Success Beyond 18

A National Campaign of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative

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AT ISSUE

Choices we make about foster care today could deny young people their best chance for a strong start at adulthood. Let’s bring leaders together to help young people build better adult lives.

We can build a state where all kids are safe, have a family,

and have a chance to reach their potential.

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THE CHALLENGE

Every year, 26,000 young people “age out” of foster care without permanent families or supports. Negative outcomes include:

•  Homelessness •  Dropping out of high school •  Criminal involvement •  Unplanned pregnancies

Estimated cost to taxpayers = $8 billion

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THE OPPORTUNITY

Recent adolescent brain research shows we have a second chance to help young people overcome adversity and begin to thrive. The Fostering Connections Act makes it easier than ever for states to help young people have a strong start to adulthood.

The time is right to build a better path

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States are expanding their services for young people beyond age 18. Now is the time to help them do it right and ensure that these young people are getting the same opportunities for success as their peers.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The time is right to build a better path

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THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR A CALL TO ACTION

The campaign’s three policy and practice goals: 1.  Young people are not on their own at 18 without

families or supports. 2.  Young people have a meaningful voice and say in

their future. 3.  Greater accountability for their well-being leads to

more positive outcomes.

Doing it right has the power to change lives.

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EXTENDING CARE: DOING IT RIGHT

Extending the availability and enhancing the quality of foster care beyond age 18 •  Collaborate with young people in designing extended care •  Leverage federal funding •  Take advantage of federal options (supervised independent

living, allow for re-entry, voluntary agreements, direct stipends to young people)

•  Maximize participation of young people in extended care (inclusive eligibility)

•  Align extended care with approaches to case planning and oversight

.

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STATES THAT HAVE EXTENDED FOSTER CARE

Approved Title IVE Plans Alabama Arkansas California Illinois Indiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nebraska New York N. Dakota Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Washington W. Virginia Wash, DC Enacted legislation Delaware Florida Hawaii Missouri Nebraska Virginia

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OUR SOLUTION

Success Beyond 18 will improve outcomes for young people transitioning from foster care by:

1.  Increasing public understanding of their needs. 2. Mobilizing communities to take action to support them. 3.  Promoting improved policies and practices to increase

their chances for success in adulthood.

Leadership will pay off and things will get better .

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OUR SUCCESSFUL APPROACH

Since 2001, the Jim Casey Initiative has built a movement. We help achieve success for young people leaving foster care through:

•  Youth engagement •  Partnerships and resources •  Research, evaluation, and communications •  Public will and policy •  Increased opportunities for young people

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JIM CASEY INITIATIVE STATES

PARTNERSHIPS CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA HAWAII INDIANA IOWA MAINE MICHIGAN MISSISSIPPI NEBRASKA NEW MEXICO N. CAROLINA RHODE ISLAND TENESSEE

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THE TIME IS NOW

“Every young person needs an opportunity to look up in the stands and see somebody cheering for them.” – Crystal, 25, Jim Casey Initiative Young Fellow

Together, we can create a better path.

For more information, please contact: [Lynn Tiede at ltiede@jimcaseyyouth.org

Fostering Connections: Advocating for Improved

Outcomes for Older Youth

Nebraska and Pennsylvania

July 8, 2013

Setting the Context Nebraska

•  State-administered •  In 2011 served:

–  3,762 state wards (1,261 of those in-home)

–  2,164 non-court (291 of those out-of-home)

•  CW privatization and JJ reform

•  New HHS leadership •  “Front end” focus

Pennsylvania •  County-administered •  In 2012 served:

–  22k children in FC –  164k children in-home

•  New administration •  Revenue-neutral public

policy environment •  FCA passed in 2012

Policy Issues Nebraska

•  Gaps in existing programs

•  Omaha pilot showed good outcomes, but additional health care, housing and support needs

Pennsylvania •  Had a financial

disincentive to permanency – extended foster care to 21 under certain circumstances but subsidies ended at age 18

•  Could do more to promote youth permanency and successful transition from foster care

•  Not maximizing new federal revenue

Policy Issue – Pennsylvania

Options PA Pre-FCA

FCA Options

De-Link Income Eligibility for Adoption Subsidy X X Extend Adoption Subsidies from 18-21 X Guardianship Subsidies from 0-17 (relatives/kin) X X Extend Guardianship Subsidies from 18-21

(relatives/kin) X

Re-entry into Foster Care from 18-21 X

Extend Foster Care 18-21 when: •  Completing High School or GED X X •  Enrolled in Post-Secondary Education X X •  Participating in Employment Program X •  Employed for at Least 80 Hours a Month X •  Have Medical Condition X X

NE – Communications

Message Box

Values: Nebraska is a state where we take care of our kids and want them to have a real opportunity to be productive, healthy, and engaged members of the community as adults. Vision: Young people will have the support they need to be successful as they transition to adulthood. Ask: Take the opportunity under federal law to remove barriers for youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood by passing LB 216 and implementing the services and support program.

Youth Voice

NE – Communications •  Surveys and focus groups ! “Bridging the

Gap” report •  Press conferences and youth lobby days •  Fact sheets and packets •  Graphic and postcards •  Action alerts and social media •  Videos and profiles •  Radio, TV & print media/op-eds

Find info at: neappleseed.org/children#lb216 (check out our prezi!)

