1. A Way Home?
The Road to Permanency for Youth Who Age Out of Foster Care
Testimony to the Senate HHS Committee
Interim Charge on Youth Aging Out of Foster Care
Katherine Barillas, Ph.D.
Director of Child Welfare Policy
Texas Network of Youth Services

3. The mission of TNOYS is to strengthen, support, and protect critical services for Texas youth and their families in order to ensure their success.

4. TNOYS members share a vision of Texas where all youth are valued, their strengths are recognized, and they have access to the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive.

5. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Investment in Prevention and Early Intervention
A Full Continuum of High Quality Foster Care Services
Services and Supports for Young People who are Homeless
Support through the Transition to Adulthood
Trauma Informed Care
Collaboration with Youth

6. TNOYS STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS AND GOALS

7. Our work is guided by a comprehensive systems change approach:
TNOYS APPROACH
Our work is guided by a comprehensive systems change approach:

8. Take a Minute and Think…
What Helped You Become an Adult?
Who Taught You To:
Cook
Write a resume
Apply for financial aid
Rent an apartment
Manage your money
Form healthy relationships
Good relationships with others
Continuous education about life skills
Opportunities to practice what you learned
A place to return for help
Employment training, career development & job opportunities
Support and guidance

9. What do We Want for our Youth in Foster Care?
opportunities, experiences, and activities for youth in foster care that are available to those not in foster care
preparation for adulthood

10. Who is there to Prepare our Youth for Adulthood?

11. CPS caseworker PAL regional staff Foster Parent Child Placing Agency
Who helps Foster Youth
CPS caseworker
PAL regional staff
PAL contractor
Child Placing Agency
Foster Parent

12. Foster Parent Child Placing Agency PAL Contractor PAL Regional Staff
required to provide or help youth receive life skill/normalcy opportunities; encouraged to attend first PAL life skills class and do homework activities with youth; fill out the caregiver part of the life skills assessment
Child Placing Agency
ensures caregiver teaches child basic life and social skills; offers a variety of experiential learning opportunities through the use of 2+ basic life skills activities every month; ensures child offered age- appropriate activities; gives child access to opportunities such as vocational or technical training programs, employment etc.
PAL Contractor
conducts life skills assessment (and ensures youth and caregiver both fill out their sections and hold an in-person interpretation meeting) life skills classes (reaching out to youth and caregiver to encourage participation and providing experiential opportunities; often provides array of other services for youth in care and those who’ve aged out; will also distribute incentives including Aftercare Room and Board to 3rd party; must provide monthly reports to DFPS PAL staff; conduct knowledge assessment
PAL Regional Staff
arrange for youth’s participation in services with PAL contractor and coordinate with CPS worker; approves youth eligible for services and sends form to contractor
CPS Caseworker
tracking youth’s plan of service which now includes transition plan; arranges permanency meetings

13. Preparation for Adult Living Program
(life skills assessment, PAL classes, short term financial assistance)
Education & Training Voucher Services
Transitional Living Services Program

14. DFPS Transitional Living Services
<14
licensing requires children participate in normalcy activities; these should be included in discussions re: child’s plan
service plan to include how 13+ are going to be educated about healthy interpersonal relationships, boundaries, etc. 14
assistance to make a savings plan & open savings account if they have a source of income and account is available
Foster care provider to provide with experiential life skills training
Life skills assessment (starting FY ‘19); enroll in PAL if in PMC of DFPS
informed credit report is run each year; receive help fixing 15
Life skills assessment (starting FY ’18)
at 15.5 opened for registration in PAL Program which includes life skills assessment, classes and assistance with other things such as applying for college or getting a job

15. DFPS Transitional Living Services16
PAL Classes $1,000 stipend upon completion
apply for DL/state ID; on or before 16 be provided birth cert & SS card
Circles Of Support can begin taking place; transition plan should begin to include discussion re: housing
16-21 participate in PEAKS CAMP, college tour and teen conference 17
aging out seminars
Case management can potentially begin before 18

