A Marion County Foster Youth Project - Indiana Pathways to College ...

Connected By 25:
A Marion County
Foster Youth Project
COMMUNITY PLAN April 2005
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Inside Front Cover (blank)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT ............................................................PAGE
Acknowledgments ....................................................4
Introduction ..............................................................6
Indianapolis and Connected By 25 ............................6
Youth Engagement ....................................................7
System Reports ........................................................8
I. Education ........................................................9
II. Employment ..................................................11
III. Housing........................................................13
IV. Physical and Mental Health ..........................15
V. Financial Development ..................................17
VI. Personal and Community Engagement ..........19
VII. Child Welfare System ..................................21
Next Steps ..............................................................23
Connected By 25 Community Plan 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We sincerely appreciate the youth and adults that made this Community Plan possible.
These groups of individuals worked together to produce creative ideas, provide
information and data, and develop outcomes and recommendations that will
improve the lives of youth currently in foster care and foster care alumni. We thank:
Our Community Work Group
Paula Allen ......................Youth As Resources / United Way of Central Indiana, Inc.
Clara Anderson ..................................................................Children's Bureau, Inc.
Ginger Arvin................................................................Indianapolis Public Schools
Donna Augenbergs ....................................................Midtown Mental Health, Inc.
Derrick Barnett ......................................Indianapolis Private Industry Council, Inc.
Stephanie Beasley-Fehrman ..............Marion County Department of Child Services
Jim Boyd ..............................................................Indianapolis Urban League, Inc.
John Brandon ..........................MCCOY, Inc. (Marion County Commission on Youth)
Jennifer Brockway........................Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Shaffon Browder ............................................Southeast Community Services, Inc.
Tim Campbell ..............................................Volunteers of America of Indiana, Inc.
Dan Carmin........................................Marion County Department of Child Services
Michelle Clark ....................................................................Children's Bureau, Inc.
Randall Clark ....................................................................................Foster Parent
Angela Coulon ..............................................Indiana Department of Child Services
Mary Fran Crowley ............................................................................Choices, Inc.
Linda Cunningham............................................................................Foster Parent
Marlo Dale............................................................................Child Advocates, Inc.
Michelle Danner ....................................................................................Our Town
Mary Jo Dare ..............................................................Indianapolis Public Schools
Lydi Davidson ................................................................Indiana Youth Group, Inc.
Chuck Farrell ..............................................................Lawrence Township Schools
Anne Gabbert ..........................................................Care for Kids Foundation, Inc.
Jennifer Goss ....................................................................National City Bank, Inc.
Angela Smith Grossman................................Indiana Department of Child Services
Damon Hicks........................................................................Ivy Tech State College
Eric Howard ....................................................................................Outreach, Inc.
Dean Johns ..................................................John H. Boner Community Center, Inc.
Joanne Joyce ..........................................Indianapolis Private Industry Council, Inc.
Kelly Kent ................................................Corporation for Supportive Housing, Inc.
Angela Kiste ................................Indiana Foster Care & Adoption Association, Inc.
Sharon Lents ..................................................................Junior Achievement, Inc.
Ericka Lewis ..........................................................Indianapolis Housing Authority
Gina Lewis........................................Oasis of Hope Development Corporation, Inc.
M. B. Lippold ............................................................Marion County Juvenile Court
Alice Mader ......................................................................................Foster Parent
Carolyn McCutcheon ........................................................Goodwill Industries, Inc.
Bruce Meyer ..................................Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Beverly Mukes-Gaither ..........................................................Fifth Third Bank, Inc.
Dianne Murer ..................Youth As Resources / United Way of Central Indiana, Inc.
Rob Richardson........................Partners in Housing Development Corporation, Inc.
Sandra Sandifer ........................................................Homeless Initiative Program
Philip Seabrook..............................................................IUPUI - University College
Mike Smith ................................................Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Inc.
Dan Shepley ....................Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention, Inc.
Keena Sowers ................................................................Quest for Excellence, Inc.
Shenia Suggs ................................................................Wayne Township Schools
Anne Sumner ....................................................................National City Bank, Inc.
Gail Thomas-Strong................................................................................WFYI, Inc.
Pambana Uishi ....................................................Indianapolis Urban League, Inc.
Barbara VanDevender ........................................................................IARCCA, Inc.
Kathleen Vahle ....................................................................Ivy Tech State College
Noel Wyatt ................................................................Midtown Mental Health, Inc.
Toby York........................................................Mary Rigg Multi-Service Center, Inc.
4 Connected By 25 Community Plan

