Frequently Asked Questions III

We encour age you to s hare the Frequently Asked Questions with others. Permission to copy, distribute, and otherwis e use this
doc ument in whole or in par t is granted as long as appropriate acknow ledgment is given.
Electronic vers ions of this document, as well as pr evious FAQ s, may be downloaded at www .natlf ostercare.or g
Principal Author:
Robin Nixon, Director, NFCC
Contributing Writers:
Jooyeun Chang, Children?s Defense Fund
Karen Jorgenson, National Foster Parent Association
Mishaela Duran, National Network for Youth
Pat Shapiro, American Public Human Services Association
Roxana Torrico, Maria Garin-Jones, and Millicent Williams, Child Welfare League of America
Peggy Bailey, National Alliance to End Homelessness
Eileen McCaffrey and Lisa Foehner, Orphan Foundation of America
Edited by Susan Phillips, Connect for Kids
Cover and document design by FosterClub
Production assistance by Troy Marshall
A special thanks to NFCC member organizations for reviewing this document.
Produced with the support and funding of Casey Family Programs, www.casey.org
Our thanks to Susan Weiss, Renee Fellinger, Jan Waggoner, Marlon Buchanan, and John Emerson
for their support and assistance in developing this publication.
We would like to acknowledge Pamela Johnson, National Program Officer for the Chafee Foster Care
Independence Program (Children?s Bureau, HHS), for her dedication and national leadership in the
areas of independent living and youth development for young people in care.
The National Foster Care Coalition is administered by Connect for Kids, www.connectforkids.org.
May, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................1
A WORD ABOUT USING THIS DOCUMENT...................................................................2
PART I ? CHAFEE EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING VOUCHER PROGRAM
Overview..........................................................................................................5
1. What is the Chafee Educational and Training Voucher (ETV) Program?
2. What is the authorizing legislation for the Chafee ETV Program?
3. Does Congress need to reauthorize this legislation?
4. Is the ETV Program an entitlement?
5. How much money is available through the ETV Program?
6. How are the ETV Program funds allocated to the states?
7. What percentage of ETV dollars may states or counties allocate to
program administration?
Eligibility...........................................................................................................7
1. Who is eligible for the ETV Program?
2. How long can students receive ETV Program funds?
3. Do students apply for funding in the state where they were in foster care or
in the state where they are attending college or vocational school?
4. Do students have to maintain a minimum number of credit hours to
continue receiving ETV funds?
5. Is there any flexibility for providing ETVs to youth ages 21-23 who
were not involved in the ETV Program by age 21?
6. How does the state let young people know that these funds are
available?
Planning and Administration ...........................................................................9
1. Who administers the Chafee ETV Program in each state?
2. Where is information about state-specific plans for implementing the
Chafee ETV Program?
3. Who should be involved in planning the ETV Program?
Definitions and Program Implementation .....................................................11
1. What is an institution of higher education?
2. How can it be determined if a school or program meets the criteria
established by the Higher Education Act of 1965?
3. What are ?costs of attendance??
4. Will receiving ETV funds affect other federal financial aid that a student
receives?
5. Can Chafee ETV Program funds be used to support an existing statefunded
scholarship or tuition waiver program?
6. Can ETV funds be used to support health and mental health services for
foster youth in post-secondary education or training programs?
7. What are some best or promising practices for ETV programs?
8. What data or outcomes are states required to report regarding ETV
Program participants?
PART II ? JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM (CFCIP)
Overview........................................................................................................15
1. Is the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program an entitlement?
2. Does the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, which established the
CFCIP, need to be reauthorized?
3. How are CFCIP dollars allocated to the states?
4. What are the reporting requirements related to young adults ages 18-21
under AFCARS (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting
System)?
5. Do CFCIP dollars require a match? If so, how are states meeting the
match requirement?
6. If states do not use all of their CFCIP or ETV Program dollars, what
happens to the funds?
7. What percentage of CFCIP or ETV dollars may states or counties allocate
to administration of the programs?
8. What resources are available for information about state-specific
independent living services and programs?
9. Where are state CFCIP plans available?
10. Who can participate in developing a state?s CFCIP plan or program?
11. How have states engaged tribes in planning and delivery of CFCIP
services?
Program Effectiveness and Accountability ..........................................................21
1. How will HHS ensure that services funded under the CFCIP are operated
as required by federal law?
2. In addition to compliance measures, are there provisions in the Foster
Care Independence Act to determine the effectiveness of state
Independent Living Programs and to assess the quality of services
provided to youth in transition?
3. With whom must the secretary of HHS consult in developing outcome
measures for the CFCIP?
4. Does HHS have a plan for collecting performance data from the states
regarding implementation of the CFCIP?
5. Is HHS currently collecting this information from the states? Where is
state-specific performance information available?
6. Other than assessment of state performance, does the Foster Care
Independence Act require any evaluation of services and programs
funded under the CFCIP?
7. How are the state performance assessment process (NYTD) and
evaluation projects funded?
8. Is there any other information available about implementation of the
Chafee program?
Eligibility ................................................................................................................27
1. Who is eligible for CFCIP-funded services?
2. What does the phrase, ?likely to remain in foster care until age 18? mean,
as used in the FCIA?
3. How does CFCIP eligibility or participation in independent living programs
affect a young person?s permanency goal or plan?
4. If a youth moves from one state to another, which state is responsible for
providing CFCIP services?
5. Are youth who are in kinship placement eligible for independent living
services?
6. If youth are AWOL, or on runaway status, will they still be eligible for
Chafee services after they turn 18?
7. Are incarcerated youth eligible for CFCIP services?
8. What about young people with dual adjudication (sometimes called a dual
jacket)? Who has responsibility to make sure they are prepared for the
transition to independence?
9. Are undocumented immigrant youth eligible for CFCIP services?
10. What CFCIP services are available to young people with disabilities?
11. Are youth who exit the foster care system through reunification,
guardianship, or adoption prior to age 18 eligible for CFCIP services
after their 18th birthday?
Educational Supports and Vocational Training....................................................33
1. What vocational or training programs are available to youth making the
transition from foster care? How can they access services to prepare
them for the workforce?
2. Can CFCIP dollars be used to provide tutoring and other educational
supports to middle- and high-school age foster youth?
3. What role can foster parents or kinship caregivers play in providing
educational and vocational support services to the youth in their care?
4. What other ways can CFCIP services or dollars support better educational
options for foster youth preparing for the transition to adulthood?
Youth Development and Engagement.................................................................36
1. How are states listening to and utilizing the expertise of young people in
care and those who have aged out of care?
2. How many states have youth advisory boards?
3. Can states use Chafee Foster Care Independence Program funds to
support youth involvement on youth advisory boards?
4. How do states involve young people in their own individual case plans?
5. What resources are available to help a state set up a youth advisory or
advocacy group?
Housing .................................................................................................................40
1. Can CFCIP dollars be utilized to purchase or to build housing units for
foster youth or emancipated foster youth?
2. Can CFCIP dollars be utilized to rehabilitate or improve existing housing
for program participants?
3. How are states using the 30% room and board option under CFCIP
4. What does ?room and board? mean?
5. Can a state utilize CFCIP funds to provide room and board to a youth who
voluntarily remains in foster care after age 18?
6. How can states coordinate with other housing programs, such as public
housing or Section 8 programs, to increase access to safe, stable
housing for foster youth who age out of care?
7. What kinds of aftercare (other than housing) can a state provide to youth
ages 18-21 who have left care?
8. Can states use CFCIP dollars to provide services beyond age 21 (not
including ETV dollars)? If not, what sources of funding can be used to
provide services beyond age 21?
Appendix A............................................................................................................44
NFCC Member Organizations
Appendix B............................................................................................................46
The Foster Care Independence Act Legislation:
Title 1: Improved Independent Living Program (PL 106-169)
Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001
(amendment to the FCIA establishing the Chafee ETV Program)
Appendix C............................................................................................................55
CFCIP Excerpt from Program Instruction for Five-Year Child and
Family Services Plan: 2005-2009
Appendix D.............................................................................................................57
Directory of Useful Internet Sites
Appendix E............................................................................................................60
Selected References
Appendix F............................................................................................................65
State allocations for the CFCIP and Chafee ETV Programs, Fiscal Year 2005
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INTRODUCTION
The National Foster Care Coalition (NFCC) is
pleased to present Frequently Asked
Questions III (FAQ III) about the Chafee
Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP)
and the Chafee Educational and Training
Voucher Program (ETV Program). This
volume is the third in a series of publications
designed to support the full and effective
implementation of the Foster Care
Independence Act of 1999 (FCIA) and the
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program,
as well as the Chafee Educational and
Training Voucher Program authorized in 2001
and funded in 2002.
In the five years since the enactment of the
Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, many
states have made great strides in
implementing independent living programs.
Many gaps in services remain, however, and
societal concern for the well-being of young
people aging out of foster care continues.
