(A) Independent living services
are toshall
be provided to each youth in the custody of a public children services agency
(PCSA) or private child placing agency (PCPA) as
developmentally appropriate, no later than the age of fourteen for normalcy and
practical skills
who has attained the age of
fourteen to prepare them for the transition from agency custody to
self-sufficiency.
(B)
The PCSA or PCPA is to provide and explain the JFS
01677 "Foster Youth Rights Handbook" pursuant to paragraph (A) of this rule and
paragraph (Q) in rule
5101:2-42-90 of the
Administrative Code.
(B)(C) If a PCSA
or PCPA is providing independent living services
to an eligible unmarried minor female who is pregnant or has a child and is
part of an "Ohio Works First" (OWF) assistance group, the PCSA
or PCPA is to
shall inform the local county department of job and
family services (CDJFS) of the PCSA or PCPA's
involvement with the family in order to ensure coordination of
services.
(C)(D) The PCSA or PCPA
is toshall
conduct a life skills assessment on each youth in agency custody,
no later
thanwho has reached age fourteen. The
assessment is toshall be completed no later than sixty days after
the youth's fourteenth birthday or sixty days after the youth enters agency
custody, if the youth is fourteen or older. A life skills assessment
is toshall
establish the need for independent living services identified in paragraph
(E)(D) of
this rule. The life skills assessment is
toshall be completed with documented
input from the youth, the youth's caregiver, and the youth's
caseworker.
(D)(E) The PCSA or PCPA
is toshall
determine which independent living services are
and
are not applicable,
or not needed based
on the assessment
referenced in paragraph
(D)required by paragraph (C) of this
rule and
mayshall include, but not be limited to the following:
(1) Academic support
.
including:
(a) Academic
counseling.
(b) Preparation for a
GED.
(c) Assistance in applying for or
studying for a GED exam.
(d) Tutoring.
(e) Help with
homework.
(f) Study skills
training.
(g) Literacy
training.
(h) Help accessing educational
resources.
(2)
Post secondary educational support
.
including:
(a) Classes for test
preparation.
(b) Counseling about
college.
(c) Information about financial aid
and scholarships.
(d) Help completing college or loan
applications.
(e) Tutoring while in
college.
(3)
Career preparation
.
including:
(a) Vocational and career
assessment, career exploration and planning, guidance in setting and assessing
vocational and career interests and skills and help in matching interests and
abilities with vocational goals.
(b) Job seeking and job placement
support, identifying potential employers, writing resumes, completing job
applications, developing interview skills, job shadowing, receiving job
referrals, using career resource libraries, understanding employee benefits
coverage, and securing work permits.
(c) Retention support and job
coaching.
(d) Learning how to work with
employers and other employees.
(e) Understanding workplace values
such as timeliness and appearance.
(f) Understanding authority and
customer relationships.
(4) Employment programs or vocational
training
.
including:
(a) Participation in an
apprenticeship, internship, or summer employment program.
(b) Participation in vocational or
trade programs and the receipt of training in occupational classes for such
skills as cosmetology, auto mechanics, building trades, nursing, computer
science, and other current or emerging employment sectors.
(5) Budget and financial
management
.
including:
(a) Living within a
budget.
(b) Opening and using a checking or
savings account.
(c) Balancing a
checkbook.
(d) Developing consumer awareness
and smart shopping skills.
(e) Accessing information about
credit, loans and taxes.
(f) Filling out tax
forms.
(6)
Housing, education and home management training
.
including:
(a) Assistance or training in
locating and maintaining housing, filling out a rental application and
acquiring a lease, handling security deposits and utilities, understanding
practice for keeping a healthy and safe home, understanding tenants rights and
responsibilities, and handling landlord complaints.
(b) Lessons in food preparation,
laundry, housekeeping, living cooperatively, meal planning, grocery shopping,
basic maintenance and repairs, and driving instruction.
(7) Health education and risk
prevention
.
including:
(a) Hygiene, nutrition, fitness and
exercise, and first aid information.
(b) Medical and dental care
benefits, health care resources and insurance, prenatal care and maintaining
personal medical records.
(c) Sex education, abstinence
education, and HIV prevention, education and information about sexual
development and sexuality, pregnancy prevention and family planning and
sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS; substance abuse prevention and
intervention, including education and information about the effects and
consequences of substance use (alcohol, drugs, tobacco) and substance avoidance
and intervention.