16. Case Management & Aftercare Services (18-21)
18 is first year youth could be eligible for Aftercare Room & Board
Based on need & for rent, utilities, food etc.
Up to $3,000 - $500 a month
Must apply & be enrolled for Education & Training Voucher (ETV) and be enrolled in at least 6 semester hours before 25
1st eligibility technically at 16
receive up to $5,000/yr. to help with postsecondary education goals if:
Have HS diploma, GED or be exempt from required school attendance;
Enrolled in dual credit or institution of higher ed. (for at least 6hrs);
Have applied for ETV before 21st birthday
Provided personal documents as well as immunization record & copy of health passport
To use college tuition and fee waiver youth must be enrolled no later than 25th birthday (dual credit)
Can receive PAL services up to 23 (new with FFA)
DL fee waived if & in paid placement
Medicaid through FFCC Program (18 to 25) or MTFCY (18-to 20)

17. Additional Options that Exist for Youth Who Age Out
Trial Independence –
6 months after a youth leaves care is considered a “trial independence” period;
can be extended up to 1yr by a judge;
youth may live independently and receive CPS benefits (no court or case activity during this time)
Extended care –
Voluntary return up until 21st birthday;
unless have documented medical condition must be obtaining education (minimum 6hrs/semester; high school or GED), engaging in preparation for employment (15hrs/wk) or working least 80hrs/month).
option exists until 21st birthday

18. Additional Options that Exist for Youth Who Age Out
Transition Centers –
1 center for every region of the state (one that serves Harris and surrounding counties);
available ages 15.5 to 25 who are aging or have aged out of foster care;
central location for services including assistance with basic needs, college enrollment and career counseling
Supervised Independent Living (SIL) –
part of extend foster care that includes apartments, non-college dormitories, college dorms, shared housing or host homes

19. A Closer Look at Supervised Independent Living
SIL Rates
SIL Challenges
Host Home
$33.53 / $45.03 w/ child
Non-college Dorm
$43.02 / $54.52 w/ child
College Dorm
$41.49 / $49.35 w/ child
Apartment/shared housing
Few providers around the state
Houston, Austin, Lubbock, Ft. Worth (2), Dallas (2), Liverpool, Beaumont, Converse, Wichita Falls
Low reimbursement rates for providers
Challenge for youth not practiced with this level of freedom
Only through 21st birthday
Youth still need level of case management that SIL doesn’t provide – CPS worker 1X a month

20. With All That is in Place to Help Youth Prepare for Adulthood – What are Some of the Results?

21. Youth Who Age Out of Care
Youth in Care in Texas
Year
Age Out
Youth Who Age Out of Care
Average Time in Care
Avg. # of placements
2012
1,363
4.8yrs 7
2013
1,328
4.6yrs
6.9
2014
1,246
4.5yrs
6.4
2015
1,180
6.5
2016
1,250
6.7
2017
1,200
4.2yrs

22. Youth Who Age Out of Foster Care
Tend to have longer stays in care and more placements
Have higher rates of and greater vulnerability to:
Homelessness
Trafficking
Unemployment
Mental health and substance use problems
Poor education outcomes
Post traumatic stress
National Youth in Transition Database. 11/2016. “Highlights from the NYTD survey: outcomes reported by young people at ages 17, 19 and 21. Available at:
White, C., O’Brien, K., Pecora, P., Keller, R., Sampson, N., Hwang, I Texas Foster Care Alumni Study Technical Report. Available at:

23. Results of NYTD Survey for Texas
17 year olds (FY ‘14)
19 year olds (FY ‘16)
In last 2 years:
25% homeless
13% had kids
21% incarcerated
39% employed
48% finished HS or GED
54% attending school
93% connected to adult
80% Medicaid coverage
5% finished HS or GED
13% employed
94% Medicaid coverage
93% attending school & connected to an adult

24. What Policies Address These Issues?
Preparation for Adult Living (1986) to ensure youth transitioning out of foster care were prepared for adulthood;
college tuition and fee waivers and transitional Medicaid for former foster youth (1980s and 1990s);
$3,000 was the limit set for Aftercare Room and Board Assistance (2006) and it has not been adjusted since then (rent, utility, food)