States still struggle with the challenge of
providing all eligible youth, particularly those
who have left care, with consistent access to
independent living and aftercare services, as
well as to the new ETV Program. Since 2003,
the Chafee ETV Program has been available
to provide financial support to young people
continuing education or vocational training
after high school. Questions continue to be
raised by advocates, service providers, policy
makers, community
stakeholders, and young people about who is
eligible for the two CFCIP programs, how to
access the funding, how to provide safe and
stable housing for youth aging out of foster
care, and how to coordinate the CFCIP
programs with other programs for which young
people may be eligible. FAQ III seeks to
address many of these questions, while
pointing to resources that can provide further
guidance and assistance to states,
jurisdictions, service providers, and other
community stakeholders, including young
people themselves.
In the fall of 2004, NFCC partnered with
Casey Family Programs to develop FAQ III
and to survey practitioners, administrators,
advocates, young people in foster care, and
caregivers regarding questions about the
CFCIP Program and the Chafee ETV
Program. Flyers that asked for questions were
distributed at the Casey It?s My Life national
transition conference, and over 100
conference attendees participated in a
workshop discussion about the FAQ. NFCC
members were asked to identify questions that
should be included in the new FAQ, and
reviewed the document as it was developed.
Thus, FAQ III represents the combined efforts
of hundreds of stakeholders all working to
promote the very best supports and
opportunities for young people making the
transition from foster care to adulthood.
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A WORD ABOUT USING THIS DOCUMENT| The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999,
hereafter referred to as ?FCIA?, established
the Chafee Foster Care Independence
Program. In this document, the overall Chafee
Foster Care Independence Program is
referred to as the ?CFCIP,? and the
Educational and Training Voucher Program
(also referred to as the Education and Training
Voucher Program in federal instructions for the
legislation) is referred to as the ?Chafee ETV
Program,? or ?ETV Program.? Any specific
differences between the ETV Program
component and the other components of
CFCIP are described in the text of questions
and answers when necessary.| The FCIA references young people between
the ages of ?18 and 21.? Therefore, we have
used this phrase throughout the document.
Please note that this means young people
who have reached their 18th birthday, but have
not yet reached their 21st birthday. Under
some circumstances, the Chafee ETV
Program is open to young people up until their
23rd birthday.| Examples of specific state activities are meant
as illustrations of possible options, not as a
comprehensive description of state activities.
Due to the flexibility inherent in the FCIA,
policies and practices regarding such issues
as eligibility for CFCIP services vary widely
across states. Readers should consult with
their state or local independent living and child
welfare staff regarding information specific to
their state or community.| This publication is intended to provide
suggestions and helpful guidance, not legal
advice. Federal laws and regulations change,
and are subject to different interpretations. As
of publication, no federal regulation specific to
either the CFCIP or Chafee ETV Program has
been issued.| The first priority of the NFCC remains
advocacy on behalf of young people in foster
care, and our interpretations of the policies
related to independent living and foster care
should be seen within this context.| For the full text of the FCIA and the ETV
amendments, as well as the most current
information about the status of implementation
of the CFCIP and Chafee ETV Program,
please see Appendix B of this volume, and
visit the Children?s Bureau website:
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/index.htm.| The Children?s Bureau website also includes
the Child Welfare Policy Manual, which
provides up-to-date official guidance on all
federal child welfare policy, including
independent living.| A number of topics covered in this document
were covered in FAQ I & II, some in much
greater depth. For a full understanding of
some topics, such as serving youth with
disabilities, readers should review the previous
FAQs.
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Abbreviations:
ACF Administration for Children and
Families
AFCARS Adoption and Foster Care Analysis
and Reporting System
CBO Community-based organization
CFCIP [John H.] Chafee Foster Care
Independence Program
CFSP Child and Family Services Plan
CFSR Child and Family Services Review
DOL [U.S.] Department of Labor
DOLETA [U.S.] Department of Labor
Employment and Training
Administration
ETV [Chafee] Educational and Training
Voucher
FCIA Foster Care Independence Act of
1999
FUP Family Unification Program
FY Fiscal Year (for the federal
government, Oct.1-Sept. 30)
GED General Equivalency Diploma
HHS [U.S. Department of] Health and
Human Services
HUD [U.S. Department of] Housing and
Urban Development
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act
IEP Individualized Education Plan
(under IDEA)
ILP Independent Living Program
NFCC National Foster Care Coalition
NGO Non-governmental organization
NYTD National Youth in Transition
Database
NCWRCFCPP National Child Welfare
Resource Center for Family
Centered Practice and
Permanency Planning
NCWRCYD National Child Welfare
Resource Center for Youth
Development
PIP Program Improvement Plan
RHY Runaway and homeless youth
RHYA Runaway and Homeless Youth
Act
TANF Temporary Assistance to
Needy Families
TLP Transitional Living Program
WIA Workforce Investment Act
WIB Workforce Investment Board
YAB Youth Advisory Board
The National Foster Care Coalition (NFCC) is a unique partnership of national organizations,
foundations, and former foster youth working to improve services and supports for foster children
and families. Coalition members fund child welfare initiatives, sponsor regional and national
conferences, provide direct services, and offer training and technical assistance to communities
nationwide. NFCC serves as a clearinghouse of information and resources for the child welfare
field. NFCC is dedicated to raising public awareness, coordinating advocacy efforts and building
diverse alliances that strengthen foster care and community supports for children, youth and
families. The National Foster Care Coalition has a proud record of accomplishment in awareness
and advocacy efforts in the area of foster care. NFCC has led collaborative initiatives with
national impact, such as raising the issue of transitioning youth to the federal agenda, and has
provided critical resources to the field, such as Frequently Asked Questions I and II about the
Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 and the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence
Program. Information regarding NFCC member organizations can be found in Appendix A. This
publication, as well as Frequently Asked Questions I and II, can be found in pdf format on the
NFCC website, www.natlfostercare.org, and on many of the member organizations? websites.
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JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM
From The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, PL 106-169
PURPOSES OF THE PROGRAM:
1. To identify children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age and to help these children
make the transition to self-sufficiency by providing services such as assistance in obtaining a high school
diploma, career exploration, vocational training, job placement and retention, training in daily living skills,
training in budgeting and financial management skills, substance abuse prevention, and preventive health
activities (including smoking avoidance, nutrition education, and pregnancy prevention);
2. To help children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age receive the education,
training, and services necessary to obtain employment;
3. To help children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age prepare for and enter post -
secondary training and education institutions;
4. To provide personal and emotional support to children aging out of foster care, through mentors and the
promotion of interactions with dedicated adults;
5. To provide financial, housing, counseling, employment, education and other appropriate support and
services to former foster care recipients between 18 and 21 years of age to complement their own efforts
to achieve self-sufficiency and to assure that program participants recognize and accept their personal
responsibility for preparing for and then making the transition from adolescence to adulthood; and
6. To make available vouchers for education and training, including postsecondary training and education, to
youths who have aged out of foster care.
EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING VOUCHER PROGRAM
From Title 2 of the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001
The following conditions shall apply to a State educational and training voucher program under this section:| Vouchers under the program may be available to youths otherwise eligible for services under the State
program under this section.| For purposes of the voucher program, youths adopted from foster care after attaining age 16 may be
considered to be youths otherwise eligible for services under the State program under this section.| The State may allow youths participating in the voucher program on the date they attain 21 years of age to
remain eligible until they attain 23 years of age, as long as they are enrolled in a post secondary
education or training program and are making satisfactory progress toward completion of that program.| The voucher or vouchers provided for an individual under this section ?
1. May be available for the cost of attendance at an institution of higher education as defined in section
102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and
2. Shall not exceed the lesser of $5,000 per year or the total cost of attendance, as defined in section 472
of that Act.| The amount of a voucher under this section shall be disregarded for the purposes of determining the
recipient?s eligibility for, or the amount of, any other Federal or Federally supported assistance, except that
the total amount of educational assistance to a youth under this section and under other Federal and
Federally supported programs shall not exceed the total cost of attendance, as defined in section 472 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965, and except that the State agency shall take appropriate steps to
prevent duplication of benefits under this and other Federal and Federally supported programs.| The program is coordinated with other appropriate education and training programs.
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PART I ? CHAFEE EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING VOUCHER PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
1. What is the Chafee Educational
and Training Voucher (ETV)
Program?
The Chafee Educational and Training
Voucher Program, enacted in 2001,
provides resources specifically to meet the
education and training needs of youth aging
out of foster care. In addition to the existing
authorization of $140 million for the Chafee
Foster Care Independence Program, the law
authorizes $60 million for payments to states
for educational and training vouchers for
youth participating in post-secondary
educational and vocational programs. This
program makes vouchers of up to $5,000
per year available to eligible youth attending
institutions of higher education, as defined in
the Higher Education Act of 1965.
The ETV Program expands and
supplements the assistance authorized in
the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999
to help children who are likely to remain in
foster care until 18 years of age prepare for
and enter post secondary training and
education institutions. Federal government
instructions to the states on implementation
of the Chafee ETV Program can be found at
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/laws/pi/pi
0306.htm. To find out information regarding
a state?s Chafee ETV program, contact the
state independent living coordinator. Contact
information for state independent living
coordinators can be found at
www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/ilcoord.htm.
2. What is the authorizing legislation
for the Chafee ETV Program?