PA – Communications – Detailed fiscal analysis (Finance Project)

• Use of state and local foster care and payment data

• County survey to inform assumptions • Calculated youth and fiscal impact •  Find info at: http://bit.ly/c5zKW1

– White paper, op-eds, and e-advocacy •  Youth and families shared their stories in key

districts – how they would benefit

– Key messages: Existing disincentive, maximizing FCA will support better outcomes and is cheaper for the state and counties

PA – Fiscal Analysis – Broad stakeholder group – involved youth – Small working group to conduct analysis – Cost Assumptions:

• Number of extended subsidies • Number served in care ages 18-20 with current and expanded eligibility • Number re-entering care • Costs for administration, case management, legal representation, and placement settings • Cost savings due to increased permanency • Costs if PA doesn’t enact FCA

NE – Fiscal Analysis •  Data from NE HHS •  Broad stakeholder group decided program design options •  Mainspring developed projections of:

–  Net fiscal impact of extending care in NE based on the cost assumptions (estimates based on design options)

–  Potential state savings –  Expected new IV-E revenue (where NE could draw down for current

investments) –  Assumptions: caseload, placement, case management, case review,

supportive services, extended guardianship and adoption subsidies, and revenue

•  Estimated new state cost: $2.7 - 3.1 million in 2013 growing to $4.4 - 5.9 in 2017, depending on design option*

•  Other cost avoidance * Note that the age of majority is 19 in NE

Questions?

•  Where do things stand in your state on this issue? •  Is your state’s situation similar to NE or PA, or

something different? •  What challenges or successes has your state

experienced? •  Were you surprised that PA’s program was

estimated to generate revenue and produce a cost savings? (Yes, you heard that correctly!)

NE – Mobilization

•  Young people were the champions! •  Partnership between NCFF/PE and

Appleseed •  Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative

and Mainspring Consulting •  Older youth stakeholder group

PA – Mobilization – Administration supportive but some counties

skeptical of fiscal analysis – Juvenile Law Center and the Administration

were key partners – Previous advocacy of youth helped pave

way – youth sign-on to the administration – Worked closely with champions – Mobilized organizations/counties to

communicate support – Resource family and youth sign-on – E-advocacy message to legislature

NE – Government Affairs •  NE HHS

– Partnered in the fiscal analysis, but disputed aspects of the legislative fiscal note (which was based on the fiscal analysis)

–  Testified in opposition at committee hearing (based on cost but acknowledging the program as a best practice)

•  Limited state general fund dollars for the floor and competing priorities

•  Multiple amendments

PA – Government Affairs – Gubernatorial advocacy – platform – Convincing Administration – Program

Revision Request development to support Gov�s budget development

– Administration was on lookout for cost-savings (�waste, fraud and abuse�)

– Fine tuning of analysis/proposal – penetration rate

– Shepherding the budget proposal – Champion in appropriations

Questions?

•  What (tapped or untapped) champions exist in your state?

•  How are young people involved? •  What are the political dynamics?

NE – Resources

•  Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative •  Nebraska Children & Families Foundation •  Mainspring Consulting •  The Sherwood Foundation •  William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation •  Other partners: Foster Care Review Office, Court

Improvement Project, CASA, providers and other advocates, judges, senators and legislative staff, and NE HHS

PA – Resources •  William Penn Foundation – Fiscal analysis •  Casey Family Programs •  Annie E. Casey Foundation –

Communications strategy and KIDS COUNT

•  Finance Project/Mainspring Consulting •  FCA National Resource Center •  PPC�s Leadership Council •  Hornby-Zeller Associates

NE – Challenges and Successes

•  Successes: youth advocacy, stakeholder involvement, strong partnerships, background data, effective communications

•  Remaining challenges: implementation, rules and regs, other reforms, broadening eligibility

•  Implementation:

Before Jan. 1, 2014 NE HHS creates rules and regs

Oct. 15, 2013 NE HHS

submits SPA

Within 60-90 days of SPA approval

(not before Jan. 1, 2014) Program takes effect

July 1, 2013 Advisory

Committee formed

Oct. 1, 2013 Advisory Committee

makes initial recommendations

PA – Challenges and Successes

•  Navigating legislators interested in the change…or who had already introduced legislation.

•  Keeping proposal under wraps so Governor would get the credit

•  Fiscal analysis – effective but difficult •  Strong proposal – No strong opposition •  State commitment to go further than FCA

Implementation •  Key questions to consider:

–  Beyond creating eligibility to extend – what is the combination of programming, practice and philosophy that might encourage youth to take advantage of FCA?

•  Beyond connecting youth to concrete services to meet basic needs – how can the program help youth connect to supportive relationships and permanency, and to effective transition services so the program doesn’t simply extend the cliff to age 21?

–  How can you broaden the placement options and continuum for young adults?

–  How can you relax certain policies to allow for age-appropriate freedoms and responsibilities?

–  Is there a need for a culture shift related to the professionals and implementing FCA?

Implementation •  Implementation is equally important as the

statutory change and is an ongoing process. •  A next frontier in PA is broadening the

definition of �supervised independent living� settings to draw down new funds under FCA and create a broader continuum of placement options.

•  The next frontier in NE involves fleshing out the program, training, outreach and oversight.

Advancing the Field

•  Change underscores the importance government should place on ensuring the long-term success of youth transitioning to permanency and from care.

•  Provides the opportunity to consider a different way of serving young adults in foster care.

•  Incorporates brain development research

Advancing the Field – SPARC •  Can provide the space for advocates to

dialogue and figure out the best strategies to advance and implement FCA in their respective jurisdictions.

•  Can serve as a source and conduit of information and technical assistance.

•  Can create peer opportunities between state advocates who are engaged in similar work to advance FCA and other issues.