Our Youth Work Group
Justin A
Lesha D
Makia D
Shaunda G
Vanessa H
Jessica H
Maria H
Shaqueta H
Vonna H
Dionna J
Tony K
Lena L
Carissa M
Donna M
Sarah M
Elasha O
Jehnifer P
Ashley P
Brittany P
Jessica R
Amber S
Courtney W
Britteny W
Esther W
Our Independent
Living/Transition/Scattered-Site
Coordinators Work Group
Nikki Clark
Michelle Clark
Elwanda Haynes
Laura Killen
Ron Leffler
Leah Marsden
Kris Mayfield
Lisa Peck
Abby Swift
DeAnna Warren
Children’s Bureau, Inc.
Children’s Bureau, Inc.
Lutheran Child & Family
Services, Inc.
Children’s Bureau, Inc.
Indiana Department of
Correction
Children’s Bureau, Inc.
Ada’s Place
Children’s Bureau, Inc.
Adult and Child, Inc.
St. Elizabeth/Coleman
Pregnancy and Adoption
Services, Inc.
Focus Groups
We thank the Marion County Department of Child
Services for allowing us to conduct a focus group with
their staff, and Children’s Bureau, Inc. for allowing us to
conduct a focus group with their youth.
Special Appreciation
We particularly thank the Indiana Family and Social
Services Administration / Department of Child Services,
the Marion County Department of Child Services and the
Social Science Research Center at Ball State University
for providing data, technical assistance and general
information throughout the planning process.
In addition, we would like to express our appreciation to:
■ Toni Cooke, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative,
for her continued support, encouragement and technical
assistance
■ Tina Gridiron Smith, Lumina Foundation for
Education, Inc. for her ongoing enthusiasm, willingness
to provide feedback and technical assistance through
out the planning process
■ Ann Jefferson, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities
Initiative, for helping us get this project off the ground
and started on the right path
Funding
We are especially grateful to the funders of this project:
■ Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
■ Lumina Foundation for Education, Inc.
This project was supported by grants from Lumina
Foundation for Education and Jim Casey Youth
Opportunities Initiative. The contents of this publication
do not necessarily represent the views of Lumina
Foundation for Education, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities
Initiative, their officers, or staff.
Project Management
This project was under the direction of:
Christine Glancy, Vice President, Community Services,
United Way of Central Indiana
This project was staffed by:
Jackie Votapek, M.S.W., Senior Planner, United Way of
Central Indiana
Charlene Hederick, Project Consultant, Hederick
Partnerships
Connected By 25 Community Plan 5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
“I wish the community
would have addressed
this problem when I
transitioned out of
foster care. Had there
been coordinated
supports that
addressed these
issues then, maybe it
would not have taken
me ten years to
complete college.”
- Jamie
INTRODUCTION
In June 2003, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative (Jim Casey)
staff convened local stakeholders in Indianapolis to discuss the well
being of foster youth transitioning from the child welfare system to
adulthood. Concurrently, Jim Casey and Lumina Foundation for
Education, Inc. (Lumina), partnered with the National Youth Transition
Funders Group/Foster Care Work Group, to publish Connected by 25:
A Plan for Investing in Successful Futures for Foster Youth. As a
result, the local stakeholders supported the United Way of Central
Indiana (UWCI) in investigating the issue further.
In July 2004, UWCI launched the Foster Youth Transitioning to
Adulthood Project to assess the community’s capacity to positively
support foster youth as they transition from the child welfare system
to adulthood. Community assessment strategies included collecting
both quantitative and qualitative data. Project staff conducted
several one-on-one interviews with key stakeholders. Staff also
facilitated issue-specific focus groups and four work groups described
below:
■ Community Work Group (CWG) – The CWG represented local
organizations that are currently engaged with foster youth or have
the potential to become actively involved, providing either
services or resources that can contribute to improved outcomes.
Staff persons from the Marion County Department of Child
Services and the Marion County Superior Court, Juvenile Division,
were also group members.
■ Youth Work Group (YWG) – The YWG represented youth currently in
foster care and foster care alumni.
■ Independent Living Coordinators Group (IL Group) – The IL Group
represented staff of private child welfare providers who work with
youth currently in foster care and foster care alumni.
■ Funders Group – The Funders Group included organizations that
currently invest in work benefiting youth in foster care or
transitioning out of foster care, and funders that have an interest
in or potential to provide resources in the future.
Two documents resulted from this effort: an Environmental Scan, as
required by Jim Casey, and this Community Plan. The Community Plan
is a blueprint for guiding this project into its next phase. The
Community Plan suggests outcomes for seven issue areas, for youth,
and the systems that serve them, and makes recommendations for
improving the outcomes of youth as they transition into adulthood.
INDIANAPOLIS AND CONNECTED BY 25
As the Indianapolis community began the Foster Youth Transitioning
to Adulthood Project, the Youth Transition Funders Group/Foster Care
Work Group concurrently selected Indianapolis to pilot the investment
strategies that are outlined in Connected by 25: A Plan for Investing
in Successful Futures for Foster Youth. A summary of the National
Youth Transition Funders Group work follows.
Since 1995, leaders representing several prominent national
foundations have been working together to improve the lives of our
nation’s most vulnerable young people. Called the Youth Transition
Funders Group (YTFG), this coalition focuses on young people aged 14
to 25 either living in foster care, detained in the juvenile justice
system, or who have dropped out, or were pushed out, of school. The
coalition’s work groups have developed strategies in each of these
areas to help prepare these young people for success as adults.
Members of the coalition’s Foster Care Work Group (FCWG) recognize
that youth in foster care, who number more than 500,000 nationally,
live within an overburdened child-protective system that often cannot
provide even a basic level of stability, safety, and nurturing. While
they support efforts to strengthen the child-welfare system, FCWG
members believe bold new strategies are needed to assure these
youth have a network of pathways and connections that leads to
economic success. Economic success is a potent, predictive measure
of future success in other aspects of life, including housing, family
stability, safety, health, and social well-being.
6 Connected By 25 Community Plan

