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AB 12: California Fostering Connections to Success Act Policy Overview and Implications for THP-Plus. Presentation to THP-Plus Institute July 28, 2009. Overview of Presentation . Origin of AB 12 Demographic changes in foster care Federal legislation Overview of Major Provisions
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AB 12: California Fostering Connections to Success ActPolicy Overview and Implications for THP-Plus Presentation to THP-Plus Institute July 28, 2009
Overview of Presentation • Origin of AB 12 • Demographic changes in foster care • Federal legislation • Overview of Major Provisions • Possible Implications for THP-Plus
Change in Number of Youth Who Aged Out Annually: United States 40% increase since 1998 Over 26,000 youth “aged out” in 2006
Change in Number of Youth Who Aged Out Annually: California 38% increase since 1998
Changing Family Dynamics • Pew: over half receive economic support from their parents until age 40 at an average amount of $3,410 annually. • Michigan & Chicago: most adult children receive considerable financial support from their parents, particularly during the early years of young adulthood through age 26.
Chapin Hall Study: The Empirical Basis • Five-year longitudinal study • Followed foster youth from Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin • Collected detailed information about education, employment, income, health, criminal justice involvement • Very high response rate • Confirmed that FFY are doing worse than general population
Former Foster Youth Fare Worse in the Criminal Justice System
Effect of Remaining in Care Past Age 18 • High School Completion: Two times more likely to be working towards completion of a high school diploma (20.9% vs. 10.1%); • College Enrollment: Three times more likely to be enrolled in college(37.2% vs. 11.7%); • Arrest: Sixty-five percent less likely to have been arrested (21.9% vs. 33.8%); • Incarceration: Over fifty percent less likely to have been incarcerated (14.4 vs. 23.7).
Provisions of AB 12 • Eligibility • Court Oversight • Child Welfare Support • Re-Entry Provision • Placement Options
H.R. 6307: Fostering Connections to Success Act (McDermott & Weller) • Voluntary • State option to extend to age 19, 20 or 21 • Redefines a child-care institution to include, “a supervised setting in which the individual is living independently.” • Requires juvenile court oversight • State option to extend adoption assistance and guardianship payments up to age 19, 20, or 21 for children adopted or entering guardianship after attaining the age of 16. • Federal Implementation date: 10/1/10
H.R. 6307: Fostering Connections to Success Act (McDermott & Weller) • Youth must be… • Completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential, • Enrolled in an institution which provides post-secondary or vocational education • Participating in a program or activity designed to promote, or remove barriers to, employment • Employed for at least 80 hours per month.
Who is Eligible to Receive Support After Age 18? • Foster youth (~3,000) • Probation youth (~150) • Youth who exited to Kin-GAP & AAP after age 16 (~500) There will be an estimated 3,650 youth age 18 to 21 in foster care at full implementation in the third year
Why Not More? • Youth on runaway status (15%) • Youth that won’t meet eligibility criteria (20%) • Youth who elect to exit (20% 40%) • Re-entry: Approximately 4% re-enter annually in New York • Current language allows youth to petition to re-enter if aged-out after implementation.
Child Welfare & Court Oversight • Required by Title IV-E • Likely monthly child welfare visits, unless waiver allowed as with certain minors currently • Court hearing every six months
Placement Options • All of the existing options • FFH, Kin, Residential, THPP • Two new options: Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP) & THP-Plus
Different Levels of Autonomy for Different Levels of Readiness THPP THP-Plus SILP Experience living independently Level of education
THP-Plus in the AB 12 Context • Option 1: No Change • Continue to serve non-dependents, age 18 to 24 • Option 2: Serve dependents & non-dependents, age 18 to 24 • Possibly be licensed using newly developed adult standards • Option 3: Serve dependent & non-dependents, age 16 to 24 • Possibly be licensed using newly developed adult standards & standards for minors
Why THP-Plus Providers Are Essential to the Success of AB 12 • THP-Plus providers have: • Experience serving young adults • Experience with alternative housing models • Experience teaching applied independent living skills