San Mateo County Grand Jury
• 2004-2005
Issue | Background | Findings | Conclusions | Recommendations | Responses | Attachments Integrating Emancipated Foster
⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 6 findings
F1
Transfer two or more social workers who are dedicated to youth in the ILSP, ILP Aftercare Services, THPP, and WIA Youth Education and Employment Services, into Adolescent Services from Children and Family Services. Response: Disagree. Adolescent Services is part of Children and Family Services (CFS). Currently, there are three Social Workers assigned to cover the Permanency Planning (PP) cases in the unit. Caseloads in this unit, as in all CFS units, are determined by a workload standard that is uniform across all CFS units. The unit currently justifies three Social Workers based on the caseload size. In addition to these three workers, Independent Skills Living Program and Employment Services staffs team with the Social Workers to provide expanded services to these youth. As caseloads grow in this unit, additional Social Workers will be assigned as needed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Transfer two or more social workers who are dedicated to youth in the ILSP, ILP Aftercare Services, THPP, and WIA Youth Education and Employment Services, into Adolescent Services from Children and Family Services.
F2
Increase housing options for current and emancipated foster youth. Response: Agree. The Board of Supervisors (BOS) authorized $750,000 to support the development of a transitional housing unit for these youth at the June budget hearings. The BOS also authorized $180,000 in stipends to assist emancipated youth with housing, school, training, and employment. This program will be implemented over the next several months. HSA will be analyzing the service needs of emancipated youth and reporting back to the BOS in December 2005.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Increase housing options for current and emancipated foster youth.
F3
Reclassify the Workforce Investment Act staff to permanent status. Response: Agree. Two Extra Help positions will be converted to permanent ESS positions in the September budget revisions, to be covered by a combination of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Children and Family Services funding.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Reclassify the Workforce Investment Act staff to permanent status.
F4
Complete the planned Adolescent Services survey of all program participants to gauge the effectiveness of the programs and find areas where improvements could be made and provide a base for follow-up. Response: Agree. Adolescent Services completed a survey with ILP youth towards the end of the program term, with general questions on what they thought about the program. Several youth focus groups were also held to gauge the effectiveness of these programs. The results of these surveys were used to improve the curriculum for 2005-2006 ILP training. Assessment of survey information will continue, with changes to be made as necessary.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Complete the planned Adolescent Services survey of all program participants to gauge the effectiveness of the programs and find areas where improvements could be made and provide a base for follow-up.
F5
Provide improved transportation options to Independent Living Skills Program participants. Response: Agree. Current transportation systems will be reviewed to develop plans for better utilization of existing resources. Expanding the use of bus passes and offering mileage to foster parents could increase the options available to older youth to help them become more independent and experienced in using the public transportation system. Payment of mileage expenses to foster parents for transporting youth to the evening Independent Living classes will also be explored.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Provide improved transportation options to Independent Living Skills Program participants.
F6
Develop better outreach programs to inform and involve eligible participants not currently participating in Adolescent Services programs. Response: Agree. As the Grand Jury report notes, there has been an increase in the number of youth participating in Adolescent Services Programs. Participants in the ILP have gone from 25 to 50 in the last two years. This year, a new contract with College of San Mateo was completed to further expand the ILP program. Another opportunity for growth is the Transitional Housing Program; brochures and information notices will be developed and sent to emancipated youth and youth currently in active Adolescent Services cases.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
Develop better outreach programs to inform and involve eligible participants not currently participating in Adolescent Services programs. COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Inter-Departmental Correspondence County Manager’s Office DATE: September 2, 2005 BOARD MEETING DATE: September 13, 2005 SPECIAL NOTICE: None VOTE REQUIRED: None TO: Honorable Board of Supervisors FROM: John L. Maltbie, County Manager SUBJECT: 2004-05 Grand Jury Response Recommendation Accept this report containing the County’s responses to the following 2004-05 Grand Jury reports: Proposition 36, Children and Family Services, and Integrating Emancipated Foster Youth into Society. VISION ALIGNMENT: Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government. Goal 20: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain. This activity contributes to the goal by ensuring that all Grand Jury findings and recommendations are thoroughly reviewed by the appropriate County departments and that, when appropriate, process improvements are made to improve the quality and efficiency of services provided to the public and other agencies.
Conclusions 4
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CL1 Page 8Adolescent Services houses all programs related to education, housing, job training, and mentoring in the same office building, with a staff that is selected and trained to work together.
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CL2 Page 8The substantial increase in program participation in the ILSP, Aftercare and WIA programs indicates that outreach has been successful and these programs are meeting the needs of their participants.
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CL3 Page 8Adolescent Services has planned programs and activities that include outreach before emancipation and continue through program exit or “aging out.” This is a clear indication that management and staff recognize the need to remedy the problem of youth “slipping through the cracks,” a situation almost inherent in a transient or troubled age group.
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CL4 Page 8Adolescent Services would like to move social workers dedicated to foster youth in these programs under this department’s control. This would increase the number of referrals and provide youth with important services. The problem of available and affordable housing is growing, with more emancipated youth placed out of the county in lower-cost areas. Without monthly stipends and Section 8 vouchers, available housing continues to be a serious problem. Agency staff funded under various federal acts receive none of the benefits awarded to full-time county employees. The county should reassess whether these employees can and should be reclassified as regular employees so as to avoid high turnover. The caseloads for the WIA staff are high with over 30 adolescents each. Additional staffing may need to be added to maintain adequate monitoring of participants. It is expected that rates of employment and college admissions will rise as the WIA program stabilizes its staff and has a chance to fully implement its programs. Although the increase in ISLP participants is a hopeful sign, a substantial number of eligible foster youth are not participating. Continued outreach must be done with youth who do not attend due to conflicts with their personal schedules. The lack of adequate transportation to get students to evening classes must also be addressed. The problems facing foster youth as they become emancipated are still difficult to overcome. They are challenged by homelessness due to lack of stable and affordable housing situations, and unemployment based primarily on the need for workplace skills. The educational programs that could alleviate the lack of marketable skills exist in the 8 county. Taking advantage of those programs is difficult when a young person is also worrying about housing, transportation, and many other types of critical support systems.
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office