To prepare youth in foster care for independence, FCWG members
adopted a comprehensive approach that links these young people to
schools, banks, jobs, and support systems by age 25. Called
Connected by 25, the approach has five core strategies: advocating
and supporting educational attainment, facilitating access to
workforce development opportunities, providing financial literacy
education, encouraging savings and asset development, and creating
entrepreneurship opportunities.
1. Address the need for reliable transportation options for foster
youth. 1
●
The issue of transportation options for foster youth runs across
all the issue areas, including employment, housing, higher
education, etc., and needs to be addressed as a systems issue.
Youth either need help becoming independently mobile (e.g.,
getting driver’s license; buying a car) or accessing subsidized
transportation.
The FCWG members invited three communities to participate in a
demonstration project to see which strategies work best: Tampa, FL,
Indianapolis, IN, and Oakland, CA. As these communities gain
experience with and evaluate their initiatives, models based on the
most effective practices will emerge for use by leaders in other
communities.
In working with both the FCWG and local stakeholders, UWCI
committed to assess the needs of the community as well as support
the national strategies outlined in Connected by 25 and the local
strategies identified through the community planning process.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
To ensure the project addressed and truly represented all of the
issues facing foster youth, foster youth participated in the discussion.
The primary vehicle for foster youth engagement was the Youth Work
Group (YWG) comprised of youth in foster care and foster care alumni.
In addition to the scheduled planning sessions, staff facilitated a fivehour
leadership workshop for the YWG participants.
Twenty-four foster youth and alumni participated in the planning
process during the six-month planning process. Their input and ideas
are included in this Plan. After reviewing the priority outcomes and
recommendations in this document, youth added their own
recommendations:
2. Develop mentoring programs with trained mentors who can help
youth navigate the systems such as finding housing, securing
employment, completing college application forms, and etc., for
which other youth typically have family support.
● Youth need mentors regardless of whether they are in a foster
home or group home setting. Transitioned youth might also
become mentors for younger youth.
3. Review labor laws and advocate for changes or exceptions to allow
foster youth to work longer hours if they have achieved their GED
and / or are trying to save money.
4. Create a foster care environment where youth are encouraged to
practice making choices and allowed to make mistakes before
they are emancipated.
5. Recognize that providing information and services to foster youth
does not necessarily mean that the youth have assimilated the
information or utilized the services.
● As teenagers, youth may need to receive information in a
variety of ways over time, so that they truly understand its
significance.
“I want to make sure
that the kids in foster
care now don’t have
the same problems I
had as I transitioned
out of the system”
- Amber
1
Priority recommendation
Connected By 25 Community Plan 7

SYSTEM REPORTS
Interviews, focus groups, and work group discussions surfaced early
on that the community was committed to ensuring that all youth in or
emancipated from the child welfare system successfully transition to
adulthood. As a result, all of the planning groups identified and
endorsed one overall outcome:
Outcome
■ Youth will successfully transition from the child welfare system
into adulthood.
Recommendations
In order to achieve this outcome, there are three overriding
recommendations:
1. The child welfare and adult service systems will work
collaboratively to support and implement polices and procedures
that ensure youth successfully transition from the child welfare
system to adulthood.
2. A single community-based organization connected with the child
welfare and adult service systems will be responsible for the
coordination of all service elements for youth transitioning out of
foster care. This single point-of-entry will be a resource first and
foremost to foster youth and foster youth alumni, and also to
caseworkers, foster parents, and service providers.
3. The community will assess and respond to the data indicating
African-Americans and other racial groups are disproportionally
represented in the child welfare system.
In addition, there are seven systems that were studied, and
associated outcomes and recommendations for each are contained in
the following pages.
8 Connected By 25 Community Plan

I. Education
Status
Youth High School Outcomes
Education is the means through which foster youth and foster alumni
can meet other life needs, such as housing, transportation, health
care, and economic stability. Studies show that youth in foster care
do not perform academically as well as their peers, and that as many
as 50% of youth leaving foster care have no high school diploma or
GED. Early results from the Casey Family Programs’ National Alumni
Study indicate that education is the leading predicator of adult
success. 2
The Social Science Research Center (SSRC) at Ball State University
reports, “Frequent placement changes often result in different school
settings for those in foster care... research suggests (e.g., Hann,
2003) that it may take children up to six months to recover
academically from changing schools… These young people are more
likely than others to have dropped out of school, less likely to have
received a high school diploma or a GED and less likely to participate
in post-secondary education. (Sheehy, Oldham and Zanghi, 2000).” 3
Indianapolis/Marion County lacks a system for tracking the
educational outcomes of foster youth. While these data may be
collected when a youth is discharged from the child welfare system,
these data are not routinely available. Further, national reports
indicate that African-American foster youth are disproportionally
represented in Special Education classes. There are no local or
statewide data available to confirm or refute this assertion.
In 2004, Lumina invested in a program to “break the cycle” of foster
youth with low academic achievement. The program ensures that
foster youth have access to the educational supports they are entitled
to while encouraging them to explore their educational options.
Education advocacy, mentoring, and life planning are a few of the
activities employed with youth as part of the program.
1. Youth will achieve at grade level. 4
2. Youth 14-18 years old will have access to and support for
participating in apprentice or other vocational training programs
with specific skill development opportunities.
3. Youth will have a High School Diploma, Certificate of Completion,
or G.E.D. when they exit foster care.
4. Youth will have access to and knowledge about post-secondary
options prior to emancipation.
5. Youth will have access to and copies of all school records after
emancipation.
Youth Post-Secondary Outcomes
1. Youth will have access to and support for vocational training.
2. Youth will have access to and support for university training.
3. Youth will obtain a post-secondary degree/certificate.
Recommendations
1. Support the “Educational Success Program” funded by Lumina. 5
2. Develop a means to collect the following data on youth who are in
foster care and foster care alumni: 6
● Attendance rate in secondary schools
● Percent of youth achieving at grade level
● Percent of youth in Special Education, percent of minority
youth
● Percent of youth who pass the ISTEP
● Graduation rate from secondary schools
● Percent of youth receiving a GED
● Percent of youth enrolled in a post-secondary program
● Percent of youth who have received a post-secondary degree,
certificate or equivalent
“It is very frustrating
to be told ‘you need to
get your G.E.D.’ and
then not get the kind
of support you need
with your learning
disability to take the
G.E.D. so you can
actually pass.”
- Amber
2
Lynda Dunne. Effective
Approaches to Supporting
Youth Aging Out of Foster
Care: A Review of Research
that is Currently Underway.
Voices For America’s
Children, Issue Brief.
(August, 2004)
3
Social Science Research
Center. Indiana
Independent Living Survey
of Foster Youth. Ball State
University. (2003) 38.
4
Priority outcome
5
Priority recommendation
6
Priority recommendation
Connected By 25 Community Plan 9

