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John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program And Runaway And Homeless Youth Transitional Living Programs
| Chafee | Transitional Living Program | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Chafee | Education and Training Voucher Program | ||
| Legislation | Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 created the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program replacing the Title IV-E Independent Living Initiative of 1986. | Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) of 2001 amended section 477 of the Social Security Act to mandate specific money for education and training vouchers through the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. | Higher Education Act of 1965. Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (Title III of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act Of 1974), as amended by the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act of 2003 which reauthorizes the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. |
| Sponsoring Agency | Children's Bureau. Funding is provided directly to the states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. | Children's Bureau. Funding is provided directly to the states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. | Family and Youth Services Bureau. Nationally competitive grants directly to community/faith based local, state and tribal governmental organizations. |
| Funding Amount | Authorization - $140 million capped entitlement State allotments are based on the number of youth in federal and state funded foster care in the most recent fiscal year, no state will receive less than they did in 1998. The minimum amount allotted is $500,000 per year. |
Authorization - $60,000,000 Appropriation for FY05 - $45,923,663 For an individual, the amount shall not exceed the lesser of $5,000 per year or the total cost of attendance. |
Appropriation FY05 - $40,000,000 Up to $200,000 (maximum) per year for a 5-year project period per grantee. |
| Match | 20% state match required on total | 20% state match required on total | A non-federal share or match of at least ten percent of the awarded funds. (There may by certain exceptions for Tribes with "638" funding pursuant to Public Law 93-638.) |
| Service Eligibility | Eligible young people are those up to age 21 who are likely to remain in foster care until age 18 and those who have aged out of foster care, without regard to their eligibility for Title IV-E funded foster care. | Youth otherwise eligible for Chafee services. Youth adopted from foster care after turning age 16. The State may allow youth participating in the voucher program on the date they attain 21 years of age to remain eligible until they attain 23 years of age, as long as they are enrolled in a postsecondary education or training program and are making satisfactory progress toward completion of that program. |
Homeless youth ages 16-21 in need of longer residential services outside the welfare and law enforcement systems (for a continuous period not exceeding 18 months). Youth under the age of 18 on the last day of the 540 day period (18 months) may continue to receive services until the youth’s 18th birthday or the 180th day after the end of the 540-day period. |
| Purposes/Goals/Objectives | The purpose of the CFCIP was detailed in the legislation and had five initial points: 1.)To identify youth who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age and to help the youth make the transition to self-sufficiency by providing services such as assistance in obtaining a high school diploma, career exploration, vocational training, job placement and retention, management skills, substance abuse prevention, and preventive health activities; 2.) To help youth who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age receive the education, training, and services, necessary to obtain employment; 3.) To help youth who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age prepare for and enter post secondary training and education institutions; 4.) To provide personal and emotional support to youth aging out of foster care, through mentors and the promotion of interactions with dedicated adults. 5.) To provide financial, housing, counseling, employment, education and other appropriate support and services to former foster youth between ages 18-21 to compliment their own efforts to achieve self-sufficiency and to assure that program participants recognize and accept their personal responsibility for preparing for and making the transition from adolescence to adulthood. |
The Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendment of 2001 created the Education and Training Voucher Program,
adding a sixth purpose to the CFCIP: 6.) To make available vouchers for education and training, including post secondary learning and education to youth who have aged out of foster care. |
Goals, objectives and activities that may be maintained, improved and/or expanded through a TLP grant
must include, but are not, necessarily, limited to providing: 1.) Stable, safe living accommodations while a homeless youth is a program participant; 2.) Services necessary to assist homeless youth in developing both the skills and personal characteristics needed to enable them to live independently; 3.) Education, information and counseling aimed at preventing, treating and reducing substance abuse among homeless youth; 4.) Homeless youth with appropriate referrals and access to medical and mental health treatment; 5.) Services and referrals necessary to assist youth in preparing for obtaining employment; 6.) Services and referrals necessary to assist youth in preparing for and obtaining secondary, and where feasible, post-secondary education and/or vocational training; and 7.) Services and referrals necessary to assist pregnant and parenting homeless youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to become a more effective parent and lead productive and independent lives. |
| Housing | States may use up to 30% of their program funds for room and board for young people ages 18-21 who have left foster care because they reached age 18 but not age 21. | Room and board is an allowable expense for ETV funds as defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965. | Provide stable, safe living accommodations while a homeless youth ages 16 through 21 is a program participant, not to exceed 18 months. Youth who do not reach their 18th birthday on the last day of the 18 month stay, may remain in the program for an additional 180 days or until they reach their 18th birthday. |
| Youth Participation | Young people must participate directly in designing their program and accept personal responsibility for achieving independence. | Same as Basic Chafee | The Family and Youth Services Bureau's approach to youth participation is based upon the positive youth development philosophy, a philosophy that builds on their assets and potential. Substantially, youth participate in the assessment their needs and in the decisions about the services received through a transitional living plan. |
| Training | States must certify that Title IV-E funds will be used to provide training to help adoptive and foster parents, workers in group homes and case managers understand and address the issues confronting adolescents preparing for independent living. | Same as Basic Chafee | Applicants must provide information on plans for training project staff as well as staff of cooperating organizations and individuals. |
| Coordination | States must certify in their plans that the state: 1.) Has consulted widely with public and private organizations in implementing the new program. 2.) Will coordinate programming with other federal and state programs for young people. 3.) Will consult and coordinate with each Indian tribe in the state. |
The legislation states that the ETV program is coordinated with other appropriate education and training programs. | Applicants must describe how the project has established or will establish and maintain service linkages with
other social services, law enforcement, educational, housing, vocational, welfare, legal service, drug treatment,
health and mental health care agencies in order to ensure appropriate referrals for project participants where and when needed. Specifically, TLPs must coordinate services with the McKinney-Vento District Liaison to assure youth are provided information about educational services. |