1. Welcome! Using Family Group Decision Making to Enhance Youth Transition Plans

2. What are some of the barriers youth face when they age out or leave foster care?

3. Statistics for Youth Aging Out of Care – 2012 3.3 Million – Reports of violence against children resulting in 251,764 placed in the foster care system 23, 439 children aged out of foster care 1 in 5 will become homeless after age 18 Only ½ will be employed by age 24 Less than 3% earn a college degree 71 % of young women will be pregnant by age 21 1 in 4 will experience PTSD 1 in 4 will be involved in the justice system within 2 years of leaving the foster care system

4. Statistics for Youth Aging Out of Care Cont. Each year, 26,000 youth transition to adulthood without the typical growing-up experiences that teach self-sufficiency skills, and without family supports and community networks that help them make successful transitions. Some states have extended care through the ages of 20 or 21. (ACT 91) Youth in foster care often do not get the help they need with high school completion, employment, accessing health care, continued educational opportunities, housing and transitional living arrangements. What should be a gradual transition often becomes an abrupt loss that puts them at risk of negative outcomes.

5. The Paradigm Shift: FGDM YTC Youth Transition Conferences are Family Group Decision Making Conferences modified to meet the needs of a youth in transition Some of these changes require a change in thinking from what is traditionally expected out of a FGDM Conference

6. FGDM VS. YTC ● Family Tradition (optional) ● Information Sharing ● Family Meal ● Private Family Time ● Presentation of Family Plan and Acceptance ●Family Picture ●Schedule Follow Up ●Surveys ● Youth Tradition (optional) ● Information Sharing ● Meal ● Planning Time ● Group Picture ● Schedule Follow Up ● Surveys FGDM

7. How FGDM becomes a YTC Youth aging out of foster care are identified as being in transition and a referral for YTC is made Later in the presentation we will discuss timelines for referrals Necessary transition domains are identified and become the “bottom lines” or “goals” of the conference. These domains include: finances & money management, employment, life skills, identity, permanence, education, self-care, housing, transportation, and community culture Time lines for the meeting are discussed and the coordinator meets with the youth – the youth becomes the “point person” for coordinating the meeting Establishing lifelong connections

8. Why are these meetings called Youth Transition Conferences? Because that is what it is! Focus on the youth rather than family Sometimes these meetings include more professionals than family Taking the word “family” out and replacing it with “youth” when talking about YTCs and typing the plan

9. Connecting YTCs and Court Ordered Transitioning Planning YTC plans can be used as supplemental information to submit to the court with the youth’s transition plan These transition plans are due 90 days prior to the youth’s 18 th birthday and need to be approved by the court For youth who are choosing to stay in care, the transition plan should show how they will meet Act 91 eligibility requirements Act 91 requirements will be reviewed later in the presentation For youth who are choosing to leave care at 18, the transition plan will establish their supports, goals and lay out a “safety net” explaining their options if they are not successful independently

10. Transition Domains Finances ▪ Money Management Job ▪ Career Life Skills Identity Permanence Education Self Care ▪ Heath Housing Transportation Community ▪ Culture ▪ Social Life

11. Time Frames Referral is made 5-6 months prior to youth’s 18 th birthday Conference held 3 months prior to youth’s 18 th birthday Done so that there is enough time for the YTC plan to be submitted to court as a supplemental plan Coordination may take longer for a YTC than FGDM Approximately 60 days YTC lasts about the same amount of time as a FGDM Conference

12. Upon receiving a Youth Transition Conference Referral Establishing an appropriate purpose and bottom line goals for a YTC This should be discussed and introduced by the referral source to the youth aging out of care before the coordinator contacts the youth Coordinators will collaborate with referral source to create bottom line goals that reflect the necessary transition plan domains and any case specific needs.

13. Upon receiving a Youth Transition Conference Referral Common Purpose statements for Youth Transition Conferences: To create a plan for John to successfully transition into adulthood To create a plan for John to successfully transition out of care Common Bottom Line Goals for Youth Transition Conferences: 1 – John to create a plan for success for his future to include schooling/training/career, housing, transportation, employment, finance/budgeting, medical/mental health needs, medical insurance and include backup plan for each for once he turns 18 years old 2 - Ways John and his supports will maintain contact and a connection with each other 3 - To identify additional supports and resources for John to be successful for his future and how the supports/resource can assist him **These Purpose and Bottom Line Goals are common to youth having a YTC, however, bottom line goals may also be added to and/or modified to meet the individual’s situation and needs.