(8) Family support and healthy
relationship and marriage education including
education and information about safe and stable families, healthy marriages,
spousal communication, parenting, responsible fatherhood, childcare skills,
teen parenting and domestic and family violence prevention.
(9) Mentoring including being matched with a
screened and trained adult for a one-on-one relationship that involves the two
meeting on a regular basis. Mentoring can be short-term, but may also support
the development of a long-term relationship.
(10) Supervision services for a youth placed
in a supervised independent living arrangement including a youth who is living
independently under a supervised arrangement paid for or provided by the county
agency.
(11) Room and board
financial assistance for rent
, deposits,
utilities, and other household start-up expenses
in
accordance with all of the following:. The
PCSA may only use up to thirty per cent of the Chafee federal independent
living allocation for room and board pursuant to rule 5101:9-6-35 of the
Administrative Code. The PCSA or PCPA shall not use the Chafee allocation or
TANF independent living funds for room and board pursuant to rules 5101:9-6-35
and 5101:9-6-08.6 of the Administrative Code for:
(a)
The PCSA may only
use up to thirty per cent of the Chafee federal independent living allocation
for room and board pursuant to rule
5101:9-6-35 of the
Administrative Code which may include, but is not limited, to assistance with
rent and initial rental deposit pursuant to
42U.S.C.
677,(2018).
(b)
The PCSA is not
to use the Chafee allocation or TANF independent living funds for room and
board pursuant to rules
5101:9-6-35 and
5101:9-6-08.6 of the
Administrative Code for youth under the age of eighteen and young adults that
have reached their twenty-first birthday.
(a) Youth under the age of
eighteen.
(b) Young adults that have reached
their twenty first birthday.
(12)
Financial
assistance including direct cash assistance, or other payments made or provided
by the county agency to help the youth gain independence.
(E)(F)
To help the youth achieve self-sufficiency, the PCSA or
PCPA is to develop an independent living plan in Ohio statewide automated child
welfare information system (Ohio SACWIS) in accordance with all of the
following:
The PCSA or PCPA shall develop an
independent living plan in SACWIS within thirty days of the completion of the
assessment required by paragraph (C) of this rule, to help the youth achieve
self-sufficiency. The plan shall be based upon the assessment, the
developmental age of the child and include input from the youth, the youth's
case manager, the caregiver, and significant others in the youth's life. The
independent living plan shall document the strengths, limitations, and
resources of the youth and outline the services to be provided. A copy of the
plan and any subsequent updates shall be provided to the youth and caregiver
within thirty days of the development of the plan or the update as
applicable.
(1)
Complete within thirty days of the completion of the
assessment outlined in paragraph (D) of this rule.
(2)
Be based upon the
assessment and the developmental age of the youth.
(3)
Be youth driven
and include input from the youth's caseworker, the resource caregiver, and two
adult supporters as identified in rule
5101:2-38-05 of the
Administrative Code.
(4)
Document the strengths, limitations, and resources of
the youth and outline the services to be provided.
(5)
Update the plan
with any changes of the youth's strengths, limitations, or
goals.
(6)
Provide a copy of the plan and any subsequent updated
plans to the youth and resource caregiver within thirty days of the development
or update.
(F)(G) The PCSA or PCPA
is toshall
include in the independent living plan the contact information containing the
names, addresses and phone numbers of significant others, such as
former foster
current or former resource caregivers, two adult
supporters, parents, friends, mentors, child's attorney, guardian ad
litem (GAL) or court appointed special advocates (CASA) and extended family
members as provided by the youth. The PCSA or PCPA is
toshall use this information to work
with the youth to develop and achieve meaningful, permanent connections with at
least one caring adult.
(G)(H) The PCSA or PCPA
is to update the familyshall amend the case plan and submit it to the
court within seven days following the completion of the initial independent
living plan pursuant to rules
5101:2-38-05 and
5101:2-38-07 of the
Administrative Code.
(H)(I) The PCSA or PCPA
is to complete a readiness review in Ohio SACWIS of the
independent living plan
shall review the
independent living plan with the youth and
substitute
resource
caregiver at least every
one hundred
eightyninety days until the agency's
custody is terminated. Each review
is toshall include:
(1)
Progress on current independent living goals and the opportunity to add new
independent living goals, as necessary.