10 Connected By 25 Community Plan
3. Support the implementation of the “Core 40” curriculum
requirements for all high school students as a basic requirement
for graduation.
4. Develop policies and implement practices that will decrease the
number of foster care placements to reduce the number of
changes in schools.
5. Develop cooperative agreements between the Juvenile Court and
the various public school corporations that will allow a youth to
remain at his/her home school.

II. Employment
Status
Studies show the foster youth alumni who fare best in the
employment market are those who gained significant job experience
while they were in foster care.
The SSRC reports, “… During the mid 1990’s, Chapin Hall Center for
Children, located at the University of Chicago, researched
employment outcomes of youth leaving foster care… The research
showed youth aging out of foster care are underemployed, have mean
earnings below the poverty level and that patterns of unemployment
vary by state. The study also found youth aging out of foster care
progress more slowly in the labor market than other youth.” 7
Early results from the Casey Family Program’s National Alumni Study
indicate ”youth with extensive employment experience are over four
times more likely to graduate from high school than youth with no
work experience.” 8
Closely tied to employment is the need for transportation. Youth
aging out of foster care seldom have a driver’s license, a learner’s
permit, or the opportunity to enroll in driver education. The State of
Indiana requires anyone under the age of 18 to have an appropriate
family member or other adult sign a financial responsibility
agreement before a learner’s permit or driver’s license can be issued.
The majority of foster parents and juvenile court judges are hesitant
to take on this responsibility; thus, the youth emancipates without a
driver’s license.
In addition, public transportation choices in Indianapolis are limited.
Subsidies (e.g., bus passes) are also very limited, making it difficult
for youth to access public transportation.
Youth Outcomes
1. Youth will demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviors
necessary to obtain and retain a job. 9
2. Youth will be working towards or have earned an industry
recognized credential(s).
3. Youth will obtain and retain steady employment that generates a
self-sufficient income.
System Outcomes
1. Youth will have access to the full range of age-appropriate career
information, labor market information, job seeking assistance,
pre-employment and work maturity information, and activities to
assist them in learning about employment and the world of work.
2. Youth will have supports that allow them to access and participate
in age-appropriate paid or unpaid employment or work experience
activities.
3. Youth will have supports that allow them to access and participate
in age-appropriate part-time jobs while they are in school.
4. Youth will have supports that allow them to access and participate
in age-appropriate apprenticeships or other vocational training
programs with specific skill development opportunities and
credentials.
5. Youth will have access to and the ability to obtain a driver’s
license at the appropriate age.
Recommendations
1. Develop a continuum of age-appropriate employment services
including training to develop positive work habits and attitudes,
and job search skills, volunteer work, subsidized work and
internships, part-time work, job-specific skills training, career
development programs, and access to a job coach/mentor: 10
● Develop paid and unpaid employment and work experience
activities
● Develop a network of part-time jobs that youth and young
adults can access while they are in school
● Develop apprenticeship opportunities and vocational training
that will lead to specific skill development
“I am told I need to
get a job, yet I do not
have a picture I.D.,
Social Security Card,
or any transportation
to get to and from a
job. Who is going to
hire me?”
-Vanessa
7
Social Science Research
Center. Indiana
Independent Living Survey
of Foster Youth. Ball State
University. (2003)
8
Lynda Dunne. Effective
Approaches to Supporting
Youth Aging Out of Foster
Care: A Review of Research
that is Currently Underway.
Voices For America’s
Children, Issue Brief.
(August, 2004)3.
9
Priority outcome
10
Priority recommendation
Connected By 25 Community Plan 11

● Develop financial aid options for licensing and certificate
programs
● Develop resources for skill enhancement, basic skills, and the
post-secondary education-to-career transition
2. Develop incentives for employers who provide work-related
learning, work experience, employment, and/or training
opportunities for current and former foster youth.
12 Connected By 25 Community Plan

