2011 TEXAS REACH Conference: collaboration

1. 2011 TEXAS REACH Conference: collaboration BCFS UTSA CAPRI Center UTSA Financial Aid Outreach

2. BCFS and pal • The BCFS Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) Program offers continuing services to post-PAL youth (ages 16-21), such as case management, support group meetings, monthly youth activities, and conferences • BCFS PAL also provides PYC Employment Resources, such as vocational testing, online job searches, computer-aided resume writing, vocational assessment, job coaching, and employer linkages • Support services are also crucial, such as physical and mental health care, housing, substance abuse assessment and treatment, and emotional support

4. Circle of Support • Transition • Planning • Case Management • Follow-Up • Post-Emancipation • Planning incorporates • caregivers into IL • Teaching • Individualized Case • Planning • Chafee Room and • Board $$$ • Housing • Employment • Education • Life skills curriculum • Integrated community • Experiential component

5. Memorandum of understanding • Dr. Harriett Romo, Director of the UTSA CAPRI Center, approached BCFS in hopes of writing a HUD Grant Proposal with data gathered at the BCFS Transition Center • With the federal approval of the HUD Grant, BCFS sought to collaborate with UTSA via a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), extremely similar to BCFS’s previously-established MOU with Alamo Colleges • BCFS and UTSA signed a formal MOU on November 29, 2010, detailing: • UTSA’s commitment to partner with BCFS to aid foster youth and alumni in accessing post-secondary education • BCFS’s willingness to invite UTSA staff to BCFS bi-monthly to engage foster youth in potential post-secondary education opportunities

6. The utsahsiac/hud grant • The Child & Adolescent Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) at The University of Texas San Antonio, in conjuction with BCFS, will implement a three-year HSIAC program to assist foster care youth with supportive services, training, and financial resources for the purpose of attending college or other job training opportunities • CAPRI has partnered with UTSA faculty in multiple disciplines and five community-based organizations in the design of this program. These partners will remain involved throughout program implementation. The program consists of four activities:

7. The utsahsiac/hud grant • Prepares foster care youth for college readiness, leadership, and job training • Provides social services for foster care youth focusing on crisis management for housing and young adult life issues • Develops database and workshop resources for housing foster youth attending college or job training • Creates the Assistance in College Completion, Employment, and Socioeconomic Success (ACCESS) Center located at the UTSA CAPRI Center

8. The utsahsiac/hud grant • UTSA’s HSIAC/HUD Grant also: • Allows funding for BCFS to employ one full-time and one part-time Education Specialist for three years • Grants UTSA the funding to staff and supply an on-campus ACCESS Center in conjunction with BCFS and other agencies

10. The Utsa access center

11. Contact information Norma Davila BCFS, Program Director (210) 733-7932 ndavila@bcfs.net Christopher Goldsberry UTSA, Financial Aid Outreach (210) 458-2802 Christopher.Goldsberry@utsa.edu Sophia Ortiz UTSA CAPRI, Assistant Director (210) 458-2692 Sophia.Ortiz@utsa.edu Shannyn Romero UTSA CAPRI, Graduate Assistant (210) 458-2849 Shannyn.Romero@utsa.edu