Statewide Quality Assurance Report

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Florida Department of Children and FamiliesCase Management Services - 2009-2010 Quality Assurance Reportthe same school to avoid any further disruptions and opportunities through ILS, school and ourplacements to get exposed to colleges, tutoring, IMPACT- credit recovery programs and we seethe general care and follow up from those that want to see us succeed.Transportation- Areas of further improvement include gaining resources to assist youth inpurchasing their first car, paying for car insurance and accessing bus passes preferably at adiscounted rate. What we found that is working is that many of us have our learners permitthanks to the help of our care managers and caregivers. We are supported with our desire totake drivers training at school if available. We feel that our transportation needs to doctorsappointments and sibling visits are always met by our care manager most of the time andsometimes our caregivers.Independent Living Services- Areas of further improvement includes increased Life Skillstraining in the area of savings and investments. What we found that is working is the creativeLife skills training that include incentives and hands on learning, the state funding of Road toIndependence to insure continued education past the age of 18, Florida tuition waiver to assistwith the educational needs of those in college/vocational school and what also works is havingan increased awareness of the needs of the teens in care resulting in creative programs like theIL Teen center and Hillsborough Kids Teen Wrap foster home program.Community- Areas of further improvement includes lack of connections with communitysupportive adults and services early on. What we found that is working is an effort to maintainsibling relationships and encourage relationships with family members.Conclusion and RecommendationsSo as you can see, in our opinion we have a lot of things that are working in our favor but sincewe are often told not to settle we have some recommendations that might address the areas offurther improvement.Training- Educate caregivers that teens need time to spend on normalcy activities outside ofthe group or family. Educate caregivers (again) that EVERYONE does not need backgroundchecks. Educate care managers, caregivers and policy makers that they can ask teens directlyabout their thoughts on foster care and they will sure learn a lot. Educate youth, caregivers andcare managers that Hillsborough County has a Hillsborough Public Schools counselor on specialassignment for foster care youth to specifically address any school issues. Provide education tocare managers and caregivers on the use of technology to support family relationships such asusing webcams to communicate with those not living nearby or those that do have set visits.Office of Family Safety | Page 39
Florida Department of Children and FamiliesCase Management Services - 2009-2010 Quality Assurance ReportResources- Provide opportunities for youth to get exposure to career programs throughshadowing, tours and internships. Seek out resources to secure funding, grants and donationsto assist youth in purchasing their first car and paying for car insurance. Work with the localHartline bus company for “real” meaningful discounts for monthly bus passes as $60 and even$45 if discounted is a lot for teens that work only a few hours a week or only receive $12 amonth in allowance. Seek local and state support for the continued funding of Road toIndependence and Independent Living.West Palm Beach - Youth Perspective RoundtableHello, I am Marcus former group home resident. I am 18 years of age and now have myown apartment at Vita Nova Villages. I attend Palm Beach Lakes Community High School in WestPalm Beach FL. I am a senior and also the Head Drum Major of my band. I feel as though myvoice is important because I am the source to all of your problems. I am the solution; I am the“come to” person. You all have questions and I have the answers. There are flaws and loosescrews in certain places that you need my help to tighten them. I am one of the many youth thatcan help you take that next step towards perfection to make these programs a better, supreme,and more of a “home like” environment. The problems I see in group homes are gratefulness,appreciation, role models, attention, stern guidance, and academics. These six problems cancause the youth to be ill prepared once he or she has leaves the program and now have to be anupstanding citizen in our community and role models for the toddlers, youth, and teenagers ofthe new generation. I was always told “it starts at home” which means whatever is enforced athome it will be instilled into the youth and the youth will perform it in the community whereverhe or she goes. So this goes from as far as respect, discipline, manners, communication skills,appreciation, and so forth and so on. The men and women that work at the group homes arenot only serving the youth but also the world. I say that because the youth that they arewatching will learn their habits, language, and morals, and that will rub off onto the youth andthe youth will take that and copy cat that where they go. It is imperative that the staff membersset a good example for these kids because we are the future. I feel as though the staff membersshould take their jobs seriously and teach these kids by example and start practicing whateverthey preach. If the kids are not brought up the way we know is the right way I hate to say it butinstead of looking at your future business men and women, your doctors, you lawyers, your thisOffice of Family Safety | Page 40
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