III. Housing
Status
Finding safe, stable, affordable housing is an enormous problem for
youth leaving foster care. Youth leaving foster care end up living in
poor quality, unsafe housing; national studies indicate 25-40% of
these young adults end up homeless. Finding affordable housing is
the greatest challenge. Most youth seldom make above minimum
wage. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fair
Market Rent in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Statistical Area for a
one-bedroom apartment is $492. A youth earning minimum wage
must work 78 hours per week to allocate only 30% of their monthly
income to housing. In addition, most apartment communities require
a co-signer for a young person, and these youth do not have anyone
who will co-sign for them. Further, many youth are in need of
additional support services to help them transition from the child
welfare system to the adult world. Currently, there are only ten
transitional housing units with support services available for former
foster youth in Indianapolis.
In 2001, Casey Family Programs surveyed 35 Indianapolis foster
youth and unattached youth 15-23 years old.
●
●
●
●
●
17% were homeless at the time of the interview
About one-half of the youth expected to leave their current
residence within the next six months. Of those only 5% had
made specific plans and/or saved money to move. Almost all
the youth 19-22 years old who were interviewed moved
frequently, and over 30% had been homeless at some time in
the past year.
49% had been in the foster care system at some time in the
past three years
80% identified affordable housing as a need
28% identified affordable housing as their most important
need
The primary funding mechanism for Independent Living services to
foster youth and alumni is the 1999 John Chafee Foster Care
Independence Act (Chafee). Chafee’s “Room and Board Fund”
provides the primary housing subsidy available for emancipated
foster youth. When youth age out of the system on or after their 18th
birthday, they individually can access up to $3,000 for room and
board payments until they reach the age of 21.
Federal legislation allows public housing agencies to reserve a
portion of their Family Unification Vouchers (FUPs) for foster youth
who have emancipated. In 2002, the Indianapolis Public Housing
Agency allotted two FUPs to foster youth for an 18-month period;
however, they have now expired and no additional FUPs have been
granted.
Youth Outcomes
1. Youth will demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviors
necessary to achieve and maintain housing. 11
2. Youth ages 14 – 23 years old will have access to affordable and
safe housing options.
3. Youth will have knowledge about local housing systems prior to
emancipation.
System Outcomes
1. All youth will have a Housing Plan in place prior to emancipation
that leads to safe, stable, and affordable housing, and
accumulated savings towards that plan. The Plan will be a
coordinated effort between the pre-emancipation provider and the
post-emancipation provider that will ensure a seamless transition
to successful housing.
2. There will be sufficient housing subsidies available for youth 18-
23 years old that will provide for safe, stable and affordable
housing.
“I didn’t have any
place to live when I
left the system. I was
lucky enough to have
an older sister that let
me stay with her until
I could afford to get a
place of my own.”
- Jamie
11
Priority outcome
Connected By 25 Community Plan 13

3. There will be sufficient permanent housing units with supportive
services available for youth 18-23 years old.
Recommendations
1. Develop a Housing Plan for all foster youth prior to
emancipation. 12
2. Develop information and materials about youth-friendly housing
options. Educate caseworkers, foster parents, caregivers, pre- and
post-service providers, and youth about this resource. 13
3. Increase the supply of safe, stable, affordable housing options for
emancipated foster youth
4. Develop sufficient permanent housing units with supportive
services for youth 18-23 years old.
5. In addition to the Chafee Room and Board funds, develop housing
subsidies for foster youth 18-23 years old.
6. Develop an emergency shelter that is youth focused and youth
friendly.
7. Develop a plan for the implementation of a housing continuum. 14
12
Priority recommendation
13
Priority recommendation
14
MCCOY and Casey Family
Programs. A Home On The
Streets, A Report on the
Transitional Housing Needs
of Homeless and
Unattached Youth and
Young Adults in
Indianapolis, (Summer,
2002)
14 Connected By 25 Community Plan

IV. Physical and Mental Health
Status
Youth in foster care, like other “high risk” groups of young people,
are more likely to experience serious health and mental health
problems and/or engage in risky behaviors as a consequence of
abuse, neglect or instability in their living environments. In addition,
most youth have not gained the skills and knowledge needed to
discern the nature or seriousness of health and mental health
problems, or are able to access and navigate complex health care
delivery systems. Of particular importance is lack of access to health
insurance. After age 19, young people are no longer eligible for the
Hoosier Healthwise coverage (i.e., Medicaid or SCHIP) that had
provided benefits while they were in the custody of the child welfare
system. 15
SSRC reports, “… the Indiana young people who leave care in their
teen years often are unprepared to navigate the health care system
and pay for medical/health care services or insurance coverage they
need. … The young people … reported that learning how to access
medical care, pay for medical care, and obtain medication were
critical issues related to aging out of foster care. A youth shockingly
stated that ‘current health insurance is terminated at age 19,
continued eligibility is based on pregnancy, (I) didn’t want to become
pregnant just to continue health coverage.’ Others stated that they
would need coverage for more non-emergency things, e.g. braces,
glasses, better prescription coverage.” 16
From national studies, about 30% of foster youth become parents
while they are in care or within 18 to 24 months after leaving foster
care. In Indianapolis, St. Elizabeth / Coleman Pregnancy and
Adoption Services, Inc., operates the only residential program for
female foster youth who are pregnant or parenting. It has the capacity
to house 13 youth plus their children; the average occupancy rate is
11 youth and their children.
Youth Outcomes
1. Youth will demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to
access health care resources for their physical and mental health
needs. 17
2. Youth will access their own physical and or mental health care.
3. Youth will access local health and community mental health
services.
System Outcomes
1. Youth will have access to affordable physical and mental health
insurance.
2. Youth will have access to qualified, effective and affordable
medical and mental health providers.
3. Youth will receive assistance connecting to community health and
mental health resources and receive follow-up support.
4. Youth will have access to their health and mental health records.
5. Youth will make a seamless transition from children’s health
services to adult health services
6. The mental health community will have increased awareness
about foster youth that will allow them to specialize and focus on
these young people.
Recommendations
1. Advocate for public policy reform to ensure youth transitioning
from the child welfare system remain eligible for Medicaid
coverage until they turn 21 years old. 18
2. Train caseworkers, foster parents, caregivers, service providers on
how youth can access physical and mental health services.
3. Provide neighborhood community centers with information for
youth on how to access physical and mental health services.
“I know girls that have
gotten pregnant after
leaving the system
because they thought
that was the only way
they would be able to
get health insurance.”
- Jane
15
After this plan’s publication
date, Governor Mitch
Daniels signed Indiana’s
2005-07 biennial budget
that provides funding for
Medicaid coverage of emancipated
foster youth through
age 21 and authorizes the
Indiana Family and Social
Services Administration to
amend Indiana’s Medicaid
plan to provide the coverage.
16
Social Science Research
Center. Indiana Independent
Living Survey of Foster
Youth. Ball State University.
(2003) 40.
17
Priority outcome
18
Priority recommendation
Connected By 25 Community Plan 15