The Chafee ETV Program was established
by Congress as part of reauthorization of the
Promoting Safe and Stable Families Act,
known as the ?Promoting Safe And Stable
Families Amendments of 2001? (P.L 107-
133). Title 2, Section 201 of the Act
amended the Foster Care Independence Act
(Chafee Act) by adding ETVs as the sixth
purpose of the Chafee Foster Care
Independence Program.
3. Does Congress need to
reauthorize this legislation?
No. The amendment of the Foster Care
Independence Act to create the ETV
Program is a permanent change to the
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program.
4. Is the ETV Program an
entitlement?
No. The funds authorized under the ETV
Program are discretionary funds that
Congress must appropriate each year. The
law authorizes a maximum appropriation of
$60 million. Congress may appropriate any
amount between $0 and $60 million.
5. How much money is available
through the ETV Program?
The total amount of funds available to the
states has changed each year. In fiscal year
- 6 -
2002, no funds were appropriated for the
ETV Program. In fiscal years 2003-2005, 42
million, 45 million, and 47 million dollars
respectively have been appropriated for the
program. The total amount actually available
to states has been reduced by HHS
administrative costs and across the board
budget cuts by the federal government. In
2003, states were allocated a total of
$41,101,095. In 2004, the state allocations
were $44,062,503. For a list of state
allocations for 2005, see Appendix F.
6. How are the ETV Program funds
allocated to the states?
Just as in the overall CFCIP, each state?s
annual allocation is based on its total
number of children in foster care (as a
proportion of the national total reported in
the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and
Reporting System, AFCARS) for the most
recent fiscal year. The federal government
will pay 80% of the total amount of funds
expended by the state (less any penalties)
up to the amount of funds allotted to the
state for the Chafee ETV Program. The
remaining 20% of funds must be provided by
the state as a cash or in-kind match for the
program.
7. What percentage of ETV dollars
may states or counties allocate to
program administration?
States and counties may utilize ETV dollars
only for costs associated with administration
of the ETV Program. HHS has recently
issued policy guidance with specific
reference to administration of the ETV
Program, and includes the following points:| States are allowed to ?use voucher
funds only to provide the vouchers and
conduct administrative activities
necessary to provide the vouchers.?| ?A state cannot claim the administrative
costs under the title IV-E Foster Care
program for implementing the
Educational and Training Voucher
program.?| ?States may use funds from the voucher
program to pay for the salaries,
expenses and training of staff who
administer the State's voucher program.
States must properly allocate costs to all
benefiting programs, and the allocation
of such costs must be included in the
State?s approved cost allocation plan.?
See Question 7, page 17 for detailed
information regarding the utilization of
overall CFCIP dollars for program
administration.
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ELIGIBILITY
1. Who is eligible for the ETV
Program?
Youth otherwise eligible for services under a
state's Chafee Foster Care Independence
Program are eligible to receive vouchers.
(This includes youth who have left foster
care because they attained 18 years of age,
and have not yet attained 21 years of age;
youth likely to remain in foster care until 18
years of age, commensurate with the state
criteria used to determine eligibility for the
program; and former foster care recipients,
age 21 and younger.) Students participating
in the voucher program at age 21 and
making satisfactory progress toward
completing their course of study or training
may continue to receive vouchers up to age
23. States may provide vouchers to youth
who are adopted from foster care after
attaining age 16. To find out th e spec ific
eligibility req uireme nts an d serv ices a vailab le
in your s tate, contac t the state indepe ndent
liv ing co ordina tor.
2. How long can students receive
ETV Program funds?
Students may receive ETV funds as long as
they are in good standing and making
progress towards completing their program
or graduating. In higher education, this
means earning no less than a 2.0 GPA two
semesters in a row or passing marks in a
technical/vocational program. Individual
state programs may have additional
requirements such as periodically meeting
with a caseworker or limiting the funding to
10 semesters. States or education programs
may have other provisions in place to
maintain a student?s enrollment in the
program, such as a probationary status for
students with GPAs below 2.0.
3. Do students apply for funding in
the state where they were in foster
care or in the state where they are
attending college or vocational
school?
It depends. If a youth formerly in foster care
is already receiving a voucher and moves to
another state for the sole purpose of
attending an institution of higher education,
the youth?s original state of residence should
continue to provide a voucher to the youth
for as long as the youth remains eligible for
the program. If, however, an eligible youth
permanently moves to another state after
leaving care and subsequently enrolls in
college or vocational school, he/she should
apply for an ETV voucher in his/her current
state of residence.
Although federal policy guidance states that
students (having left foster care) should be
funded in their current state of residence,
most youth apply back to the state that had
custody of them when they emancipated.
Few states have the resources to verify
eligibility for students who aged out of foster
care (or for participating states, were
adopted from foster care at or after 16) in
another state. A few states (e.g., AR, AL,
CO, IN, NC, OH, and NY) have the
administrative capacity to work through
eligibility/jurisdiction issues. Youth, as well
as state and county administrators, identify
this issue as a challenge to implementing
the ETV Program.
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4. Do students have to maintain a
minimum number of credit hours to
continue receiving ETV funds?
It depends on the state. There is no
minimum required number of credit hours to
receive ETV funds in the legislation. Each
state sets the guidelines for its ETV program
within the definition of the law, i.e., ?making
satisfactory progress towards completing
their course of study or training.?
5. Is there any flexibility for providing
ETVs to youth ages 21-23 who were
not involved in the ETV Program by
age 21?
No. Students must have participated in the
ETV Program prior to their 21st birthday in
order to continue receiving ETV funds until
age 23. There is no flexibility for funding
youth who are over 21 and have not already
been involved with the ETV Program before
their 21st birthday.
6. How does the state let young
people know that these funds are
available?
Strategies for outreach to eligible youth vary
from state to state. In most cases, it includes
outreach to those working with adolescents:
case managers, foster parents, high school
guidance officers, college and vocational
program counselors, financial aid offices,
youth and alumni organizations, homeless
shelters, and residential programs. Juvenile
Court judges, Court Appointed Special
Advocates (CASAs), and other advocates
should also be made aware of the program.
Outreach should include basic information
regarding eligibility criteria, how to apply, the
process for awarding vouchers, and
communicating with students. Additionally,
states should include a presentation on the
ETV Program at their teen conferences and
facilitate opportunities for youth receiving
vouchers to speak out at county/agency
events. Many states have distributed flyers
or brochures with information about the
program at teen conferences, child welfare
meetings, and caseworker training events.
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PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION
1. Who administers the Chafee ETV
Program in each state?
In most cases, the Chafee ETV Program is
administered through the state independent
living program or CFCIP. There are a
number of states, however, that have
elected to administer the ETV Program
through the state financial aid office (e.g.,
the California Student Aid Commission) or at
the local level (all child welfare programs in
Florida are administered through
community-based agencies). A number of
states (e.g., North Carolina, Indiana,
Colorado) have contracted implementation
of the Chafee ETV Program to the Orphan
Foundation of America, a national education
support and scholarship organization. To
find out who administers a state?s ETV
Program, visit www.statevoucher.org, and
click on a specific state.
2. Where is information about statespecific
plans for implementing the
Chafee ETV Program?
States were required to include information
about the ETV Program as part of the
CFCIP section of the larger Child and Family
Services Plan due in June of 2004.
Information about the ETV Program must
also be included in the Annual Progress and
Services Report (APSR). See Appendix C
for information specific to the CFCIP and
Chafee ETV Program within the program
instruction for the Child and Family Services
Plan (CFSP). The National Child Welfare
Resource Center for Youth Development
and NFCC have collected information on the
CFCIP and the Chafee ETV program from
every state at
www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/state_home.htm
and the Orphan Foundation?s State Voucher
website has specific ETV information and
links at www.statevoucher.org.
State websites may include ETV information
in their foster care or child welfare pages. To
access state websites, go to
www.stateline.org.
3. Who should be involved in
planning the ETV Program?
Planning for the ETV Program should be an
integrated part of planning for the overall
CFCIP program, and should meet the
requirements and certifications set for
stakeholder involvement by the legislation.
Critical participants in the planning process
include:| Foster care and independent living
service providers| Group care service providers| Local workforce and employment
services staff| Representatives from the homeless
services community| The higher education/financial aid
community| Caregivers| Youth in care and alumni, particularly
higher education students
- 10 -| Officials from the agency that will
administer the program| Representatives from secondary and
alternative education
Because it is a relatively new program, the
ETV Program may require an intensive
planning process. Planners and
stakeholders should concentrate on
strategies for outreach to eligible youth, as
well as program mechanics, including the
application process, defining successful
outcomes, and monitoring and supporting
youth. Caseworkers and independent living
staff should establish strong communication
processes with local institutions of higher
education to ensure that young people
receive maximum benefit from the voucher
program, and that the voucher process is
coordinated with other financial aid and
scholarship programs.
- 11 -
DEFINITIONS AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
1. What is an institution of higher
education?
An institution of higher education, as defined
by the Higher Education Act of 1965:| Awards a Bachelor?s Degree or is not
less than a two-year program
(Associate?s Degree) that provides
credit towards a degree, or| Provides not less than one year of
training towards gainful employment, or| Is a vocational program that provides
training for gainful employment and has
been in existence for at least two years.
