Minimum Time Requirement to Access AB 12 Services?

Q: I am a social worker for a youth who entered foster care at age 17, just five months prior to her 18^th birthday. Will she still be eligible for extended foster care even though she will have only been in care for five months prior to turning 18? I ask this because there was no hearing 6 months prior to her 18^th birthday to discuss the plan for how she would meet the participation requirements.

A: Yes, this young woman would be eligible for extended foster care. There is no minimum time a youth must be foster care prior to turning age 18 to be eligible. She would be required to meet the same eligibility criteria as all youth:

• have an order for foster care placement on his/her 18th birthday;

•  continue under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as a dependent, under transitional jurisdiction or as a ward;

• meet one of the five  participation conditions;

• and agree to live in a supervised placement that is licensed or approved under new standards for 18 to 21 year olds.

 Source:  Welf. & Inst. Code § 11400(v), Welf. & Inst. Code § 11402, Welf. & Inst. Code § 11403(b) 

Death of a guardian, relative, or adoptive parent of former NMD

Q: I am a social worker for a youth who was participating in extended foster care at age 18, and was then adopted by a former foster parent. When the youth was 19, her adoptive parent unexpectedly passed away. What options does this youth now have? Can she re-enter foster care?

A: Yes, a former non-minor dependent who has reached permanency, but whose  adoptive parent (or former guardian) dies before the youth’s 21st birthday, may re-enter extended foster care as recently clarified in Assembly Bill 787, chaptered October 2nd (Chapter 487, Statutes of 2013).

Free money for foster youth for college or career training

Q: I am working with a foster youth who will be applying soon to college. He told me that once he goes off to school he doesn’t want anyone to know he is in foster care. Are there benefits he may miss out on by not identifying himself?

A: Yes. While it is understandable why a youth may make the choice to not identify as a foster youth, it may have a cost. For example, foster youth who identify themselves as in foster care after the age of 13 do not have to report parental income on financial aid forms. Additionally, some foster youth are eligible for additional financial aid of up to $5000 based on their foster youth status through the Chafee Education and Training Voucher. Foster youth also have access to priority registration. Finally, foster youth support programs housed on campuses can provide additional academic, personal and financial benefits. He can also be told that the college staff have an obligation to keep information about his foster care status confidential.

How to locate THP+FC programs across the state

Q: I am a social worker and would like to place a youth in a THP-Plus Foster Care (THP+FC) program. I am not familiar with any providers in my county who operate a THP+FC program. Is there a way to locate providers in nearby counties?

A: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) maintains an updated list of licensed THP+FC providers accessible at the following URL: 
http://www.childsworld.ca.gov/res/pdf/THP_FCList.pdf. This list is updated approximately twice per month and includes the date a provider’s rate was set and which housing models providers have received rates for.

In addition, the John Burton Foundation maintains a roster of THP+FC providers based on the CDSS list, organized by county and designed for social workers and youth in search of licensed providers. This list includes contact information on the point person for each program and is available on the THP-Plus website: http://www.thpplus.org.