Neglected & Delinquent (N&D) Foster Care Program School Mental Health Component

1. Neglected & Delinquent (N&D)Foster Care ProgramSchool Mental Health Component • Javier Zuniga • License Clinical Social Worker • 13+ years LAUSD • 5TH. year N & D Counselor • Panorama High School

2. FUNDING SOURCE • Title 1 Neglected and Delinquent funds • Delinquent dollars are provided to serve all probation youth kids either living in group homes or with their parents. • Neglected dollars are provided to serve Licensed Community Institution residents or students living in group homes.

3. N & D Counselor main duties at a school site. • Designated School-Site Foster Care (AB 490) Advocate • Designated Advocate for Juveniles returning from Juvenile Justice Facilities and other Placements. (Bull. No. Z-27) • Youth returning from correctional institutions are being provided with a support system to ensure continued education by the N & D School Site Counselor. • N & D Counselor provides services to make a successful transition to further education and/or employment. • N & Counselor provides drop out prevention services. • Education services to youth are improved as a result of N & D Counselor intervention. • N & D Counselor collaborates with families, parents, guardians, and/or caretakers of our youth.

4. Creating a Support System for returning Students that ensures further education. • During the intake I introduce myself, my contact information and my services to the student, guardian/caretaker and when possible to the student’s parent. • I review academic history with student (camps, continuation schools, high schools, middle school, Individual Education Plans, age, discipline records, credits, and deficits). • I gather information on all juvenile agencies involved with the student (court, probation department , counseling, Department of Children and Family Services, and Los Angeles County Office of Education,) • I give students an orientation on Panorama and walk them through enrollment (meets Counselor, AP, P, School Police, Security, Nurse, Special Ed Coordinator) • I translate credits and set a plan for graduation (Skill Center, AEWC, Concurrent Enrollment, ) or employment.

5. N & D provides services to make a successful transition to further education and/or employment • The student’s best interest guides the N & D Counselor. • Student & guardian interview, data interpretation, (age, credits, academic history, family situations, probation conditions) and/or student’s future plans dictates placement. • Full time student enrollment= Alleviate barriers to education by linking student to available services (Proper schedule, IEP, community agencies, sports, college & career center, teacher advocacy, monitor progress, advocacy). • Concurrent Enrollment.= Link student to necessary services (enroll in after school or Saturday classes, CAHSEE Boot Camps, Counseling, ensure credit, tutoring, monitor progress, grades, and/or attendance) • Student wants to work = Facilitate process to gain employment. (collaboration with guardian, probation officer, work permit, facilitate school schedule, Continuation Schools, Department of Transitional Services, First Break, Career Service, ) • Student wants to or has to learn a trade. = Link student to alternate placements and ease transition (collaboration with parent, guardian, and/or probation officer, Independent Study, AEWC, Diploma Plus Program, GED, Skills Centers, Independent Living Program) by setting appointments and giving student and guardian a contact person with appointment.

6. Providing Drop Out Services. • Educational Agencies are responsible for producing educated, responsible, viable citizens for our society. Our students come with a myriad of needs and not everyone wishes or is able to pursue higher education. • I educate and link youth in foster care or returning from correctional facilities on all the non-traditional programs available to them. (Diploma Plus, GED, Skills Center, Internships, Scholarships, Community Day Schools, Continuation Schools, Independent Studies) • When students are academically low I establish a plan to raise their level of academics so they can transfer to a skill center and pursue their chosen path. • Our youth living situations tend to change rather quickly so I do a weekly check in to monitor present status, mood, and frustration level. (group home changes, visitations, court orders, DCFS, probation conditions) • I establish a support system that alleviates barriers to pursuing education (peer mediation, adult connections that buffer positive and/or negative peer pressures) and I do Resiliency Focused Counseling Sessions as needed. • I compile all credits into one comprehensive form that is easily understood anywhere youth transfers and I make sure the student knows my contact information. • I identify and track students with District Level N & D Counselor when they are moved from Panorama and make sure all pertinent information (credits, requirements) follows them.

7. How are education services to youth improved because of said services? • Foster kids & Camp Returnees come to school at various times of the year. Facilitating enrollment, linking students with the appropriate school resources, translations of credits, and orientation facilitates the transition and eliminates the waste of valuable instructional time which aids students with staying on track. • These students come with wide gaps in their academic records and N & D services aids students, teachers, school counselors and credit clerks fill in these gaps by requesting all pertinent records expeditiously. (IEP’s, varying school districts, alternative educational settings and/or various county juvenile detention facilities) Due to their social situation this is a must for these students. • The timely accumulation and translation of credits helps students accrue school credits that meet State requirements for grade promotion and stops students from repeating passed courses which aids with graduation rates. • Students are introduced to postsecondary education and job training programs. They complete secondary school (or secondary school equivalency requirements) and obtain employment after leaving the correctional facility or custody of the foster care system. • N & D youth often fall in the top 10% percent of the student population which are high maintenance. Due to the established connection between student and counselor the N & D counselor continuously buffers situations between students and other caretakers (teachers, Principals, AP, parents, guardians, juvenile courts, school police, and/or DCFS).