Such an institution must also meet all three
of the following criteria:| Admits as regular students only persons
with a high school diploma or
equivalent; or admits as regular
students persons who are beyond the
age of compulsory school attendance.| Is a public, private, or non-profit
institution.| Is accredited or pre-accredited and is
authorized to operate in that state.
2. How can it be determined if a
school or program meets the criteria
established by the Higher Education
Act of 1965?
All schools that meet the federal eligibility
criteria have been assigned a Title IV school
code number. Two web sites provide this
school code verification and can be
searched by state or specific school. If the
school or program is listed, they meet the
Higher Education Act?s criteria and have
been assigned a federal school code.
Students enrolled in these schools are
eligible to receive ETV dollars. The sites are:| www.fafsa.ed.gov/fotw0506/
fslookup.htm| www.finaid.org/fafsa/tiv.phtml
3. What are ?costs of attendance??
Costs of attendance are defined under the
Higher Education Act of 1965
(www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/
programs/programspdfs/section472.pdf ),
and include tuition, fees, equipment,
materials, computers, housing, internships,
school-related travel, childcare, room and
board, healthcare, and student loans.
Universities, colleges, and other programs
have tools for calculating the cost of
attendance for their school, and have some
flexibility in determining costs of attendance
for individual students. A government web
site, www.nces.ed.gov, lists the standard
tuition and fees plus room and board costs
for any institution that receives federal Pell
Grant funding.
4. Will receiving ETV funds affect
other federal financial aid that a
student receives?
No, other than that the total aid package,
including the ETV, may not exceed the total
cost of attendance. The ETV-related
- 12 -
amendment to the CFCIP states, ?The
amount of a voucher under this section shall
be disregarded for the purposes of
determining the recipient?s eligibility for, or
the amount of, any other Federal or
Federally supported assistance, except that
the total amount of educational assistance to
a youth under this section and under other
Federal and Federally supported programs
shall not exceed the total cost of attendance,
as defined in section 472 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, and except that the
State agency shall take appropriate steps to
prevent duplication of benefits under this
and other Federal and Federally supported
programs.?
5. Can Chafee ETV Program funds be
used to support an existing statefunded
scholarship or tuition waiver
program?
It depends on the state. Congress intended
for ETV funding to increase the amount of
financial assistance available to youth rather
than replace existing funds. A state cannot
supplant currently allocated state funds with
Chafee ETV Program funds for an existing
program. However, some states are
incorporating ETV funds as an expansion of
an existing post-secondary funding program,
such as Florida?s Road to Independence
Scholarship. Other states, such as Alaska,
are developing new tuition waiver or
scholarship programs utilizing ETV Program
funds.
6. Can ETV funds be used to support
health and mental health services for
foster youth in post-secondary
education or training programs?
It depends. ETV funds may be used to pay
for health insurance, which may also cover
mental health services. ETV funds may not
be used to pay directly for a doctor?s visit or
dental services. A state may, however, allow
students to use a portion of a monthly living
expense stipend which has been included in
determining the cost of attendance for
doctor co-payments, prescriptions, or other
health and mental health expenses.
7. What are some best or promising
practices for ETV programs?
Successful ETV programs work closely with
those persons and programs providing
Independent Living Program (ILP) services
to young people in foster care. The Chafee
ETV Program, however, should not be solely
an extension of services available to those
participating in an ILP. Many young people
who can benefit from the Chafee ETV may
not participate in formal ILP services or
programs, and some eligible youth (those
adopted at age 16 or older) are unlikely to
be getting such services. Youth receiving
ETVs, whether or not they have previously
participated in ILP services, will benefit from
coordination between the financial
assistance of an ETV and post-secondary
guidance and support services offered by an
ILP.
Best practices include but are not limited to:| A clearly defined application process
and a funding process transparent to
stakeholders, including informing
students of the amount of funding they
receive, the allowable purpose of these
funds, and to whom and when the
money is paid.| Open lines of communication between
the applicants/participants and the ETV
- 13 -
administrator including an 800 number,
an email address, and a website to
ensure that youth understand and
comply with all program components
and establish a relationship with the
ETV program.| Individual assessments for all applicants
to ensure that ETV funds are based on
their unmet financial need as calculated
by their educational institution.| ETV funding tailored to students?
individual needs within the context of the
overall financial aid package. In North
Carolina, for example, health insurance
is an identified priority; ETV funds are
used to purchase a policy once tuition,
books, and fees are covered.| Ongoing support and monitoring of
students? progress to avert student drop
outs; recipients should be encouraged
to access on-campus services including
tutoring and other programs designed to
support students at-risk, e.g., TRIO
Programs, campus mental health,
tutoring, and career services, etc.| A mid-semester attendance verification
process to prevent students from
continuing to receive funds if they drop
out.| Identification of, and specialized
services for, groups of youth who may
have a higher risk of dropping out, such
as parenting students; those with
learning disabilities; first generation
college students; and those who are
gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or
questioning.| A probation and specialized support
program for youth at risk of failure or
who are not making satisfactory
progress toward completion of the
educational program.| Data collection and evaluation of
outcomes, including the number or
percentage of students making
satisfactory grades each semester,
reapplying annually, and ultimately
graduating and entering the workforce at
a living wage in the field for which they
were educated.| Required training under CFCIP (which
must be paid for through Title IV-E, not
CFCIP) should include training for foster
parents, caregivers, and other
supportive adults to strengthen and
support their role as mentors and
counselors to youth in college and
training programs, as well as support
the aspirations of younger youth in their
care.| Program leadership that strongly and
visibly supports full and effective use of
the ETVs.| Comprehensive transition planning with
the youth that ensures safe and stable
housing during school holidays and
summer breaks.| Program integration with state and/or
school financial aid offices to ensure
that any unmet financial needs for
students are determined and addressed
in a coordinated manner.| Transparent fiscal reporting systems
that provide timely accounting for all
funds spent by category (e.g., tuition,
books, health insurance, rent/dorms,
transportation).| Use of CFCIP funds to provide ETV
recipients with needed supplemental
support services such as childcare, test
- 14 -
preparation, independent living services,
and job placement and retention
services.| State coordination of the CFCIP and
ETV Programs that ensures the
development of adequate sources for
required matching funds, drawing down
of all available federal funds, and full
utilization of funds within federal
timelines.
8. What data or outcomes are states
required to report regarding ETV
Program participants?
Each state submits an ETV Program report
as part of the APSR. The report must
contain the following information:| A complete description of the ETV
Program, including services and
activities planned, conducted, modified,
expanded or newly established to
achieve the purpose set forth in section
477(a)(6) of the Act;| A description of the categories such as
tuition, fees, transportation,
consumables (books, supplies,
uniforms), and tutoring under which
eligible youth received vouchers for the
fiscal year for which the state is
reporting.
States will also be required, under the
National Youth in Transition Database
(NYTD) to collect data and report on
services and youth outcomes related to
educational attainment.
- 15 -
PART II ? JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
1. Is the Chafee Foster Care
Independence Program an
entitlement?
The CFCIP, with the exception of the
Chafee ETV Program component, is a
capped entitlement program. This means
that funding for the program is mandatory
and guaranteed from year to year. Unlike an
open-ended individual entitlement program,
which guarantees funding for all eligible
persons, the amount available in a capped
entitlement program is set by law. The
CFCIP is capped at $140 million annually as
of the date of this publication.
In 2001, Title II of the Promoting Safe and
Stable Families Amendments of 2001
amended the Chafee Foster Care
Independence Program to add a sixth
purpose and to authorize an additional $60
million for educational and training vouchers
for youths aging out of foster care. The ETV
Program is part of the CFCIP, and is subject
to all of the same fiscal and reporting
requirements. The federal funding
procedures, the amount of funding for the
ETV Program, and some eligibility
requirements are separate, however, and
must be implemented only for this
component of the CFCIP. Unlike the $140
million permanently authorized for the
CFCIP program, the $60 million for ETVs is
an authorization for discretionary funds,
which must be appropriated each year by
Congress (See Appendix B, page 58,
Educational and Training Voucher Program,
for more information). This part of the
program may be funded at any level
between $0-$60 million.
2. Does the Foster Care
Independence Act of 1999, which
established the CFCIP, need to be
reauthorized?
No. The Foster Care Independence Act of
1999 (PL 106-169) created a permanent
change to Title IV-E of the Social Security
Act. The FCIA establishes the CFCIP, and
replaces the fo rmer Title IV-E In depend ent
Liv ing In itiative establish ed in 1986. The
CFC IP doe s not need to be r eautho rized and
can only be cha nged b y amen dment, as it was
in 2001 w hen th e Chafee Edu cation al and
Tra ining Vouche r Prog ram wa s adde d.
3. How are CFCIP dollars allocated to
the states?
Funds under the CFCIP are distributed to
each state based on its total number of
children in foster care (as a proportion of the
national total reported in AFCARS) for the
most recent fiscal year. Allotments may vary
from year to year as caseloads change.
Young adults who have left foster care and
receive CFCIP services are not counted in
AFCARS and are thus not included in the
formula for allocating funds to states.
- 16 -
The new formula takes into account the fact
that states may use CFCIP funds for
children in both federal and state-funded foster
care programs. It also updated the formula
used previously under the Title IV-E
Independent Living Initiative, which was based
on a 1984 count of the number of children in
the federal foster care program. The FCIA
also added a ?hold harmless? provision and
a small state minimum to the allotment
formula. These together ensure that each
state will receive at least the amount it received
in FY 1998 or $500,000, whichever is
greater.