16 Connected By 25 Community Plan
4. Have public schools provide information about accessing physical
and mental health services, especially in Special Education.
5. Strengthen the physical and mental health curriculum used by the
education, child welfare, and caregiver systems to ensure youth
can demonstrate self-assessment skills and knowledge related to
their physical and mental health needs.

V. Financial Development
Status
SSRC asked Indiana foster youth currently in care, “What is the
biggest obstacle you think you will face when you leave out-of-home
care?” “Having enough money” tied for the first place response with
“being alone”. 19
Foster youth typically do not develop financial literacy and asset
management skills. While all independent living programs cover the
basics of financial literacy, they offer very basic skills provided far in
advance of a youth’s emancipation.
For the purposes of the planning process, staff divided financial
development into three areas: financial literacy, savings and asset
development, and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Financial Literacy - A survey of high school seniors (not just foster
youth) reports more than two-thirds of those surveyed (68.1%) failed
a multiple-choice exam on basic knowledge of issues related to
money management, credit and savings. 20
A survey of foster care alumni reveals young people say their greatest
need is financial education. 21 They want to know how to manage their
money: how to budget, how to pay their bills and taxes, how to
obtain credit, how to plan for major expenses, and how to save and
invest.
Savings and Asset Accumulation - Foster youth and alumni need
strong encouragement toward savings and asset development.
Individual development accounts (IDAs) are financial products that
combine cash benefits with incentives to help low-income people
save money and invest in the future. They are not an alternative to a
steady income but can be an important supplement to help these
young people achieve economic independence.
Entrepreneurship Opportunities - Connected By 25 states, “Nearly 70
percent of high school students report that they want to start their
own businesses, many because they want the opportunity to work for
themselves. Yet, more than 85 percent of these young people rate
themselves as “very poor” to “fair” in their entrepreneurial
knowledge, and they average scores of only 44 percent on tests of
basic business knowledge. Eight out of ten students say they were
taught little or practically nothing in high school about how business
or the economy works.” 22
Youth entrepreneurship programs can help foster care youth who lack
good models for choosing among career alternatives to think more
broadly about career possibilities.
Jim Casey Youth Opportunity Passport
When young people leave foster care, they often lack financial assets,
a relationship with a bank, or functional knowledge about the
economy of everyday life. To address these issues the Jim Casey Youth
Opportunities Initiative developed an asset-building tool called an
"Opportunity Passport." The Opportunity Passport tool is the
centerpiece of the Initiative’s work. It organizes resources to create
financial, educational, vocational, health care, entrepreneurial, and
recreational opportunities for young people leaving care. If
Indianapolis chooses to adopt and implement the Opportunity
Passport, it would be available to both alumni of the foster care
system and youth who are within four years of emancipation.
The goal of the Opportunity Passport is to help youth leaving foster
care become financially literate; gain experience with the banking
system; amass assets for education, housing, automobile, and other
specified expenses, and gain streamlined entry to education, training
and vocational opportunities.
The Opportunity Passport has three components:
• A personal debit account - to pay for short-term expenses, to
provide young people with a safe and accessible entree into
mainstream banking and steer them away from predatory lenders
such as check cashing and payday loan establishments. A youth
“It would be great if I
could save enough
money so I didn’t
have to worry about
having enough money
to live on my own
once I leave the
system. But no one
will co-sign for me to
open a savings
account.”
- Jane
19
Social Science Research
Center. Indiana Independent
Living Survey of Foster
Youth. Ball State University.
(2003)
20
Jump$tart Coalition for
Personal Finance. (2002)
21
Casey Family Programs.
(2003)
22
Jim Casey Youth
Opportunities Initiative,
Lumina Foundation for
Education, Inc., and Youth
Transition Funders
Group/Foster Care Work
Group. Connected by 25: A
Plan for Investing in
Successful Futures for Foster
Youth. 1994 Gallup Survey.
(March, 2004) 38.
Connected By 25 Community Plan 17

