Independent Living Program - Florida's Center for Child Welfare

B. DCF and DOE: Share results of assessments to ensure that each system isworking with all available information about youth.C. DCF and DOE: Undertake to review status of all youth who are academicallyone or more grade levels behind their peers to ascertain whether they have beencurrently and appropriately assessed for educational disabilities.D. Schools: Ensure that initial evaluations of students in state care who aresuspected of having a disability are completed within the required timelines: 60school days that the student is in attendance after the school district’s receipt ofparental consent (for prekindergarten youth, 60 school days). Assessments ofthese students with disabilities who transfer from one school district to anotherschool district within the same school year must be coordinated with thosestudents’ prior and subsequent schools, as necessary and as expeditiouslyas necessary and as expeditiously as possible, to ensure prompt completion offull evaluations.E. Schools: For students in state care who are suspected of having adisability; provide information to the parent or surrogate parent who has theauthority for educational decision making regarding the right to request that thegeneral education intervention procedures be completed concurrently with theevaluation.F. DCF and DOE: Identify the person(s) responsible for making educationaldecisions, including providing consent, in accordance with timeframes specifiedby IDEA for students in care.10. Trauma-Sensitive School Environments: Stem the School to JailPipelineSummary of ProblemMost youth who enter state care have experienced some form of trauma that will havelong lasting effects on their physical, developmental and mental health. Schoolpersonnel who are not aware of the youth’s background may not understand reactivebehaviors and refer youth to law enforcement for criminal prosecution. Such conducthas the consequence of placing youth who are the victims of abuse and neglect intoschool to jail pipeline.Data“Trauma may lead to psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder,depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders. Traumatic experiences in youthhood canalso have profound effects on developmental progression, relationships with peers andfamily members, academic achievement and motivation for learning, memory, and fullparticipation in society.” Helping Youth in the DCF System Heal from Trauma: ASystems Integration Approach National Youth Traumatic Stress Network NCTSN.org.After conducting its study, the National Youth Traumatic Stress Network notes that theways in which systems share information about a youth’s trauma history and treatmentcan have a direct impact on the quality of care given to the youth and on the youth’swell-being.7-13-0913