In making the allotment calculations, the
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services sets aside 1.5 percent
of the funds authorized for evaluation,
research, and technical assistance. The
Secretary then divides the remainder among
the states that have submitted applications
for the funds. To ensure that each state
receives at least what it received in FY 1998
(under the previous Independent Living
Initiative), but no less than $500,000,
allotments for other states may be reduced
by a small amount across the board.1
States have two fiscal years to expend the
funds they receive in a fiscal year under the
CFCIP and the Educational and Training
Voucher Program.
States must submit a five-year plan for the
CFCIP to the federal government as part of
the state?s larger CFSP. After the Secretary
of HHS approves the plan, the state may
apply each year for CFCIP funds upon
receipt of notification by HHS that funds are
1 State allocations for fiscal years 2002-2005 are
available at
http://nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/programs/chafee.htm.
available for the current fiscal year, and after
submitting an annual report.
4. What are the reporting
requirements related to young adults
ages 18-21 under AFCARS?
In general, states are expected to report all
children in foster care and under the
placement, care, or supervision of the state
agency to AFCARS. In the case of young
people 18 years of age or over, states must
report the following to AFCARS:| Youth who have not reached the state?s
legal age of majority; and| Youth who have reached 18 years of age,
but not yet 19 years of age, on whose
behalf the state is providing Title IV-E
foster care maintenance payments. Such
youth must be reported to AFCARS
whether or not they have reached the age
of legal majority in the state.
Young people who remain in foster care
past age 18 or 19 and for whom care and/or
services are paid with state funds, or who
receive only CFCIP-funded aftercare
services past age 18, are not counted in
AFCARS and are thus not included in the
calculation of the state?s CFCIP allocation.
5. Do CFCIP dollars require a match?
If so, how are states meeting the
match requirement?
Yes. States must provide a 20 percent nonfederal
match each fiscal year to receive
their full share of the funds appropriated for
each CFCIP Program (CFCIP and the ETV
Program). The regulations governing federal
- 17 -
funding for CFCIP (including the ETV
Program) specify that the match may be in
cash or in-kind, and that other federal dollars
cannot be used for the match.2 The in-kind
match may include expenditures made for
room and board. The Child Welfare Policy
Manual further indicates that match
requirements for the CFCIP permit the use
of third-party, in-kind contributions.3 For
example, life skills training provided by a
private community-based agency to youth
who are participating in the CFCIP is a
service within the purposes of the CFCIP
and can be considered an acceptable thirdparty,
in-kind contribution (as long as the
agency is not receiving CFCIP dollars to
provide the training). Some states, such as
Oregon, rely entirely on in-kind match
provided by community-based service
providers. Others, such as Michigan, receive
an annual appropriation of funds from the
state legislature to serve as a cash match
for CFCIP funds.
6. If states do not use all of their
CFCIP or ETV Program dollars, what
happens to the funds?
If a state does not apply for its full CFCIP or
ETV allocation in any given fiscal year, the
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services shall reallocate the amount not
applied for to other states as needed. This
was a provision added to the overall
program in 2001. States have two years to
spend their annual CFCIP and ETV
2 According to the Child Welfare Policy Manual, the
CFCIP follows 45 CFR Part 92, Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements
to State, Local, and Tribal Governments. See Child
Welfare Policy Manual, Section 8.1F. The CFR, or
Code of Federal Regulations, as well as other policy
and legislative information, can be found at
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/laws/
3 Codified at 45 CFR 92.24.
allocations. At the end of the two-year
period, unspent monies revert to the federal
treasury, not the CFCIP or ETV Program.4 In
fiscal year 2000, a one-time extension was
authorized, allowing states three years to
spend their first allocation of CFCIP funds.
No additional extensions have been granted
for expenditure of CFCIP and Chafee ETV
Program funds.
7. What percentage of CFCIP or ETV
dollars may states or counties
allocate to administration of the
programs?
The Act permits a state to use its CFCIP
allocation in ?any manner that is reasonably
calculated to accomplish the purposes of
this section,? i.e., the CFCIP.5 States may
utilize ETV dollars, however, only for
administration of the ETV Program (see
question 7, page 6). There is no specific cap
on funds for administration as there is in
some other federally funded programs.
States, therefore, have considerable
flexibility regarding utilization of CFCIP
funds.
Administrative costs include funding for
information system development and
operational costs that are consistent with the
purposes of the program and necessary to
comply with data collection and performance
measurement requirements. Although some
training may be charged as administration,
the Child Welfare Policy Manual notes that
there is one important exception: the cost of
training foster parents, workers in group
homes, and case managers on issues
confronting adolescents preparing to
4 Social Security Act 477; PL 107-133
5 Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, PL 106-169,
106th Congress. Section 477 (d)(1)
- 18 -
transition from care must be charged to the
Title IV-E training program rather than the
CFCIP.6
8. What resources are available for
information about state-specific
independent living services and
programs?
The best source of information regarding a
state?s CFCIP programs and services is the
state independent living coordinator. The
University of Oklahoma National Child
Welfare Resource Center for Youth
Development (NCWRCYD) maintains a list
of independent living program coordinators
with contact information. To see the list go to
www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/ilcoord.htm.
9. Where are state CFCIP plans
available?
Most states have their plan available on their
child welfare department websites. In
addition, the NCWRCYD, in collaboration
with the NFCC, has developed fact sheets
on each state with a web link or instructions
on how to access each state?s CFCIP plan.
To access the NCWRCYD/NFCC state-bystate
fact sheets, visit
www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd
/state_home.htm.
Each state must submit a new plan to HHS
every five years as part of the larger Child
and Family Services Plan for the state?s
child welfare system. The state plans must
be made available for public comment prior
to submission to the federal government.
6 Sections 477(b)(3)(D) and 477(d)(1) of the Social
Security Act, Child Welfare Policy Manual, Section
3.1H.
The latest plans were submitted by states on
June 30, 2004.
During the five years the plan is in effect, the
state must submit the APSR, which includes
any request for changes to the plan, as well
as the request for the next year?s funds.
States also submit a financial report on
expenditures and matching funds annually.
Child and Family Services Plans may be
found by locating each state?s child welfare
department website through
www.stateline.org.
10. Who can participate in
developing a state?s CFCIP plan or
program?
States are required to engage a wide range
of stakeholders, including young people, in
developing the CFCIP plan (see FAQ II, pp.
12-14), and page 20 of this document. The
FCIA specifically requires states to consult
with tribes regarding the CFCIP plan. Some
states hold an annual meeting to review
progress and conduct planning for the
independent living program. Others convene
planning or advisory groups to participate in
developing the five-year plan. Contact the
state independent living coordinator to find
out when a state will be updating their
CFCIP plan or to request information
regarding opportunities for public input
and/or participation. Some states, such as
South Dakota, convene stakeholders
annually to review and provide input to the
CFCIP program. In its guidance to states,
HHS has strongly recommended that young
people in foster care as well as those who
have left care be involved in planning related
to the CFCIP.
- 19 -
11. How have states engaged tribes
in planning and delivery of CFCIP
services?
At the time of this publication, five years
after the passage of the FCIA, it is still not
clear whether tribes are participating actively
as stakeholders in CFCIP planning, or
whether Indian youth have access to CFCIP
services on the ?same basis? as other youth
in the state, as required by the Act. States
have made efforts to engage tribes in the
CFCIP planning process by including them
in stakeholder meetings, or through
consultation with statewide tribal
organizations. According to a survey
conducted by NICWA (National Indian Child
Welfare Association) in 2001, however, only
about half of tribes surveyed were familiar
with the CFCIP. CFCIP presents particular
challenges for state planning and delivery of
services, as the law requires that Indian
youth in federally recognized tribes receive
services regardless of whether the tribe has
entered into a Title IV-E child welfare
services agreement with the state.
Some states, like Washington, have
allocated a percentage of the CFCIP funds
to be divided up equally among tribes in the
state. There is currently little information
regarding tribal access to CFCIP planning
processes, services, or funding. It is clear
that significant work must still be done to
ensure not only tribal participation as
stakeholders in the CFCIP, but also to
ensure that services and the planning
process itself are accessible and culturally
acceptable to tribes and to Indian youth
- 20 -
EXCERPTS FROM FEDERAL PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS
REGARDING STATE PLANNING AND REPORTING:
Consultation Requirements
The State's Chief Executive Officer or delegate (as authorized by State law) must certify that
public and private organizations representing a wide range of stakeholders and consumers, in
particular Indian Tribes, are consulted in the development of the CFCIP 5-year plan. Also, we
strongly encourage the involvement of young people, those presently in care as well as former
foster care youth, in the planning activities.
[Issuance Date: April 20, 2000]
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program Plan
The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 authorizes States to apply for funds for a period of
five consecutive fiscal years by submitting a plan that meets specified requirements in section
477(b)(2) of the Act. To assist States in planning comprehensively for the full array of child
welfare services, from prevention and protection through permanency, we are consolidating the
CFSP and the CFCIP plans. This consolidation is consistent with both the requirements in CFCIP
(see section 477(b)(3)(F)) and the regulation on the comprehensive CFSP (see 45 CFR 1357.15).
