SUBPART C: DEPARTMENT CHILD WELFARE SERVICES
A. Description and Purpose
The Department Scholarship Program provides supplemental services and maintenance payments, except tuition, to adolescents for whom the Department is legally responsible who have been selected for the program by the DCFS Scholarship Committee. The purpose of the program is to ensure that those selected can earn a college or university bachelor's degree in four years.
B. Eligibility Requirements
Each year a maximum of twelve (12) students who have completed four years in an accredited high school may be selected as scholarship recipients. At least two of those selected shall be the children of veterans. The Chairman of the Scholarship Committee will notify all DCFS offices of the deadline for submission of applications in the spring of each year. Adolescents considered for scholarships must meet the following criteria:
1) Youth must be a high school graduate 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
4) The youth must have submitted through their worker CFS-438, Scholarship Application, high school transcript, and ACT, SAT or equivalent aptitude scores and
5) The youth must have an outstanding high school scholastic record, aptitude for and interest in higher education and
6) The youth must have applied for other appropriate scholarships and benefits (e.g., Illinois State Scholarship Commission Grant, Basic Educational Opportunity Grant, Supplemental Educational Grant, Work Study and National Defense Student Loans and Social Security and Veterans Benefits) and
7) The youth must be able to provide approximately one-third of his basic living costs from earned income, unearned income, scholarships or savings.
C. Approval
Department scholarships are awarded by a Scholarship Committee based upon applications submitted. Selection is based on scholastic record, aptitude, resources available to the youth and interest in higher education. When the adolescent's worker is notified that an adolescent on his caseload has been awarded a Department Scholarship, the worker shall complete a child module to reflect the independent living situation and authorize payment in accordance with procedures 359, Authorized Child Care Payments.
D. Service Planning
A service plan (CFS 497) will be developed for each scholarship recipient and reviewed at the beginning of each quarter or semester, but minimally every six months in accordance with procedures 305, Client Service Planning.
The CFS 497 shall include:
1) A statement of a permanency goal of independent living and date of planned achievement.
2) Specifications of services to be provided including worker contact at least quarterly.
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 Scholastic Program. At the end of each quarter or semester the student shall provide the worker with documentation that grades acceptable to the college or university are being maintained and that a full academic schedule is being carried.
2) Materials to Scholarship Chairman. The worker shall send the quarter or semester grades to the scholarship chairman. When the student withdraws or is terminated from school the worker shall apprise the scholarship chairman immediately.
3) 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.
F. Financial Provision
1) Tuition and Fee Waiver. If the student attends an Illinois
state college or university and does not have a tuition scholarship or a fee scholarship from another source, the scholarship chairman will request waiver of both tuition and fees as available by statute.
2) Direct Payment to Youth. Department payments to the adolescent will be made by mail and may not exceed $250 monthly.
3) Initial Expenses. Initial expenses related to setting up a household may be partially subsidized by the Department (maximum $200) in accordance with procedures 359, Authorized Child Care Payments.
4) Start-Up Grant. For the first year of college a start-up grant of $250 will be given to the youth as an initial independent living payment. This start-up grant (0803) 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 0801 effective the first day the youth is at school. Unless the youth attends summer school, payment will be terminated on the 906 using service code 0801 effective the last day the youth is at school. Payment to foster parents will terminate on the same day payment is started for the youth. If the youth returns to foster care for the summer, payment may begin again to the foster parents effective on the same date scholarship payment is terminated to the youth.
6) Summer Payments. Scholarship payments (Service Code 0801) may continue through the summer months only when the student attends summer school. When the youth does not attend summer school, YCP payments may be considered unless the student can support himself during the summer months from earnings. If the student returns to foster care, follow the procedures described in item 5 above.
7) Medical and Dental Payments. Youth who are in the Department's scholarship program are eligible for a Medicaid card while attending college. When legal responsibility is maintained by the Department and the youth returns to a foster home during the summer months the worker should complete and submit form CFS 906 to ensure that the Medicaid card is forwarded to the foster parents' address for the summer months.
8) Fee and Book Payment. In addition to the monthly payment to the youth, the Department may, when the youth does not have sufficient resources and has documented such to the worker, pay for required school fees and text books out of the Children's Personal and Physical Maintenance budgetary line. Tuition shall not be paid by DCFS.
9) Guardianship Termination or Marriage. Termination of guardianship or marriage followed by guardianship termination does not terminate a four-year scholarship. The Department will continue to make monthly payments to the youth and medical needs will continue to be met under the Medicaid program.
G. Discharge from the Scholarship Program
1) Upon completion of four years in the scholarship program or securing of a bachelor's degree at an accelerated equivalent the worker shall terminate payment and close the child's case (see AP#5 concerning closure). The worker shall also notify the scholarship chairman.
2) When the student, following selection as a scholarship student, fails to enroll in school, the worker shall notify the scholarship chairman, terminate any Service Code 0801 payment initiated and ensure that the adolescent is in another appropriate program or receiving appropriate services if DCFS maintains legal responsibility.
3) When the student, following enrollment in school, fails to achieve and maintain grade standards of the school, is dismissed for disciplinary reasons, or voluntarily withdraws without good cause, the worker shall notify the scholarship chairman for instructions regarding continuation or termination of the student's scholarship.