), the youth will be terminated from YTP.
Bonus for Early Completion
A $500 bonus will be paid to youth for completing the terms of the YTP service agreement early and becoming emancipated in a time period of 12 months or less after admission into YTP.
2) Failure to Complete
The service agreements will be terminated with 14 day's notice to the youth when the following violations occur:
A) Youth is without employment for three consecutive months.
B) The youth has failed to complete identified tasks in the service agreement within the specified time frames.
C) The youth has failed to cooperate with the persons identified in the service agreement.
D) The youth fails to comply with the initial eligibility requirements or any other stated financial or programmatic requirements of the program.
3) Referrals to Other Programs
Referrals can be made to other programs offered by DCFS such as supervised independent living, foster homes, group homes or institutions, when a youth is not eligible, not successful or not cooperative with YTP and termination of guardianship is undesirable or irresponsible.
Terminating a youth from YTP does not necessitate terminating guardianship.
4) Reinstatements
Youth terminated from the program may be reinstated provided the total time of all payments made through YTP does not exceed 24 months and the youth meets all other eligibility requirements.