The CFCIP requires a certification by the chief executive officer of the State to "?make every
effort to coordinate the State programs ? with other Federal and State programs for youth?"
(section 477(b)(2)(F)). The regulations for the CFSP require States to include information on their
independent living program under title IV-E of the Act in the CFSP and the APSR in order to be
eligible for funds under title IV-B. In addition, such consolidation reduces duplicative information
requirements for the CFSP and the CFCIP plans.
In order to bring the two State plans into the same time frame, States applying for CFCIP funds
are required to submit a four-year (FY 2001 - 2004) CFCIP plan with the APSR, due no later than
June 30, 2001. Instructions for developing the CFCIP plan are in ACYF-CB-PI-01-02, issued
February 13, 2001 (see Attachment B). In addition to submitting a four-year CFCIP plan, States
and Puerto Rico are required to provide an annual update to their CFCIP plan for each of the four
years under the plan, which is incorporated into the APSR.[Issuance Date: February 14, 2001]
The text of the Foster Care Independence Act and the ETV amendment, as well as federal
program instructions and other policy information regarding the CFCIP and ETV Program are
located at the Children?s Bureau website:
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/laws/policy.htm
- 21 -
PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY
1. How will HHS ensure that services
funded under the CFCIP are operated
as required by federal law?
At a minimum, H HS mus t enfo rce th e
following accou ntability pr ovisio ns:| A r equire ment that th ere be a cer tifica tion in
a state?s five-year plan, by the state?s chief
executive officer, that the state ha s
establish ed and will enforc e stan dards and
pro cedure s to p revent fraud and a buse in
the progr ams fu nded u nder the Cha fee
Ind epende nce Pr ogram.| A requirement that a state describe in its
five-year plan how it in tends to coo perate
with national e valuations o f the
ind epende nt liv ing pr ograms .| A s ystem of fis cal pe naltie s on s tates for
non compliance that sp ecifies:
- A reduc tion o f betw een on e and five
per cent o f the amount allotted to the
sta te und er the CFCIP for operating a
service in a manner incon sisten t with or
not disclosed in the state applic ation
app roved by HHS.*
- A reduc tion o f betw een on e and five
per cent o f the amount allotted to the
sta te und er the CFCIP for a fisca l year
for failing to comply with the fe deral
information collectio n plan (state
per forman ce ass essmen t).
*The exact amount of these penalties will be
determined by H HS bas ed on the degree of
noncompliance by the state.
2. In addition to complianc e meas ures,
are there provisions in the Foste r Care
Independence Act to determine the
effectiveness of state Independent
Living Programs and to assess the
quality of services provided to youth
in transition?
Yes . In 1 999, p rior to pass age of the Foster
Car e Inde penden ce Act, the Genera l Acco unting
Offic e (GAO ) repo rted o n the need for
inc reased accou ntability by both HHS an d the
sta tes in the impleme ntatio n of Indepen dent
Liv ing Pr ograms (ILPs ).7 In developing the
acc ountab ility provis ions o f the Foster Care
Ind epende nce Ac t of 1 999, members of
Con gress sought to improve data c ollection
and evalu ation of ser vice d eliver y outc omes
for young people participating in ILPs. In a
follow up repor t issu ed in 2004, the GAO
aga in rec ommend ed tha t HHS increa se efforts
to collec t info rmatio n and data from th e states
thr ough b oth an nual r eports and through
imp lementation of the manda tory s tate
per forman ce ass essmen t prog ram de scribe d
below.8
The Foste r Care Indep endenc e Act of 199 9
als o requ ires the Sec retary of th e U.S.
Dep artmen t of H ealth and Hu man Se rvices
(HH S), in consu ltatio n with key s takeho lders,
to develo p a se t of o utcome s and measur es to
ass ess states? perfor mance with r espect to
the ir effective ness in assisting youth in mak ing
7 General Accounting Office, Foster Care: Effectiveness of
Independent Living Services Unknown, Was hington, D.C .:
GAO , November, 1999. GAO is an independent,
nonpartisan, professional services agency in the
legislative branch of government that is commonly
regarded as the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm
of the Congress. Most of GAO?s work is undertaken in
response to congressional requests. GAO reports
provide analyses and evaluations of federal programs
and recommendations to help Congress make informed
oversight, policy and funding decisions. GAO reports
are available at www.gao.gov.
- 22 -
a s uccess ful tr ansition fro m foster car e to
ind epende nt liv ing.
The FCIA requir es sta tes to colle ct data in
ord er to track:| The numbe r and charac teristics of young
peo ple receiving services under the
CFCIP;| The type and qu antity of se rvices
pro vided to you th; an d| Sta te per forman ce on outcome
mea sures develope d by H HS, as
ela borate d upon below .
The outco mes id entified in the le gislation
inc lude:| Mea sures of edu cation al attainmen t| Hig h scho ol dip loma| Emp loymen t| Avo idance of de penden cy| Homelessn ess| Non -marital childbirth| Inc arcera tion| Hig h-risk behav iors
3. With whom must the Secretary of
HHS consult in developing these
outcome measures?
The Secretary of HHS is required to consult
with state and local public officials
responsible for administering ILPs and other
child welfare programs, child welfare
advocates, members of Congress, youth
service providers, and researchers in
developing these outcome measures. In
2000 and 2001, HHS convened a national
advisory group of independent living
experts, former foster youth, service
providers, researchers, and advocates to
8 General Accounting Office, HHS Actions Could Improve
Coordination of Services and Monitoring of States? Independent
Living Programs, Was hington, D.C .: GAO , November 2004.
support the development of both the
outcome measures and the data collection
instruments for the state performance
assessment. HHS also conducted a series
of focus groups around the country in order
to comply with the stakeholder participation
requirement and to build a national
consensus around youth outcomes.
4. Does HHS have a plan for
collecting performance data from the
states regarding implementation of
the CFCIP?
As required by the Foster Care
Independence Act of 1999, HHS submitted a
report in 2000 to Congress (the House Ways
and Means and Senate Finance
Committees), detailing its plans and
timetable for collecting required data and
developing outcome measures to assess
state performance under the CFCIP. This
report included a proposal for penalties to be
imposed on states that do not report the
required data.9 HHS, through contracts with
Westat and Caliber Associates, developed
NYTD (National Youth in Transition
Database), a data-collection and
performance assessment system that will
support states in meeting the CFCIP
requirements.
5. Is HHS currently collecting this
information from the states? Where
is state-specific performance
information available?
9 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Developing A System Of Program Accountability Under
The John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence
Program: The Department of Health and Human
Services' Plan for Developing and Implementing the
National Youth in Transition Information System ,
September, 2001. Available at
nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/programs/programspdfs/rept_t
o_congress_sept_2001.pdf.
- 23 -
In 2001, HHS announced that it would issue
a regulation on state implementation of data
collection and performance assessment
processes. Implementation of NYTD will not
begin until the regulatory process is
completed. At the time of the 2004 GAO
report, HHS stated that they would issue the
regulation in 2005. Projections for when the
state performance process would be
initiated range from 2006 to 2008.
In expectation that the NYTD would be
implemented as early as 2003, states began
modifying existing reporting and data
collection mechanisms to comply with the
federal state performance assessment.
Many states collect data regarding youth
served and services provided for annual
reporting purposes, and such information
may be available from the state independent
living coordinator. In addition, Casey Family
Programs will be making a CFCIP-specific
outcome assessment tool available to states
in 2005 at www.caseylifeskills.org.
6. Other than assessment of state
performance, does the Foster Care
Independence Act require any
evaluation of services and programs
funded under the CFCIP?
Yes. In addition to the state performance
assessment, the law requires HHS to
conduct an evaluation of those programs
that it deems innovative or of potential
national significance. Evaluation, using
rigorous scientific standards, should
demonstrate the effects of the program on
education, employment, and personal
development. The FCIA encourages the
Secretary of HHS to work with state and
local governments to design methods for
conducting these evaluations.
The HHS Children's Bureau contracted with
the Urban Institute and its partners?the
Chapin Hall Center for Children and the
National Opinion Research Center?to
conduct an initial evaluability assessment
and a five-year evaluation of selected
programs funded through the CFCIP. The
goal of the Chafee Independent Living
Evaluation Project is to identify programs
that can be rigorously evaluated and to
develop evaluation designs that will meet
the requirements of the authorizing
legislation. The ultimate goal of the
evaluation is to determine the effects of
Independent Living Programs funded under
CFCIP in achieving key outcomes for
participating youth including increased
educational attainment, higher employment
rates and stability, greater interpersonal and
relationship skills, reduced non-marital
pregnancy and births, and reduced
delinquency and crime rates.
In 2001, HHS convened a national advisory
group to support implementation of the
evaluation project. After completion of a twoyear
research feasibility project, the Urban
Institute and its partners have initiated
evaluation activities in the following four
sites:| The Independent Living Skills Program
(ILSP) in Los Angeles, CA| The Early Start to Emancipation
Program (ESTEP) in Los Angeles, CA| An employment program provided
through the county TANF agency in
Kern County, CA| The statewide Adolescent Outreach
Program under CFCIP in Massachusetts
ACF expects to complete the evaluations
by December 2007.
