1. Education Reach for Texans 2018 Convening Brenda Sweeten & Keri Rogers
Collaborating with the Community Village: Engaging Resources to Recruit and Support Foster Care Alumni
Education Reach for Texans 2018 Convening
Brenda Sweeten & Keri Rogers

2. Objectives:
Higher education professionals will learn the value and necessity of networking with child welfare, nonprofit agencies, and public school foster care liaisons in their communities.
Higher education professionals will learn the importance of becoming familiar with community resources available to assist their foster alumni programs.
Higher education professionals will learn how to engage and build community contacts useful to working with foster care alumni.
This session will explore the importance and opportunity to collaborate with community partners to increase the number of former foster youth attending and succeeding in higher education.

3. 70% of foster youth would LIKE to go to college, but only 7-13% enroll and only 2-3% obtain a bachelor’s degree.
Casey Family Programs (2003)
Compared to 24% of general population

4. Of 415,000 foster youth in the system, only 46% will earn a high school diploma or GED, and less than 3% of those will earn a college degree.
Education Commission of the States Report (2013)

5. It takes the campus and community village!
No single person or office can provide everything students need
Coordination of resources can be complicated and requires careful thought and follow through
Organizing support and balancing other job tasks
Using offers of support and staying in contact with them
The good news is, we don’t have to do this alone!
It’s unrealistic for a single individual or office to provide all of the collegiate support needed by students from foster care.
Once identified, there are considerable individual challenges for each foster care alum.
It can be overwhelming…. How can you locate the campus and community resources?

6. Campus Resources Foster Care Liaison Counseling Services Financial Aid
Financial Literacy
Admissions
Disability Services
Housing
Multicultural Services
Advising
TRIO
Mentoring
Health and Wellness
Tutoring
Career Services
Just a review of various campus resources

7. Community Resources
PAL Staff & Aftercare Case Management Service Providers
Transition Centers
Housing, Employment Assistance, Enrolling in College, Mentoring
CASAs
School Districts’ Foster Care Liaisons & High School Counselors
CPS
Housing Authority & Independent Living providers
Judges
Community Health Services
Childcare
Public Transportation
YOUR Community Network
In Casey Family Programs’ Supporting Success, a core element of building strong campus support programs is to build collaborations with community agencies. It’s important to draw upon the resources of other professionals and community agencies and many of them actually exist to assist youth in transitioning to adult life.

8. PAL Staff & Aftercare Case Management Service Providers
Preparation for Adult Living
Independent Living Skills Assessment (Casey Life Skills Assessment)
Independent Living Skills Training
Heath and Safety
Housing and Transportation
Job Readiness
Financial Management
Life Decisions/Responsibility
Personal/Social Relationships
Support Services
GED classes, Driver Education, High School Graduation Expenses, College Prep
Aftercare Case Management
Youth paired with a Coach to provide intensive life coaching
Creation of individualized transition/goal plan for current & former foster youth
Aftercare Room & Board Allowance (up to $3,000 max,$500/month)

9. Transition Centers PAL Life Skills Training Aftercare Case Management
Housing
Employment Assistance/Workforce Services
Crisis Intervention
College Prep & Admissions
Mentoring
Connection to DFPS Benefits

10. Local CASAs
Assist in navigating transition to independent living and college preparation
May provide on-going mentorship and support
Can help ensure youth have proper documents (i.e. birth certificate, SS card, etc.)
May help youth with college tours, applications, etc.
Have spent a considerable amount of time with the youth getting to know their wants and desires for the future

11. Local School Districts’ Foster Care Liaisons & Counselors
At least one foster care liaison is appointed in each school district in Texas (name provided to TEA)
Facilitates the enrollment in or transfer to a public or open-enrollment charter school for any child in DFPS conservatorship
Can identify youth on their campuses who are in foster care
May make special efforts to support a youth’s efforts toward college or vocational training enrollment
Can help ensure expedition receipt of school records, transcripts
Voluntary Foster Care Champions exist in each Education Service Center to support districts, answer questions and encourage local training efforts
Required by each school district and open-enrollment charter school in Texas.
May be part of a districts social services department or a designated counselor at each school. It is helpful to get to know them to ease the transition. They may also knowledgeable about College entrance exams, waivers, etc. They sometimes help youth register for the SAT/ACT, can help with transcripts being sent to institutions of higher education.

12. Local CPS Offices
Get to know your local CPS workers and their supervisors!
PAL workers can…
Help with Waiver Letters
Provide ongoing support to youth and access to resources
May change so youth may not know who their worker is, or they have not contacted their worker in a long time so forgot who to contact…
Local PMC workers can support youth transitioning to independence
Can help provide necessary paperwork
Accompany on college tours
Usually have a relationship and know the youth well
Attend Circles of Support (COS) and know who the youth has in their life who may help support them in the transition and after

13. Housing Authority & Independent Living Providers
Local agencies may have contracts or provide housing solutions to youth transitioning from care
Local non-profits may provide housing or financial resources that can assist with housing
Supervised Independent Living Programs
In the DFW area we have TRAC (has the regional PAL contract) and it provides aftercare services as well as a housing option to those who qualify.
Zoie’s Place which houses women who have aged out
YWCA provides transitional housing
SIL providers (ACH)
International Student Foundation (ISF)

14. Community Health Services
Youth may qualify for Medicaid coverage until age 26
Planned Parenthood
Local Health Departments
Community Health Clinics
College/University Health Clinics & Counseling Centers
Students may not have money for copay
May lack self-advocacy skills or knowledge of community resources
Helpful if transportation is an issue

15. Childcare Institution may have a Childcare Assistance Fund
On-campus childcare or afterschool care opportunities
Subsidized childcare list for local childcare centers
Childcare Cooperatives
What about mentioning College/University Childcare Facilities, C/U Childcare Assistance Fund, Subsidized Childcare List? I’d add it, but cannot get it to do the right bullets and color which is weird since it originated on this laptop.

16. Transportation
Public transportation is often free or at a reduced rate for students
University/College Shuttles
Many are resourceful in getting rides when needed
Students may own a car
Educate on cost of car ownership and responsibilities that go with it…
Insurance
Inspections
Oil changes/maintenance
Local churches or non-profits might be able to help with minor upkeep, repairs
Expenses associated with car ownership can derail a student so support them in a decision to purchase a car!
I find students are often resourceful in finding rides around town as needed
Public transportation can be inefficient and take a long time to travel short distances

17. Who Can You Call On In Your Community?
Local Non-profits
Faith Communities (are awesome)!
Personal Contacts
Local Service Organizations
Rotary Clubs
Lions Clubs
Kiwanis Clubs

18. Have An Idea of What You Need in Advance
Back to School Supplies
Backpacks
Monthly Care Packages (snacks, hygiene products, small gift cards)
Gift Cards for Emergencies
Dorm Room Supplies
It is helpful to have an idea of what you might need in advance…sometimes people ask how they can help and you want to have an answer so you don’t lose the opportunity to support your students.
Giving things to students, like care packages, on a regular basis, is helpful to keep them engaged and remind them you are there for them!

19. It takes the Campus and Community Villages!
Brenda Sweeten, MSSW, LCSW University of North Texas Keri Rogers, Ph.D. Higher Education Consultant