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DCF Initiatives to Prevent and Intervene in Youth Homelessness

DCF Initiatives to Prevent and Intervene in Youth Homelessness. Jessica Trombetta, LCSW Executive Director of Adolescent Services Jessica.Trombetta@dcf.state.nj.us 1-609-888-7100. March 29, 2017. Four Major Operating Divisions. New Jersey Department of Children and Families Commissioner.

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DCF Initiatives to Prevent and Intervene in Youth Homelessness

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  1. DCF Initiatives to Prevent and Intervene in Youth Homelessness Jessica Trombetta, LCSW Executive Director of Adolescent Services Jessica.Trombetta@dcf.state.nj.us 1-609-888-7100 March 29, 2017

  2. Four Major Operating Divisions New Jersey Department of Children and Families Commissioner Division of Child Protection & Permanency Children’s System of Care Division of Family & Community Partnerships Division on Women 2 2

  3. Additional DCF Offices • Adolescent Services • Advocacy • Child Welfare Training Academy • Education • Institutional Abuse Investigation Unit • Licensing • Policy, Legal, and Regulatory Development • Performance Management and Accountability • Strategic Development

  4. Office of Adolescent Services The mission of the DCF Office of Adolescent Services (OAS) is to support adolescents in their transition to adulthood to achieve economic self- sufficiency, interdependence, and engage in healthy lifestyles.

  5. Office of Adolescent Services • Ensuring that services provided through the Department of Children and Families are coordinated, effective, meet best practice standards, are youth driven, and adapt to the needs of families and communities • Developing linkages with other service providers in order to create a more equitable and seamless service system, and • Providing leadership and policy development in the field of adolescent services.

  6. OAS Domains of Priority • Housing • Education and Employment • Physical and Mental Health • General Transition Support • Youth Engagement • Permanence and Familial Support • Criminal Justice/Legal Services • General/Cross Systems

  7. Personal resilience • Social connections • Knowledge of youth development • Concrete supports in time of need • Social, emotional, behavioral, intellectual and moral competence in youth

  8. DCF-OAS Youth Housing Continuum

  9. Housing Program Access • Supervised/ Transitional Living Programs • Approx. 300 Beds • Permanent Supportive Housing • Approx. 100 Beds Adolescent Housing Hub: 1-877-652-7624 New Jersey Youth Resource Spot: www.njyrs.org

  10. Youth At-Risk of Homelessness (YARH) Develop and implement a model intervention that will achieve four outcomes: Stable Housing Permanent Connections Education/Employment Social-Emotional Well-Being

  11. YARH Background • On 9/29/13, the Children’s Bureau awarded two-year planning grants to 18 grantees across the country. Grant period 2013-2015. • In 8/29/15, six implementation grantees were awarded a three year implementation cooperative agreement. Grant period 2015-2018.

  12. ***Three prong service intervention strategy to prevent and address homelessness for youth in foster care ages 14-21*** • Connect to Family and Connect to Well-Being (permanency and life skills services) (targeted for youth 14-21) • Connect to Achievement and Connect to Mentoring (educational advocates and near peer and professional mentors) (targeted for youth 14-21) • Connect to Home-housing screening and assessment and supportive housing (target for youth 18-21)

  13. Pilot Local CP&P Offices • Burlington • East • West • Mercer • North • South • Union • Central • East • West

  14. Connect to Home DCF and federal service funding and DCA housing vouchers used to support long term, stable housing and voluntary supportive services for youth current or previously involved with foster care. 60 vouchers allocated to the (YARH) Federal Project-Burlington, Mercer, and Union (20 vouchers each county, targeted for high need youth with experience in foster care, 18-21) Youth must be between 18 age 20 prior to entering the program. Trauma-informed, evidence-supported services must be components of model

  15. Additional OAS Youth Housing and Homeless Prevention/Intervention Initiatives • Partnership with NJ Department of Community Affairs-Youth Supportive Housing for Aging Out Youth • Expectant and Parenting Youth Supportive Housing • Youth Supportive Housing for Aging Out Youth • 2. Statewide Homeless Youth Committee (summer 2017) • Partnership/Data Sharing with NJ Housing Mortgage and Finance Agency

  16. ON THE WEB!!! • NJ Youth Resource Spot www.njyrs.org • OAS Staff Directory http://nj.gov/dcf/adolescent/services/ • OAS Strategic Plan and Report http://nj.gov/dcf/adolescent/services/ • Youth At-Risk of Homelessness NJ website http://nj.gov/dcf/adolescent/yarh.html • CSSP’s Youth Thrive Framework http://www.cssp.org/reform/child-welfare/youththrive 17

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