●
●
will be able to deposit a paycheck, cash, a personal check, or a
government benefits check in his or her debit account and
withdraw money as needed for purchases or the payment of bills.
A matched savings account (IDA) - to establish a pattern of regular
savings and build assets for select purposes.
Door openers - a host of benefits to be developed on a local basis.
Door openers may include pre-approval for registration for
community college courses or expedited access to job-training or
adult education courses.
Youth Outcome
1. Youth will demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviors
necessary to ensure positive management of assets and
financial literacy. 23
System Outcomes
1. Youth will have access to and knowledge about financial
institutions and financial literacy.
2. Youth will have assets and savings when they emancipate.
3. Youth will have access to entrepreneurship training and support.
4. Youth will have access to capital and supports for business
start-ups.
Recommendations
23
Priority outcome
24
Priority recommendation
1. Adopt the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative Opportunity
Passport. 24
2. Enhance the financial portion of the life skills curriculum for foster
youth; educate foster parents, caregivers, caseworkers and
service providers. 25
3. Encourage school systems to incorporate financial literacy
programs into their curriculum, particularly at the high school
level.
4. Develop opportunities for foster youth to participate in
experiential financial literacy programs like Junior Achievement’s.
25
Priority recommendation
18 Connected By 25 Community Plan

VI. Personal and Community Engagement
Status
The vitality of any community is dependent on the active engagement
of its citizens. Helping young people develop the knowledge and
skills required to effectively engage in community life is critical if our
communities are to remain vibrant. However, youth in foster care
often do not have the opportunities for long-term involvement in
volunteer or civic activities.
There are not any publicly designated seats for foster youth and/or
alumni youth on the Boards of any civic and community organizations
in Indianapolis. The only youth Boards that are designed for foster
youth and alumni are the state’s regional Chafee Youth Advisory
Boards. There is a Chafee Youth Advisory Board (YSB) designated for
this area; however, it is relatively small and unused at this time.
Youth Outcomes
The child welfare system is designed to “do all the work – make all
the contacts” for youth. Many youth do not see the need, nor do they
have the necessary skills, to access community services that could be
vital to their survival such as food pantries, clothing pantries,
emergency housing, support groups, parenting classes, free medical
care, etc.
In a summary of the most recent Independent Living Outcome
Measures Report of 38 Marion County youth aged 14-20 and
participating in Independent Living services of whom 28 were still in
care and 10 had emancipated, SSRC reports:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
94.7% received no financial support from their families
60.5% had not participated in any kind of leadership activity
63.2% had not participated in any kind of cultural activity
31.6% did not participate in any kind of spiritual activity
23.7% did not participate in any kind of recreational activity
81.6% were not involved with a mentor, though 94.7% said
they did have someone in the community they could go to for
emotional support
23.7% had been detained or jailed for a criminal offense
SSRC also reports:
●
Of youth surveyed, 17.7% reported “being alone” as one of
their biggest perceived obstacles after emancipation, tying for
the first place response with “having enough money.” 26
1. Youth will form and maintain positive adult and peer relationships
to enable them to access the services and supports to meet their
personal goals. 27
2. Youth will be engaged in positive community activities and know
how to impact social and political systems.
3. Youth will know how to access available services in the community
to achieve their personal goals.
System Outcomes
1. Youth will have sufficient opportunities to engage in positive
activities and relationships with caring adults.
2. Youth will have access to and participate in organized youth
forums.
Recommendations
1. Provide youth and their caregivers training and opportunities for
practicing a variety of personal skills required for positive peer
and adult relationships.
2. Develop and share additional training opportunities with staff
persons of the Marion County Department of Child Services,
Marion County Juvenile Court, child welfare providers and positive
youth development organizations to support and increase foster
youth involvement in existing community opportunities. Work to
connect the youth before they emancipate.
“I don’t know how I
would have made it if
my friend from
Wisconsin would not
have moved to
Indiana to be my
guardian the last few
years I was in the
system.”
- Amber
26
Social Science Research
Center. Indiana Independent
Living Survey of Foster
Youth. (Ball State University,
2003)
27
Priority outcome
28
Priority recommendation
Connected By 25 Community Plan 19

20 Connected By 25 Community Plan
3. Develop and implement transportation options to ensure youth
can access the numerous community opportunities that exist.
4. Encourage organizations to use foster youth/alumni on their
Boards and committees.
5. Provide forums and supports groups for foster youth and alumni
as well as opportunities for them to engage in positive community
activities.
6. Develop mentoring programs to provide mentors for foster youth
and alumni, and opportunities for youth/alumni to be mentors.
7. Obtain a mentor for each youth as soon as they enter foster care.

