CPS-Transitional Living Services

1
CPS-Transitional Living Services

• Experiential Life Skills Training beginning at
  age 14
• Circles of Support (age 16 and up)
• Preparation for Adult Living (PAL)
  Services/Benefits
• Extended Care Program that allows for a Trial
  Independence Period
• Foster Youth Transition Center Collaborations
• Texas College Tuition and Fee Waivers
• Education and Training Vouchers (ETV)
• Transitional Medicaid (MTFCY)/Star Health ages
  18, 19 and up to 21
• Health Care Benefits for Former Foster Care Youth
  in Higher Education (FFCHE)
• ages 21 and up to 22

2
Fostering Connections-Extended Foster Care

• Effective October 1, 2010-Extended Care
  Assistance options increased for youth. To
  qualify youth must be
• 18 up to 22 years of age and regularly attending
  high school or a GED program or
• 18 to 21 years of age and regularly attending or
  participating in
• An institution of higher education or a
  postsecondary vocational or technical program
  (minimum 6 hours per semester)
• A program or activity that promotes or removes
  barriers to employment
• Employed at least 80 hours a month or
• If the youth is incapable of performing all of
  the above activities due to a documented medical
  condition
• Effective 9/19/2011-Trial Independence Period
• Young adults are now permitted to return from a
  trial independence period to Extended Foster Care
  at any time prior to their 21st birthday.
• After age 18, Court jurisdiction will be extended
  for 6 months (or 12 months if court ordered)

3
New Supervised Independent Living (SIL)

• Upcoming Agency Initiative (Sept 2012)
• A component of the Extended Foster Care Program
• SIL will allow youth ages 18 up to 21
  opportunities to live in a wider range of
  independent living settings that promote
  increased independence with different levels of
  supervision. SIL Settings will include
• Host homes,
• non-college/college dorm settings,
• shared housing, and
• Apartments
• Minimum case management oversight

4
Texas Foster Youth Transition Centers

• 16 Foster Youth Transition Centers are located in
  all 11 DFPS Regions.
• Serve youth 15 ½ up to age 25
• Transition Centers serve as a central
  clearinghouse of one-stop services such as
• PAL Life Skills training/Case Management Services
• Job readiness/Job search training and Job
  Placements
• Career exploration
• Provide Housing assistance
• Mentoring/Crisis Intervention
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counseling
• Collaborations and partnerships with local
  Colleges/ Universities to host College Fairs,
  assist youth with enrollment, applying for
  financial aid and long-term education goals.

5
Texas State Tuition Fee Waiver-Part 1

• Texas State Tuition and Fee Waiver Exemption was
  originally enacted in 1993 and revised in 1997,
  2003, 2007 and 2009.
• Foster Youth Eligibility Must be in DFPS
  conservatorship on or after
• The day preceding the student's 18th birthday
• The day of the student's 14th birthday, if also
  eligible for adoption on or after that day and
• The date the student graduates from high school
  or receives the equivalent
• Effective 9/1/2009-Available to students who
  enroll in a dual credit course or other course in
  which they may earn joint high school and college
  credit. Must be in DFPS conservatorship on the
  day of enrollment.
• Youth may access ETV funds beginning at age 16 to
  cover dual credit course expenses in addition to
  the state tuition and fee waiver.
• Youth must enroll in an institution of higher
  education as an undergraduate not later than the
  youth's 25th birthday.

6
Texas State Tuition Fee Waiver-Part 2

• OTHER ELIGIBLE YOUTH
• Adopted Youth
• Adoption occurred on or after September 1, 2009
  (no age range). Must enroll in higher education
  not later than the student's 25th birthday.
• Adopted and subject of an adoption assistance
  agreement for monthly financial assistance and
  Medicaid (no age limit to enroll in higher
  education). Effective June, 2003.
• Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC) of a
  Youth
• PMC of the youth was granted to an individual
  other than the youths parent on or after
  September 1, 2009. Must enroll in higher
  education not later than the student's 25th
  birthday.
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  provides an academic year accounting of tuition
  and fees waived which is used as the 20 ETV
  Match.

7
Education and Training Vouchers-Part 1

• The ETV Program provides resources to
  specifically meet the education and training
  needs for youth aging out of foster care
• ETV Eligibility
• Youth must be enrolled in a public, private, or
  non-profit accredited or pre-accredited
  institution of higher education (authorized to
  operate in Texas)
• Youth must be enrolled at least 6 credit hours
  per semester
• Based on need, ETV allows up to 5,000 in
  financial assistance per academic year
• Pays for housing/basic living expenses, tuition
  and fees (if applicable), transportation, books,
  supplies, computers, child care, etc.
• Limited availability to youth who enroll in dual
  credit courses or other courses in which they may
  earn joint high school and college credit
• May be used for on-line college courses with
  prior approval
• DFPS contracted Baptist Child and Family Services
  in June 2009 to administer the ETV Program
• 1410 youth served in Academic Year 2010-2011

8
Education and Training Vouchers (ETV)- Part 2

• Eligible youth
• Youth in foster care who are at least 16 and
  likely to remain care until 18 or
• Youth who aged out of care but have not yet
  turned age 21 or
• Not yet age 21 and are adopted after turning age
  16 or
• Youth not yet 21 and enter Permanency Care
  Assistance after age 16 (New Rule-Beginning Sept
  1 2010).
• Youth age 21 up to age 23 if continuously
  enrolled in postsecondary education or
  vocational/technical training and making
  satisfactory academic progress.
• ETV is also available to youth who are in the
  custody of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  and are in a Title IV-E placement when turning
  18.

9
Other Higher Education Resources Collaborations

• Texas Reach Conferences
• House Bill 452-College Housing Assistance-Winter
  Breaks and Summer terms
• Statewide Teen Conferences
• Scholarships for Residential Housing
• University of Texas at Arlington
• University of Texas-Pan Am
• Texas State University
• Mentoring and Support Program for students
• Austin Community College-Campus Champions
• Texas State University-San Marcos, Texas-FACES
  Program
• University of Texas-San Antonio
• Sam Houston State University-FORWARD Program
• Texas AM University-Commerce, Texas

10
CPS-State Transitional Living Services

• Shannon Ramsey Program Lead
• Shannon.Ramsey_at_dfps.state.tx.us
• [phone]
• Gaye Vopat PAL/NYTD Lead
• Gaye.Vopat_at_dfps.state.tx.us
• [phone]
• Courtney Jones State ETV/Youth Specialist
• Courtney.Jones_at_dfps.state.tx.us
• [phone]
• Transitional Living Services Website
• http//www.dfps.state.tx.us/
• DFPS Youth Friendly website/NYTD Survey
• www.texasyouthconnection.org