25. What Policies Address These Issues?
HB 1912
(2009)
SB 1117
(2015)
SB 1758
(2017)
requirement of a life skills assessment being conducted at 16
provided for specific guidelines about helping youth prepare for stable housing
required life skills assessment for youth 14 & 15 who were in PMC of the state;
transitional living services program is available to youth at 14

26. What Reports Examined These Issues?

27. 2007 and 2009 surveys of youth in care both concluded that youth need more services and supports to appropriately transition
2010 report on HB 1912 (81-R) - transitioning plan should be a living document that gauges readiness; DFPS also reported that current resources did not allow them to provide certain resources to all 16 year olds much less those 14-15
HB 1912 follow up - conduct another assessment at 15 ½ - DFPS did not receive funding to follow this recommendation
2011 report on surveyed youth indicated again that youth need more services and supports
Texas Foster Care Alumni Study Report indicated that youth who age out need access to stable housing and independent living preparation needs to be overhauled

28. What more can we do (can we do differently) to prepare our youth in foster care for adulthood?

29. Establish a Continuum of Learning for Youth 14-21
Youth ages 14 and 15
Classes, one-on-one work and experiential opportunities
Social and emotional learning
Relationships
Communication
Youth ages 16-21
Practical life skills through placements, classes, transition centers and case management
Support for post-secondary attainment (college & technical certifications)
Better accountability system of devising youth needs and progress

30. Have Enough Staff to Provide More Individualized Attention to Youth 14-21
foster youth have specialized needs
All youth need frequent and consistent reminders

31. 54 caseworkers for over 7,500 eligible youth (‘17)
contact for resources to young adults who initially opt out of services but their circumstances or decisions change and the services require initiation
supportive casework services for youth ages 16 to 21 and youth 14 and 15 years old as funding allows
referral and utilization of mandatory services such as PAL Life Skills training and support, Circles of Support, Return to Care, Extended Care and STAR Health Medical Services
oversight of delivery of transitional living allowances for youth, aftercare services, and educational/vocational assistance

32. Fund PAL Purchased Services to Meet the Needs of Youth 14-25 Including Special Populations
Youth in / aging out of RTCs
Youth in juvenile detention facilities
Youth with developmental/intellectual challenges

33. averaged served went down by 5% Average expended has only increased by 2% There are not enough resources to serve the entire population of kids who are eligible for PAL services

34. Federal & State Expenditures PAL staff, purchased services & ETV
2016
2017
Federal Chafee $: State eligible for claims submitted up to a certain level

35. FFA New Opportunities
Greater flexibility for use of IV-E Chafee dollars for career, education and other independence opportunities for youth aging out of the foster care system;
Dollars can be used for assistance and services to youth up until they turn 24 (raised from 22) and to access post-secondary opportunities through the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) until they turn 26 (raised from 23).

36. Support Foster Parents, Caregivers and Staff in Meeting the Life Skill Needs of Youth
opportunities to learn & reinforce learning
opportunities that meet time constraints
effective coordination between CPS/contract staff

37. Develop and Fund Graduated Housing Opportunities
Provides youth the opportunity to gradually develop independent living skills in environments that support experiences
Transitional living community apartments or single family dwellings (16-17); part of transitional living program
Community housing assistance such as SIL or other setting (18-25)

38. TEXAS CAN BE A MODEL FOR THE COUNTY
What’s Next
SB 1758 group of stakeholders is meeting to design the infrastructure and determine the resources necessary to improve outcomes for youth who age out of care;
Continuing research on best practices, other states and current system
Report will be a guide for DFPS change and a legislative agenda for child welfare advocates;
We want you to know what is necessary and what it will cost and then work with you to get there
TEXAS CAN BE A MODEL FOR THE COUNTY

39. Katherine Barillas, Ph. D
Katherine Barillas, Ph.D. Director of Child Welfare Policy

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