As in effect on June 1, 2008
A. The purpose of Transition to Adult Living (TAL) services is to help prepare a youth who is receiving out of home services in accordance with R512-300 to transition to self-sufficiency in adulthood and to provide support to youth upon leaving agency custody. TAL is a continuum of services that begins while youth are in care and continues through post-discharge with the Young Adult Resource Network (YARN).
B. TAL services, which includes the Education and Training Voucher Program, are authorized by the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, 42 USC 677 (1999), incorporated by reference.
A. Qualification for and duration of services:
1. TAL services are required for all youth receiving out of home services, age 14 or older, until agency custody is terminated regardless of permanency goal, as specified in R512-300-4.D.
2. The YARN provides services for youth if they are no longer in care and are not yet 21, and the youth:
a. Ages out of foster care, or
b. While in foster care, after the age of 14, the youth received at least 12 consecutive months of TAL services and the court terminated reunification.
B. Service description:
1. TAL services build on the youth's individual strengths and develop personal assets in order to help young people acquire the motivation and the means to be successful throughout their lives. The strategies are aimed at helping foster youth achieve five fundamental aspects of adult life, including safe and affordable housing, educational attainment and stable employment, health care access, positive sense of self, and supportive and enduring relationships.
2. YARN consists of time-limited support to youth. This assistance can be provided through support, financial aid, or Basic Life Skills Classes and may include housing, counseling, employment education, and other appropriate support and services to complement a youth's efforts to achieve self-sufficiency.
C. Availability:
1. TAL services and YARN are available in all geographic regions of the state.
2. TAL services and YARN are available on the same basis to Indian youth who are or were formerly in Tribal custody within the boundaries of the state.
A. The caseworker, with the assistance of the youth and Child and Family Team, ensure completion of the empirically validated life skills assessment to identify the strengths and needs of the youth.
B. Based upon the empirically validated life skills assessment, a plan is developed that identifies the youth's strengths, needs, and specific services.
C. The Child and Family Team determines the TAL plan. Youth aged 14 or older are required to have a TAL plan, with youth 16 or older taking the lead in setting goals and facilitating the Child and Family Team with staff guidance.
D. The TAL plan includes a continuum of training and services to be completed by the youth, and designated team members, in such settings as the foster home, with a therapist, at school, or through other community-based resources and programs.
E. Basic Living Skills training shall be offered to each youth who attains age 16. The training may include training in daily living skills, budgeting, career development and financial management skills, substance abuse prevention, and preventive health activities (including smoking avoidance, nutrition education, and pregnancy prevention).
F. Each youth who completes Basic Living Skills training may receive a completion payment.
A TAL placement may be used as an alternative to out of home care when it is determined that such a placement is in the best interest of the youth. The appropriate types of living arrangements for youth in this situation include living with kin; living with former out of home caregivers while paying rent; living in the community with roommates of the same sex; living alone; living in a group facility, YWCA, boarding house, or dorm; living with an adult who has passed a background check or the placement was assessed and approved by the regional director or designee. This recommendation will be presented to the Child and Family Team, who will work to ensure that this type of placement is appropriate and that the following practice guidelines are met:
A. A TAL placement may be used as an out-of-home care placement.
B. A youth must be at least 16 years of age to be in a TAL placement.
C. The Child and Family Team is responsible to determine if a recommendation for a TAL placement for a youth is appropriate.
D. The regional director or designee is authorized to approve a TAL placement.
E. The worker and youth shall complete a contract outlining responsibilities and expectations while in the placement.
F. The worker shall visit with and monitor progress of the youth at an interval determined by the Child and Family Team, but no less frequently than once per month.
G. The youth may receive a TAL stipend while in the TAL placement.
H. If the TAL placement is not successful, the Child and Family Team shall meet to determine, with the youth, a more appropriate living arrangement in accordance with R512-305-4.E.
A. The YARN provides support to youth who leave out of home care, as specified in R512-305-2.
B. A youth may access services by contacting a Division office and being referred to a regional TAL coordinator.
C. Services may include additional basic life skills training, information and referral, mentoring, computer access for resources, and follow-up support. Funds may also assist eligible youth in the four areas listed below:
1. Education, Training, and Career Exploration.
2. Physical, Mental Health and Emotional Support.
3. Transportation.
4. Housing Support.
D. Funds used for room and board are subject to federal limits.
social services, child welfare, foster care, Transition to Adult Living
June 19, 2006
62A-4a-105
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