Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 7 - Division of Family & Children Services Licensing Requirements › Chapter 1 - Licensing Requirements Manual for Residential Child Caring and Child Placing Agencies › Section 18-7-1-XVII - REQUIREMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING PLACEMENTS

Current through June 25, 2024
The general requirements which pertain to placement of youth
				  under other sections of this document shall be followed. In addition there
				  shall be compliance with the following specific standards for independent
				  living placements.
An
Independent Living placement
is defined as
				  placement in an apartment, house, or rooming house with supervision from a
				  licensed placement agency. A youth who has attained age seventeen (17),
				  obtained a high school diploma, certificate of attendance or General Education
				  Diploma (GED) and is in the custody of the Department may be placed through an
				  agency licensed for Independent Living placements. The youth's worker, Area
				  Social Work Supervisor (ASWS) and Independent Living Specialist must recommend
				  this placement to the Strategies for Accessing Independent Living Services
				  (SAILS) Advisory Board before final approval by the Independent Living
				  Coordinator.
A.
Independent Living Placement requirements:
1. Shall be located in close proximity to
				school, place of employment and other essential services
2. Shall comply with all fire, sanitation and
				safety regulations as determined by the Department's Licensing Requirements for
				child placing agencies
3. Shall be
				affordable based on the youth's established budget
4. All requests for Independent Living
				placements shall be presented to the Department's SAILS Advisory Board for
				consideration.
5. The State
				Independent Living Coordinator, with the recommendations of the SAILS Advisory
				Board, approves all Independent Living placements.
6. Shall have provisions to allow for a
				roommate if the conditions under Responsibilities of the Youth are
				followed
7. If a roommate is
				desired, he/she must be the same sex and in the Department's custody.
8. Shall include the reason for selection of
				Independent Living as the most appropriate placement for the child
9. Shall include the basis for concluding
				that the child exhibits self-care potential with appropriate agency assistance
				and has the ability to exercise sound judgment
10. The agency staff shall personally observe
				and determine that the living situation is safe and document the availability
				of specific and relevant resources that can provide suitable social, physical,
				vocational and emotional needs of the child.
11. Shall include an evaluation of the
				child's need for supervision
12.
				Shall obtain approval prior to placement from the legal guardian (if
				termination of parental rights has not been finalized) and Judge who holds
				jurisdiction
13. Support/Work
				Experience:
a.The agency shall allow age
				appropriate youth to be employed. The agency shall provide transportation to
				available employment sites when a particular youth is employed. The agency
				shall use employment and work experiences to provide constructive training for
				children. Children may not be substituted for staff members at the agency, nor
				perform required duties of agency employees.
b. The agency shall assign chores appropriate
				to the age and ability of the children in care which do not conflict with
				school, recreation, extracurricular activities, visitation with their families,
				Independent Living activities or any other activities associated with meeting
				the goals of the service plan.
c.
				The agency shall assist youth in transitioning from dependency to
				self-sufficiency.
d. The agency
				shall assist youth in receiving the education, training and services necessary
				to obtain employment.
e. The agency
				shall have and follow a written policy regarding the number of hours a
				child/youth can work, which must be approved by the Department.
f. The agency shall ensure compliance with
				laws governing the employment of minors, regardless of where the minor is
				employed.
g. The agency shall
				encourage youth of legal work age to seek employment in the community in
				accordance with service plans.
h.
				The agency shall assist youth in preparing for and entering post-secondary
				training and educational institutions (when applicable).
i. The agency will make available upon
				request personal and emotional support to youth through mentors (job coach,
				teachers, professionals, etc.). Mentors shall meet the same standards as staff
				regarding criminal records and Central Registry background checks.
j. The agency shall provide financial,
				housing, counseling, employment, education and other appropriate support and
				services to former foster care recipients between eighteen (18) and twenty-one
				(21) years of age (when applicable).