(2) Review of youth's contacts including the
development of meaningful, permanent connections.
(3) Details regarding youth's access to and
participation in age or developmentally appropriate activities, positive youth
development and experiential learning similar to non-custodial youth.
(I)(J) The PCSA or PCPA
is toshall
provide independent living services training opportunities to caregivers caring
for adolescents.
(J)(K) For each youth in
the custody of the PCSA or PCPA no later than the age of fourteen, the PCSA or
PCPA is to request a credit report from each of the three major credit
reporting agencies (CRA) each year until the
youth
child is
discharged from substitute care. This may be completed simultaneously or
separately throughout the year.
(1) A request
is toshall be
submitted to at least one CRA by the first semi-annual review (SAR) held after
the youth
child attains the age of fourteen.
(2)
The PCSA or PCPA
is to ensure each youth receives a copy and is provided interpretation of their
consumer credit report annually until emancipation.The PCSA or PCPA shall ensure each child in agency custody
who has attained the age of fourteen or older until emancipation, annually
receives all copies of their consumer credit report. The PCSA or PCPA shall
assist the youth in interpreting the credit reports.
(3) The PCSA or PCPA is toshall assist
youth in the resolution of any inaccuracies reported on any of the credit
reports by working with the Ohio attorney general's office.
(K)(L) A PCSA
or PCPA is toshall ensure the following information is entered
into
Ohio SACWISstatewide automated child welfare information system
(SACWIS) and a PCPA shall ensure that the information is documented in the case
record each work day or as information becomes available in accordance
with rule
5101:2-33-70 of the
Administrative Code:
(1) All services provided
to youth as indicated in paragraph (E)(D) of this rule.
(2) Youth characteristics including:
(a)
Current and
historical school information and educationEducation levels.
(b) Tribal membership.
(c) Delinquency adjudication.
(d) Special education.
(e)
Current and
historical medical conditions, medications and medical provider
information.Medical
conditions.
(3)
Basic demographics of the youth including:
(a)
Gender.
(b) Race.
(c) Ethnicity.
(L)(M) The PCSA
or PCPA is toshall enter in
Ohio
SACWIS
and the PCPA shall document in the case
record the date the independent living assessment and the independent
living plan were completed. All
readiness review
dates of the independent living plan
are
toshall be entered in
Ohio SACWIS, in accordance with rule
5101:2-33-70 of the
Administrative Code.
The PCPA shall document all
review dates in the case record.(N)
The PCSA or PCPA
is to assist the youth in completing the national youth in transition database
(NYTD) survey in accordance with
45 C.F.R.
1356.82 (a)(2) (2008). The
PCSA may utilize independent living allocation to provide youth with incentives
to complete the survey.
(M)(O)
The
At least one
hundred eighty days prior to the youth's eighteenth birthday, the PCSA or
PCPA
is toshall provide the youth information on
final transition planning and post emancipation
services in accordance with rule
5101:2-42-19.2 of the
Administrative Code and eligibility criteria to enroll in bridges in accordance
with Chapter 5101:2-50 of the Administrative Code.
(1)
At least one
hundred eighty days prior to the youth's eighteenth birthday, the PCSA or PCPA
shall determine if one of the following eligibility criteria can be met for the
youth to be enrolled in the bridges program upon the youth emancipating from
care.
The PCSA or PCPA is to document efforts
in the readiness review to assist youth with meeting eligibility for bridges as
outlined in rule 5101: 2-50-02 of the Administrative Code.
(a) Youth is completing secondary
education or a program leading to an equivalent credential.
(b) Youth is enrolled in an
institution that provides post-secondary or vocation education.
(c) Youth is participating in a
program or activity designed to remove barriers to employment.
(d) Youth is employed for at least
eighty hours per month.
(e) Youth is incapable of doing any
of the activities described in paragraphs (M)(1)(a) to (M)(1)(d) of this rule
due to a medical condition, and incapacity is supported by regular
documentation from a qualified practitioner.
(2) At least ninety days prior to the youth's
emancipation
, if it is determined the youth is
interested
,
and meets
at least one of the eligibility criteria described in paragraphs (M)(1)(a) to
(M)(1)(e) of this rule, the PCSA or PCPA
is
toshall:
(a) Refer the youth to the bridges
program.