- 24 -
7. How are the state performance
assessment process (NYTD) and
evaluation projects funded?
Of the $140 million authorized for the CFCIP,
1.5 percent must be reserved each fiscal year
for evaluation, technical assistance,
performance measurement, and data
collection activities. HHS may carry out
these activities directly or through grants,
contracts, or cooperative agreements.
In addition to the federally-sponsored
evaluation, there are currently three relevant
studies of youth aging out of foster care
conducted by Casey Family Programs and
the Chapin Hall Center for Children that
have produced highly interesting and useful
data10,11,12.
8. Is there any other information
available about implementation of the
Chafee program?
The Government Accountability Office
(GAO) at the request of U.S.Senator
Charles Grassley, and U.S. Representatives
Tom DeLay, Wally Herger and Benjamin
Cardin undertook a report on Chafee. The
chart on the following page details the
10 Courtney, et. al (2004).
Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former
Foster Youth: Conditions of Youth Preparing to Leave
State Care. Chapin Hall Center for Children: Chicago,
IL.
11 Pecora, P. et. al (2004). Assessing the Effects of
Foster Care: Early Results for the Casey National
Alumni Study. Casey Family Programs: Seattle, WA.
Available at
www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/NationalAlu
mniStudy.htm.
12 Pecora, P. et al (2005). Improving Family Foster
Care: Findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni
Study. Casey Family Programs: Seattle, WA. Available
at
www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/Northwest
AlumniStudy.htm.
questions asked by the GAO and the
answers and discussion generated by the
report.13
13 The findings of the study and GAO?s
recommendations are contained in the GAO report
entitled Foster Youth: HHS Actions Could Improve
Coordination of Services and Monitoring of States?
Independent Living Programs, November 2004, GAO-
05-25. Available at www.gao.gov.
- 25 -
AREAS OF INQUIRY FINDINGS
GAO
RECOMMENDATIONS
HHS RESPONSE
How states? funding
allocations changed to
serve youth after FCIA.| Many states got a
significant increase in
funding.| Funding more than
doubled in 31states.| Many states were unable
to spend their full funding
allocation in 2000 and
2001 (in 2001, $10
million returned by 20
states; in 2002, $4 million
returned by 13 states14.| States? allocations on a
per-youth basis varied
significantly depending
on the ages of young
people served and the
percentage of teens in
the foster care
population, range $500-
2300.
None None
The extent to which states
have expanded
independent living
services and age groups
of foster youth served
since the passage of FCIA
and what challenges
remain.| Most states increased the
overall level of IL
services.| 40 states expanded IL
services to younger
teens in care.| 36 states expanded
services to older youth.| Significant gaps in key
services remain.
None None
The extent to which states
have used other federal
and state programs to
coordinate the delivery of
independent living
services to foster youth.| Many states reported
increased coordination,
but not always resulting
in increased availability
or access to services at
the local level.| Less than half of states
reported accessing HUD
services/housing.| States reported
inconsistent availability
of information regarding
programs.
To improve access to the
array of services available
to youth transitioning out
of foster care and assist
states in leveraging
available resources, HHS
should make information
available to states and
local areas about other
federal programs that
may assist youth in their
transition to selfsufficiency
and provide
guidance on how to
access services under
these programs.| HHS did not comment on the
specific recommendation.| HHS listed several efforts they
have undertaken to collaborate
with other federal agencies to
expand services to youth.| Distribution of information
memoranda to child welfare
directors regarding other
available federal resources, such
as WIA.| Technical Assistance and training
to states and to state IL
coordinators through the
NCWRCYD.| Serving as subject-matter experts
to non-governmental
organizations.| Co-sponsoring annual youth
development summit.| New collaboration with
Departments of Labor,
Education, and Justice.
14 States reported significant challenges to full expenditure of the CFCIP funds, including development of new policy and
administrative procedures, legislation required to provide services to youth who aged out of foster care, and outreach to
eligible youth, especially those who had left foster care.
- 26 -
AREAS OF INQUIRY FINDINGS
GAO
RECOMMENDATIONS
HHS RESPONSE
How the states and HHS
have fulfilled the program
accountability provisions
of the law and assessed
the effectiveness of
independent living
services.| Action has been taken to
fulfill accountability
provisions of FCIA, but
little information is
available to assess
program effectiveness.| All states have developed
multi-year plans and
annual progress reports,
but inconsistency
between plans and
reports, lack of baseline
information, and
incomplete information on
youth outcomes prevent
accurate assessment of
state performance.| Most federal oversight of
CFCIP is through regional
offices.| Federal oversight of state
child welfare programs
through the CFSR allows
for assessment of IL
programs through criteria
related to permanency,
needs assessment,
appropriateness of
services, and educational
supports.
To improve HHS?s ability to
monitor implementation of
the CFCIP, HHS should
develop a standard format
for state plans and progress
reports and implement a
uniform process regional
offices can use to assess
state progress in meeting
the needs of youth in foster
care and those recently
emancipated from care.| HHS disagrees with
GAO?s recommendation
regarding a standard
reporting format.| Purpose of state plan is
not data collection or
performance assessment.| A standard format would
be overly prescriptive and
burdensome to states.| When standard data are
available through NYTD,
HHS will be in a better
position to assess state
performance.| HHS expects to issue a
regulation regarding
NYTD in 2005.| HHS provided no
information regarding
when NYTD will be
implemented.| HHS provides a checklist
to regional offices for
review of CFCIP state
plans.| HHS will develop
protocols for review of
annual state reports by
regional offices in FY
2005.
- 27 -
ELIGIBILITY
1. Who is eligible for CFCIP-funded
services?
The Foster Care Independence Act defines
eligible children as those who are ?likely to
remain in foster care until age 18,? and
?children aging out of foster care,?
regardless of whether or not they are eligible
for the Title IV-E Foster Care Program.
Congress intended to give states greater
flexibility in deciding whom to serve under
the program. It did not intend to deny
eligibility to young people who were eligible
for federally-funded independent living
services prior to 1999. However, the Act does
specify some differences between young
people who can receive room and board or
extended Medicaid after they leave foster
care, and those who can receive other
services funded under the Chafee Foster
Care Independence Program.
The Act also mandates that some portion of
CFCIP funds must be used for assistance
and services to young people ages 18-21
who left foster care because they reached
age 18. The state has the option to provide
room and board and Medicaid to these
young adults, but must provide them with
some level of services. Youth may not
receive room and board services or
Medicaid unless they leave foster care on or
after their 18th birthday. It is clear, however,
that for purposes of independent living
services, except for room and board and
Medicaid, the law does not require that the
young person be in foster care on their 18th
birthday. Congress was explicit in situations
when it intended such a requirement to
apply. Thus, a young person leaving care
prior to age 18 could be eligible for aftercare
services such as case management,
counseling, and referral up to age 21.
Formerly, eligibility was restricted to children
16 years of age and older. States now have
the flexibility to define their own age
guidelines for services. Many states have
started provided independent living services
to teens beginning at age 13 or 14. Under
the former program, states were required to
serve children in Title IV-E funded foster
care and had the option of serving children
in state-funded foster care. Now they may
decide whom they want to serve without
regard to eligibility for Title IV-E funded
foster care.
Under the previous Title IV-E Independent
Living Initiative, there were no provisions
made regarding services to American
Indian/Native Alaskan youth. Under the
CFCIP, states must make benefits and
services under CFCIP available to Indian
children on the same basis as other children
in the state.
There are two additional groups of youth
eligible for Educational and Training
Vouchers (ETVs) under the CFCIP: youth
adopted from foster care after attaining age
16; and youth ages 21 and 22 years old who
were already participating in the voucher
program when they reached age 21.
To find out the specific eligibility
requirements and services available in your
state, contact the state independent living
coordinator.
2. What does the phrase, ?likely to
remain in foster care until age 18?
mean, as used in the FCIA?
- 28 -
The phrase is not defined in the Act. States
define which children are ?likely to remain in
foster care until age 18.? Most states have
implemented broad eligibility criteria.15 It is
widely accepted in the field that all young
people in foster care experience unique
challenges in making the transition to
adulthood, regardless of placement or
permanency plan. State and local
independent living programs have moved
consistently toward providing independent
living preparation and other transition
services to all teens and young adults
served by the foster care system.
3. How does CFCIP eligibility or
participation in independent living
programs affect a young person?s
permanency goal or plan?
The FCIA makes clear that independent
living services should be seen as a critical
support for young people as they transition
to adulthood. A decision to provide independent
living services to a youth does not
absolve the state from continuing to make
reasonable efforts toward permanence for
the youth. In fact, the Act states that
independent living services are not an
alternative to adoption for children who are
eligible. It specifies that enrollment in
independent living programs can occur
concurrently with continued efforts to locate
15 For examples, s ee
Mic higan:www .mfia.state.mi.us/olmweb/ex/cff /
950.pdf
Tennessee:www .nrcys.ou.edu/pdfs/chafee/chaf ee%
20plan/tn_ chaf_plan.pdf
Connectic ut: www .state.ct.us/dcf/C FSP.ht m
Maine: www .maine.gov/dhhs/bcfs/index1.ht m
Other state?s C hafee plans can be viewed at:
www .nrcys.ou.edu/NRCYD/stat e_home.htm
and achieve placements in adoptive
families.
