Independent Living Program - Florida's Center for Child Welfare

Support Services: The “bridge” services available include, but are not limited to, the following:- Mentoring and tutoring- Mental health services and substance abuse counseling- Life skills classes, including credit management and preventive health activities- Parenting classes- Job and career skills training- Counselor consultations- Temporary financial assistance- Financial literacy skills trainingCash Assistance: In order to receive cash assistance young adults must meet with anindependent living resource person and develop a 30- to 90-day interim self-sufficiency planthat details the specific actions that the service provider and youth will undertake to help theyoung adult transition to self-sufficiency. Based on that self-sufficiency plan, a budget of cashassistance and support services should be put into place. The cash assistance budget shouldnot exceed the amount of direct stipends that may be available to young people who opt toremain in care. Prior to the 30- to 90-day period expiring, a young adult who needs continuedsupport can meet again with the independent living resource person to show their progress andcreate a follow-on 30- to 90-day plan. Young adults who opt not to remain in care may utilizethis resource for a total of 12 months between ages 18 and 22, with the option to extend thatsupport to 18 of 36 months in extenuating circumstances. 14 For young adults who exit statecustody from licensed foster care, relative custody, and unlicensed care at age 18 who requirecontinued cash assistance support extensions, the independent living resource person willprovide information and assess the benefits of opting into intensive supports and services.Independent Living Resource Person: It is critical that young people who receive bridge supportmeet with a consistent independent living resource person and have a clear understanding ofhow to access bridge support across the state. This may require building a statewide websitefor transitioning youth, as well as posting information through Facebook, FosterClub, etc.Guardianship and Adoption Subsidies at age 16+Young adults who are adopted or achieve guardianship at ages 16 and over will continue to beeligible for adoption or guardianship subsidy through age 21. 15 Young adults who have beenadopted at age 16 and over will also have continued access to post-adoption services until theyreach age 21. Young adults who achieve guardianship at age 16 and over should also haveaccess to post-guardianship services until age 21. Currently, post-guardianship services do notexist in Florida. It is critical that these services are developed to support both children and youngadults that have achieved permanency through guardianship.Potential Sources of Revenue - Current Spending on Independent LivingServices14 Criteria must be developed for extenuating circumstances. An appeals process for young adults who are deniedbridge support must also be defined.15 The cost of extending guardianship subsidies to 21 was not completed as part of this analysis because a separateworkgroup in Florida is reviewing options regarding guardianship. If guardianship payments are not extended to age 21for young people who achieve guardianship at ages 16 and 17, the workgroup recommends that those young peoplebecome eligible for intensive and bridge supports.The Finance Project 7