Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 15 - Children and Family Services › Rule 016.15.22-004 - Promoting Successful Transitions to Adulthood

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
POLICY VIII-B: EXTENDED FOSTER CARE
Even after reaching the legal age of majority (that being,
				eighteen (18) years of age), all youth need additional support and access to an
				array of resources as they continue their transition into adulthood. As such,
				youth who are eighteen (18) through twenty-one (21) years of age (or such other
				age as may be required under federal law) may choose to participate in the
				Extended Foster Care Program for education, work, or other programs and
				services in order to help them achieve a successful transition into
				adulthood.
Extended foster care provides case management services and
				support, as well as financial assistance with room and board costs for a youth
				who:
A. Was adjudicated dependent or
			 dependent neglected;
B. Was in
			 foster care at eighteen (18) years of age but is not yet twenty-one (21) years
			 of age (or such other age as may be required under federal law);
C. Wishes to participate in extended foster
			 care to benefit from the program; and
D. Is one or more of the following:
1) Completing secondary education or a
			 program leading to an equivalent credential;
2) Enrolled in an institution that provides
			 post-secondary or vocational education;
3) Participating in a program or activity
			 designed to promote, or remove barriers to, employment;
4) Employed for at least eighty (80) hours
			 per month;
5) Has a viable plan to
			 meet the requirements one (1) through four (4) above; or,
6) Incapable of completing school or work
			 activities above due to a documented medical condition, which incapability is
			 supported by regularly updated information in the youth's case plan.
Participation in extended foster care does not impede or
				otherwise alter any right afforded to the youth by virtue of their age of
				majority, including without limitation the right to consent to medical
				treatment or enter into contracts.
A six-month review hearing is not required for a juvenile who
				is over eighteen (18) years of age and has elected to remain in extended foster
				care or to return to extended foster care.
A copy of the youth's entire record will be made available to
				them at no cost at the final Transitional Team meeting, which will occur within
				ninety (90) days of youth's planned exit from care.
TRANSITIONAL YOUTH SERVICES SPONSOR
Youth who elect to participate in the Extended Foster Care
				Program will select a Transitional Youth Services (TYS) Sponsor. The sponsor
				will be a supportive adult with whom the youth already has a connection, such
				as the youth's previous out-of-home provider. For youth who are unable to
				identify such an individual, staff may recommend someone who is already serving
				as a sponsor to other youth in extended foster care or a volunteer from the
				community. The role of the sponsor is to provide support and guidance to the
				youth as they transition to adulthood. The sponsor will also receive the board
				payment on the youth's behalf. The sponsor will then assist the youth in
				managing the board payment according to their established budget developed by
				the youth and their Transitional Team. Exceptions for sponsors may be approved
				by the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) Director or designee. See
				Procedure VIII-B2 below for more information regarding TYS Sponsors.
Board payments for IV-E eligible youth may be made through
				title IV-E funds as appropriate. Board payments for youth who are not IV-E
				eligible will be paid using State General Revenue funds or other federal funds
				as allowed under federal law and regulations.
PARTICIPATION IN EXTENDED FOSTER CARE AFTER A PREVIOUS
				EXIT
Youth who left foster care at eighteen (18) years of age or
				older may later participate in the Extended Foster Care Program if the youth
				submits a request in writing or in person to the department to participate in
				extended foster care. Division staff will inform the youth of the option to
				have a petition filed on their behalf by their previous attorney ad litem if
				the youth also wishes for the court to have jurisdiction over their extended
				foster care case.
After receiving a request to return to the Extended Foster Care
				Program, the youth's case will be reopened in the division's information
				management system by the next business day. A TYS sponsor will be secured and
				keyed with a corresponding board rate within seven (7) business days after the
				request to return to the Extended Foster Care Program is received. Additional
				urgency in keying the sponsor and board rate will be exercised as needed to
				ensure this information is keyed prior to the monthly board payment run that
				occurs after the youth's return date.