VII. Child Welfare
Status
The Indiana child welfare system is complex and confusing. The
system is administered by the state but each of its 92 counties is
responsible for funding the majority of its own services with property
tax revenue. A vast array of state and federal regulations govern the
system. The system itself stands on three legs – the local Department
of Child Services, the local Juvenile Court and an array of private
service providers. Youth enter the system because of “abuse and
neglect”, and thus begin their journey already burdened with any
number of familial and personal issues. In Marion County, the child
welfare caseload is excessive, personnel turnover is high and funding
for services is inadequate. The community’s awareness of issues
facing youth that are leaving foster care is low. Youth who are still in
the system at age 18 are regularly emancipated and expected to be
self-sufficient, productive citizens.
Without exact data, it is estimated Marion County emancipates 65-75
youth per year. Emancipation is defined as a young person leaving
the child welfare system on or about his/her 18th birthday, who is
not going to a permanent family and who is given all the rights of a
consenting adult. This is sometimes referred to as “aging out.”
The primary funding mechanism for Independent Living (IL) services
to foster youth is the 1999 John Chafee Foster Care Independence Act
(Chafee). Chafee provides federal funds to states for independent
living services for youth who are in out-of-home care and do not have
a permanent placement by the age of 14.
Youth Outcomes
1. Youth will demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviors
necessary to live independently. 29
2. Youth will have knowledge and skills to access support services
prior to emancipation.
3. Youth will have access to and copies of all personal records:
● Legal documents – birth certificate, social security number,
formal identification
● Medical records
● Education records
4. Youth will have access to all child welfare agency records after
emancipation.
System Outcomes
1. The Marion County Department of Child Services, the Marion
County Juvenile Court and child welfare providers will be
accountable for providing established standards of care for all
organizations that serve youth in the child welfare system.
2. County foster parents will have access to financial incentives and
additional supports for youth in their care such as IL services,
financial development programs, community resource
information, legal documents, etc.
3. Marion County Juvenile Court, its judges and magistrates will hold
Benchmark Hearings for each youth that is emancipating.
Benchmark Hearings are an informal, one-on-one approach to
preparing foster youth to live on their own, and may occur several
times as the youth approaches emancipation.
4. Public agencies such as child welfare, education, employment,
housing, and health share data, and develop and implement a log
that tracks cross-agency transactions.
Recommendations
1. The Marion County Department of Child Services will ensure all
case managers have the knowledge and skills necessary to work
with youth transitioning from the child welfare system. 30
2. The Marion County DCS, Marion County Juvenile Court, and the
system of child welfare providers work collaboratively to develop
and implement established standards of care for all organizations
that serve youth in the child welfare system.
3. Increase the number of foster and adoptive families for youth 14-
18 years old.
“When I was in the
system I went through
Independent Living
Skills Training. But
that did not help me
when I left the system
because half the time
I was not listening. I
was more concerned
about school, my
boyfriend, or my
family.”
- Jane
29
Priority outcome
30
Priority recommendation
Connected By 25 Community Plan 21

22 Connected By 25 Community Plan
4. The Marion County DCS develop policies and implement practices
to decrease the number of placements for a youth to decrease the
number of changes in schools.
5. Foster parents receive additional training and increased per diem
to provide Independent Living activities to youth who are placed in
their home.
6. Additional training opportunities and supportive services be
developed to encourage on-going county and therapeutic foster
parent involvement beyond a youth’s emancipation from the child
welfare system.
7. Develop a program, process and funding for Benchmark
Permanency Hearings. The Hearings are an informal, one-on-one
approach to preparing foster youth to live on their own.
8. Develop an “emancipation checklist” for the Court that requires all
items to be completed before the Court dismisses the case.
9. Increase public awareness of the issues facing youth leaving
foster care.
10. Support continued research and analysis into the issue of racial
and ethnic overrepresentation and disproportionality.

NEXT STEPS
The United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) has been strategically
focused on youth at risk and their families since 1991. Its focus on
positive youth development and early intervention are primary
reasons for its involvement in the Connected by 25 project. As a
result of the traditional child welfare system focus on care, custody,
and control, many young people transitioning out of the child welfare
system have not been sufficiently prepared for adulthood. The
Connected by 25 project focuses on positive youth development and
adult preparation, a prevention strategy that ensures these youths
have the knowledge, skills, and adult supports necessary to become
self-sufficient adults.
UWCI is committed to assuring implementation of this Community
Plan. UWCI will staff a Steering Committee that will make key
decisions about the implementation of the Plan. The Steering
Committee will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of
the Community Plan, monitor its progress, provide expert guidance,
and promote the Plan in the community. The committee’s initial
tasks include:
●
●
●
●
●
●
Establish a time line for implementation of the Plan.
Identify and recommend the direct service practice model to be
used for implementation.
Identify and select an existing organization to implement the
Plan.
Determine the costs associated with the Plan and recommend
a budget to sufficiently implement it.
Identify and recommend multiple funding opportunities to
support the Plan.
Discuss and recommend long-term strategic supports for the
project at a community level.
Connected By 25 Community Plan 23

United Way of Central Indiana
3901 N. Meridian Street
P.O. Box 88409
Indianapolis, IN 46208-0409
317.923.1466
Serving Boone, Hamilton, Hancock,
Hendricks, Marion and Morgan counties
community@uwci.org
www.uwci.org
Boone County Office
P.O. Box 773
Lebanon, IN 46052
765.483.0165
Hamilton County
Service Center
942 N. Tenth Street
Noblesville, IN 46060-
0678
317.773.1308
Hancock County Office
One Courthouse Plaza
P.O. Box 714
Greenfield, IN 46140
317.467.2346
Hendricks County Office
56 Main Street
P.O. Box 791
Danville, IN 46122
317.745.0310
Morgan County Office
109 E. Morgan Street
P.O. Box 1781
Martinsville, IN 46151
765.349.9780