(b) Assign the bridges
representative to the ongoing case within Ohio
SACWIS.
(c) Introduce the youth to
the bridges representative.
(d)
Collaborate with the bridges representative until the youth reaches
emancipation and custody has been terminated.
(3) At least fourteen days prior to the
youth's emancipation, the PCSA or PCPA is
toshall ensure the youth has all
documentation required to enroll in the bridges program.
(P)
If the youth is
expected to remain in care after their eighteenth birthday, documentation is to
be added to the readiness review at least ninety days prior to their eighteenth
birthday to include information regarding the anticipated emancipation date.
The PCSA or PCPA is to continue to document ongoing discussions regarding the
final transition plan and emancipation date within the readiness review until
the final transition plan, referenced in paragraph (Q) of this rule, is
created.
(N)(Q) At least ninety
days prior to the youth's emancipation from the agency's custody, the PCSA or
PCPA
is toshall work with the youth to develop a final
transition plan.
(1)
The final transition plan is to be:
(a)
Youth
driven.
(b)
Reviewed with the youth during monthly visits pursuant
to rule 5101: 2-42-65 of the Administrative Code until youth emancipates from
agency's custody.
(c)
Entered into Ohio SACWIS.
(d)
Shared with the
bridges representative for youth that have been referred to the bridges
program.
(e)
Provided to youth.
(2)
The final
transition plan is to address the following:
(a)
The youth's
option to receive young adult services identified in rule
5101:2-42-19.2 of the
Administrative Code.
(b)
Health care including:
(i)
Information
regarding Medicaid eligibility for former foster youth until the age of
twenty-six. The PCSA or PCPA is to submit the ODM 01958 "Referral for Medicaid
Continuing Eligibility Review" to the county in which the youth will reside
upon emancipation. It is to be explained to the youth that medicaid is to be
renewed annually in the county they reside.
(ii)
Health care
power of attorney.
(iii)
Youth's option to execute power of
attorney.
(iv)
Establish ongoing services with medical and behavioral
health providers where the youth will reside upon emancipation.
(c)
Employment services.
(d)
Secondary and
post-secondary education and training.
(e)
Obtaining and
paying for safe and stable housing where the young adult will reside upon
emancipation.
(f)
Budgeting for necessary living
expenses.
(g)
Obtaining a credit report.
(h)
Registering for
selective service.
(i)
Information on obtaining a driver's
license.
(j)
Information on any existing court fees associated with
the youth's name prior to emancipation.
(k)
Information on
any existing benefits the youth receives, such as but not limited to social
security benefits. If necessary, the PCSA or PCPA review with the youth
instructions on how to apply for continuation of those benefits.
(1) The youth's option to receive
post emancipation services identified in rule 5101:2-42-19.2 of the
Administrative Code, provided or arranged by the PCSA or PCPA from which the
youth emancipated.
(2) Health care
including:
(a) Health
insurance.
(b) Health care power of
attorney.
(c) Youth's option to execute power
of attorney.
(3) Employment
services.
(4) Secondary and post secondary
education and training.
(5) Obtaining and paying for
housing.
(6) Budgeting for necessary living
expenses.
(7) Obtaining a credit
report.
(8) Registering for selective
service.
(9) Information on obtaining a
driver's license.
(10) Information on any existing
court fees associated with the youth's name prior to
emancipation.
(11) Information on any existing
benefits the youth receives, such as but not limited to social security
benefits. If necessary, the PCSA or PCPA shall review with the youth
instructions on how to apply for continuation of those
benefits.
(O)(R) Prior to the
youth's emancipation from the agency's custody, the PCSA or PCPA is to secure
and provide to the youth the following documents:
(1) An original birth certificate.
(2) An original social security
card.
(3) A current state
identification card or driver's license.
(P)(S) The PCSA or PCPA
is toshall
provide a copy of the final transition plan to the youth when custody is
terminated due to reaching the age of emancipation, along with the following:
(1) A copy of the youth's health and
education records.
(2) A letter
verifying that the youth emancipated from agency custody.
(Q)(T)
The PCSA or PCPA is toshall document in Ohio SACWIS the date the agency provided the
information in paragraphs (B), (F), (K), (O) and (Q) to
(S) of this rule
(E), (M) and (N) to (P) of
this rule. The PCPA shall document the information in the case
record.
