SUBPART C: DEPARTMENT CHILD WELFARE SERVICES
A. Description and Purpose |
The Youth in College Program (YCP) provides supplemental services and cash maintenance payments to youth for whom the Department is legally responsible and who are enrolled full time in college or other post high school educational programs. The purpose of these services and payments is to motivate and enable youth to attain economic independence and social maturity while at the same time completing their education.
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 YCP must meet the following criteria:
1) Youth must be a high school graduate or have a GED equivalent; 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. Generally, the established time period for youth attending college shall continue until graduation or age 21, whichever occurs first, provided all other eligibility criteria are met; and
4) The youth must have received some basic independent living skills training and be able to demonstrate minimal readiness based on a life skills assessment; 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 YCP cash payments; and
6) All other possible funding sources must have been applied for in order to supplement the program, e.g., Social Security orVeteran's Benefits, general education scholarships, student loans, tuition waiver or full-year tuition scholarships 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 enrolled in college or a post high school educational or vocational program and attending as a full-time student; 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 YCP 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.
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 YCP.
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 YCP 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 0720. (See Section F for payment provisions as well as procedures 359.); and
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 YCP and reviewed minimally every six months.
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 worker.
3) Specifications that the student will provide the worker with information concerning his progress, scholastic standing and earned or unearned income at the end of each quarter or semester, as applicable.
E. Monitoring
1) Verification of School Enrollment. Workers (the YTP Coordinator in Cook County) shall verify with the school, college, junior college, trade school, etc., in writing, the youth's acceptance and enrollment into their program and the financial aid package available to the youth at the beginning of each term. The youth shall submit to his/her worker (the YTP Coordinator in Cook County) a copy of his grade report to verify his academic progress at the completion of each school term. Students are expected to maintain grades acceptable to the school. The worker (the YTP Coordinator in Cook County) shall request the school to notify DCFS if the youth drops out of school.
2) Worker Contacts. The worker shall contact the student at least quarterly to verify continuing school attendance and to provide whatever supportive counseling may be necessary. 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 or for those students attending school out-of-state.
3) Income Redeterminations. Income redeterminations are to be made at the beginning of each term for youth in the YCP program.
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 drops out of college/vocational program or fails to meet the other YCP requirement. 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, if necessary for a youth entering the YCP program, 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 (0721) using a CFS 931-1, Purchase Authorization.
4) Start-up Grant. For the first year of school, a start-up grant of $250 will be given to the youth as an initial independent living payment. This start-up grant (0722) will be received by the youth one month prior to the first day of school 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 grant by completing a CFS 906 using service code 0720 effective the first day the youth is at school. Payment to the foster parents will terminate on the same day YCP payments are started for the youth.
6) Medical and Dental Payments. Youth in YCP will receive a Medicaid card to cover medical and dental needs.
7) Income and YCP 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. Youth will receive $250 per month from the YCP program for the first 12 months. 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 19-48 months
These reductions will not occur automatically but must be controlled and adjusted at the regional level.
G. Termination of YCP
1) The YCP service agreement will be terminated upon graduation or emancipation. Service agreements will have a maximum time limit of 48 months. Payments will not be made after a youth's 21st birthday.
2) Students will be terminated from the YCP if they fail to meet the minimum continuing eligibility requirements of their college, university or institution, income of at least $100, and a minimum class load of 12 hours. Students will be allowed one school term (probationary term) to rectify their eligibility.
3) In order for a youth to continue in the YCP beyond 24 months, they must reapply for the YCP program through the YTP Coordinator, they must have a cumulative "C" average and have income of at least $100 per month in addition to the YCP payment. Copies of the student's grades must be submitted by the student to the Caseworker and YTP coordinator each term.
4) Referrals to Other Programs
Referrals can be made to other programs offered by DCFS such as YTP, supervised independent living, foster homes, group homes or institutions, when a youth is not eligible, not successful or not cooperative with YCP and termination of guardianship is undesirable or irresponsible. Terminating the YCP service agreement does not necessitate terminating guardianship.
5) Reinstatement
Terminated students may be reinstated provided the total time of all payments made through YCP does not exceed 48 months. In any case, payments will not be made after a youth's 21st birthday, marriage, or termination of guardianship.