14. Pulling it all together Coordination ID youth is the “go to person” to create the invite list This is truly the youth’s meeting Best to meet with the youth in person Discussion of reason for the meeting and who can attend Explaining the benefits of having a meeting This meeting is totally youth driven

15. Challenges a coordinator may face Child in a faraway placement, distance of family supports Lack of family willing to support and how to handle this with youth Youth’s unrealistic expectation Unruly parents/supports, side agendas, and any other safety concerns Lack of follow through with the transition plan How to engage youth and the importance of re-approaching youth who initially refuse a YTC Making it a celebration as the youth is entering the next stage in life Reiterating benefits of the meeting Gaining support from case worker and others involved with the youth To discuss making this a part of the IL process for youth in care Discussion of the importance of fostering lifelong connection

16. Widening the Circle Common people who attend and are identified to be invited to a YTC… Often times more professionals than supports will attend Questions and tools to use to identify supports in a youth’s life “Non-traditional” Family Finding can help in this area to locate bio family in applicable (i.e.: failed adoption cases) Meet with “key players” in person to review the purpose and structure of a YTC Contact all other supports via phone Discuss with participants other methods of participation if they cannot attend in person

17. This is an individualized meeting Discuss with the ID child any traditions, likes, preferences, location they are comfortable with holding the meeting (if any) Youth may identify CYS/CYF building - why? Identify if there is a special favorite meal of the youth that a family member can bring with them or can be recreated and be available at the meeting Encourage family supports to bring the youth’s favorite food to the meeting (if willing and attending) Service providers are often willing to contribute Making the meeting is like a celebration for the youth If the youth is graduating, having a graduation cake for him/her, have a birthday cake for the youth turning 18 or 21 Use youth’s favorite colors for napkins, plates, etc.… Making this meeting very youth specific to who they are and a positive memory for them Making sure a picture is taken at the YTC of all supports with the youth Ideas of what coordinators have done with the conference photo

18. The YTC Pre-Conference Includes service providers, professionals invited and referring worker Some of the challenges of scheduling a pre-conference When to schedule a pre-conference What to discuss Bottom lines Prepping strengths, concerns, and resources Planning for challenges that may come up at the YTC Explaining planning time in YTCs

19. Youth Transition Conference ● Youth Tradition (optional) ● Information Sharing ● Introductions and Roles ● Purpose ● Discussion of youth’s strengths and concerns ● Bottom Lines ● Resources ● Meal ● Planning Time ● Group Picture ● Schedule Follow Up ● Surveys YTC

20. After the YTC Type YTC plan and mail/email to participants Post conference Debrief with the youth after the meeting and reviewing the plan with the youth in person or via phone (if possible) Check in on the youth, key players, case worker multiple times between YTC and follow up conference Check in on tasks needed to be completed (i.e. enrolling for college, financial aid, etc.) This will be the time some changes in the youth’s plan may occur Follow up meetings To be held just prior to the youth turning 18 years old then a second follow up to be held after the youth turns 18 – if possible To be scheduled at the YTC meeting while all/most are present Include additional resources or speakers if applicable Follow up meetings follows the same format as all FGC follow up meetings Follow up meeting structure Mail out updated YTC family plans Schedule the next follow up meeting for after the youth turns 18 (if appropriate)

21. Resources Available to Youth in Transition Importance of presenting resources at the YTC Include resources in YTC plan How to identify resources within the county’s IL program Review list of resources for Monroe County Delaware County Resources

22. SOURCES Casey Family Programs. (1998). Northwest foster care alumni study. Seattle, WA. p. 37 Courtney, M.E., and Dworsky, A. (2005). Midwest evaluation of the adult functioning of former foster youth: Outcomes at age 19. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall Center for Children. p. 22 Pecora, P.J., Kessler, R.C., Williams, J., O’Brien, K., Downs, A.C., English, D., White, J., Hiripi, E., White, C.R., Wiggins, T., and Holmes, K. (2005). Improving family foster care: Findings from the Northwest foster care alumni study. Seattle, WA: Casey Family Programs. p. 1Courtney, M.E., Hook, J.L., and Lee, J.S. Distinct Subgroups of Former Foster Youth During the Transition to Adulthood: Implications for Policy and Practice. Chicago: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. Courtney, M.E., Dworsky, A., Terao, S., Bost, N., Cusick, G.R., Keller, T., and Havlicek, J. (2005). Midwest evaluation of the adult functioning of former foster youth: Outcomes at age 19. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall Center for Children. p. 61 Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) FY 2014 data https://www.fosterclub.com/article/statistics-foster-care Jimcaseyyouth.org/about/aging-out

23. For more information on this YTC workshop please contact us at: Amy Carr, FGDM Coordinator JusticeWorks YouthCare (484) 538-6459 acarr@justiceworksyouthcare.com www.justiceworksyouthcare.com Jaclyn Conklin, FRS supervisor JusticeWorks YouthCare (717) 881-3380 jconklin@justiceworksyouthcare.com www.justiceworksyouthcare.com Julie Sullender, IL supervisor Delaware County Children and Youth Services (610) 713-2159 sullenderj@delcohsa.org