This emphasis on permanency provides a
context for independent living preparation for
youth regardless of their permanency goal
or plan. Independent living services are a
supplement to, not a replacement for,
permanency services. Regardless of
whether a young person will return to birth
family, live with kin, be adopted, or age out
of the system to live on their own, he or she
will need to have the skills, knowledge, and
competencies for adult life. Time in foster
care, placement instability, and delays in
achieving permanency goals may all disrupt
a youth?s ability to learn life skills, achieve
educational goals, and prepare for and/or
experience employment and other aspects
of community life. Basic independent living
services, life skills and employment training
should be available to all youth in foster
care, with additional services and supports
provided according to need.
4. If a youth moves from one state to
another, which state is responsible
for providing CFCIP services?
If a youth in foster care (under age 18) is
placed in another state, the state of origin
must fund the identified independent living
services for that youth. The sending state is
also responsible for foster care maintenance
payments and case planning, which includes
a written description of the programs and
services that will be provided to help a child
16 or over prepare for the transition from
foster care to independence, and a case
review system.16
16 Section 475(1)(D) and 475(5)(C) of the Social
Security Act. (Legal Source: Social Security Act -
section 475 ? Child Welfare Policy Manual Section 3.1F
- 29 -
If a youth (between the ages of 18 and 21)
formerly in foster care moves from the state
in which he or she aged out of foster care to
another state, he or she is eligible for
independent living services in the new state.
The state in which the youth currently
resides is responsible for services if the
state provides the services needed by the
youth. The FCIA requires states to certify
that they will provide assistance and
federally funded CFCIP services to youth
who have left foster care because they have
attained 18 years of age.17
5. Are youth who are in kinship
placement eligible for independent
living services?
It depends. A young person?s eligibility for
services under the CFCIP is not determined
by placement type, but by their legal status
with a state. A youth must be in the custody
of a state, or a ward of the state, to be
eligible for independent living services. The
young person?s placement could be in a
kinship care home, family foster home,
group home, residential treatment facility,
pre-adoptive home, independent living
program, or other state-sanctioned
placement. While they are in custody, they
are eligible for independent living services. If
a young person reaches age 18 while still in
the custody of the state, and then exits the
system, he/she is eligible for all services
under the CFCIP from the time the youth
exit care up to age 21 (including room and
board and Medicaid, if offered). Youth
participating in the ETV Program at age 21
-- INDEPENDENT LIVING, Certifications and
Requirements, Objective Eligibility Criteria)
17 (Source: Section 477(b)(3)(A) and the Child Welfare
Policy Manual Section 3.1F -- INDEPENDENT LIVING,
Certifications and Requirements, Objective Eligibility
Criteria)
and making satisfactory progress toward
completing their course of study or training
may continue to receive vouchers up to age
23, including those who were in kinship care
and in state custody. Young people living
with kin who are not in state custody and
part of the formal foster care system are not
eligible for CFCIP services.
6. If youth are AWOL, or on runaway
status, will they still be eligible for
Chafee services after they turn 18?
If foster youth are on runaway status or lose
contact with an agency, but return for
assistance before reaching the age of 21,
they are eligible for services. Young people
under the age of 18 who are in foster care
and run away are still the responsibility of
the custodial agency. Even if youth are
missing for a significant length of time, their
foster care cases may not be closed until
they turn 18 years of age. They are thus
eligible for all CFCIP services, including
room and board and Medicaid (after turning
18), if available in the state. In the case of
those young people who run from a
permanent placement, or who have turned
18 while on the run, a recommitment policy
may be applicable. A significant number of
states have developed recommitment
policies for youth who have been discharged
from care. Such a policy specifies a time
limit (e.g., 3 months, 6 months) in which a
youth may return for services, or be
recommitted to state custody, once they
have been discharged from foster care.
7. Are incarcerated youth eligible for
CFCIP services?
- 30 -
No. A state may not expend CFCIP funds on
youth who are in a locked or involuntary
placement setting, or who are otherwise
incarcerated. If incarcerated youth were
previously in foster care and are in need of
transitional services, they are eligible for
Chafee services once the period of
incarceration is completed and if they have
not reached the age of 21. In a recent
survey administered by the Child Welfare
League of America18, 27 states reported that
they utilize CFCIP funding for former foster
youth exiting corrections. One notable
example is a comprehensive aftercare
program developed by the State of North
Dakota?s Division of Juvenile Services.19
8. What about young people with dual
adjudication (sometimes called a
dual jacket)? Who has responsibility
to make sure they are prepared for
the transition to independence?
Young people with an open child welfare
case as well as an open delinquency case,
as well as those who are on probation, are
eligible for CFCIP services as long as they
are not incarcerated. If youth are in a locked
setting or incarcerated, the juvenile
corrections agency is responsible for all
services and supports, including preparation
and support for transition back into the
community and transition to independent
living. Once youth reach the upper age of
juvenile court jurisdiction and are released
?unconditionally,? the juvenile corrections
agency is no longer responsible for
18 Child Welfare Policy Manual,
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/laws/cwpm/policy_d
sp.jsp?citID=193#988
19 Contact info: Al Lick, Director, State of North Dakota
Division of Juvenile Services, alick@state.nd.us,
www.state.nd.us/docr
providing services. However, some juvenile
corrections agencies have worked closely
with child welfare agencies to leverage
CFCIP funding and other resources to assist
youth with discharge planning and reentry
services.
In the case of youth who have been placed
in out-of-home care because of a status
offense or other court petition (such as
CHINS ? Child in Need of Services), the
state may determine eligibility for CFCIP
services, as long as such eligibility is
implemented consistently within the state.
9. Are undocumented immigrant
youth eligible for CFCIP services?
If youth are in the custody of the state child
welfare agency, whether or not they are
citizens or legal residents of the U.S., they
are eligible for all needed child welfare
services, including CFCIP. Service
providers, caseworkers, and advocates
should keep in mind that the process for
acquiring legal status is lengthy, and that
young people who reach the age of 18
without legal status are at very high risk of
detention and/or deportation by immigration
authorities. Unaccompanied minors who
enter foster care may be categorically
eligible for citizenship under special
provisions for juveniles (Special Juvenile
Immigrant Status). The child welfare agency
is responsible for pursuing this status on
behalf of youth in care and for costs incurred
in the legal process of pursuing citizenship.
10. What CFCIP services are available
to young people with disabilities?
(See also, FAQ II, pp. 23-26, for an
- 31 -
extensive discussion of CFCIP services
for youth with disabilities)
All provisions of the Foster Care
Independence Act of 1999 are equally
applicable to young people with disabilities.
The Act requires, in fact, that the child
welfare agency coordinate services with
other community agencies and
organizations providing services to disabled
youth. The Chafee Foster Care
Independence Program provides an
important vehicle for child welfare agencies
serving youth in transition to reach out to
and coordinate efforts with other agencies
and organizations that serve young people
with disabilities. These can include special
educators, health and mental health care
providers, substance abuse treatment
facilities, children?s hospitals, and vocational
rehabilitation services
Young people served by the Chafee
Independence Program should have a
personalized independent living plan. The
law requires young people themselves to
participate in designing and carrying out
their own plans. Youth with special needs
are also likely to have?or be entitled to?an
Individual Education Plan (IEP) under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA). They may also have?or be entitled
to?an Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan
(IWRP) through the Department of
Vocational Rehabilitation. Finally, they are
likely to have?or be entitled to?a plan of
service care and coordination through Title
V (Maternal and Child Health Bureau?s
Division of Services for Children with Special
Health Needs (DSCSHN)).
The multi-agency collaboration required
under the CFCIP helps to coordinate these
plans and ensure that they do not conflict.
Planning teams can create a seamless plan
of services with designated areas of
responsibility provided by the schools, the
child welfare agency, health care providers,
and the state vocational rehabilitation
agency.
11. Are youth who exit the foster care
system through reunification,
guardianship, or adoption prior to
age 18 eligible for CFCIP services
after their 18th birthday?
It depends on state policy and the particular
service needed or requested by the youth.
States may use CFCIP funds on behalf of
?former foster youth? between 18 and 21
years of age. The CFCIP generally leaves it
up to public officials to decide which young
people over 18 will benefit most from these
services. With some important exceptions,
the Act does not specify that these ?former
foster youth? must have reached age 18
while still in the custody of the state. States
are required to provide assistance and
services to youth ages 18 to 21 who have
aged out of foster care. States can also
choose to provide a range of independent
living services and supports for youth ages
18 to 21 who exited the foster care system
through reunification, guardianship, or
adoption prior to age 18. The Child Welfare
Policy Manual supports this interpretation. It
states explicitly that a state may provide
assistance and services to a ?former foster
care youth who did not age out of foster care
at age 18? if the state deems them eligible.
As previously mentioned, there are some
exceptions. For instance, housing support
and access to extended Medicaid coverage
- 32 -
are limited to those youths who were in state
custody when they turned 18.
States may extend the ETV Program to
young people ages 18 to 23 who were
adopted after attaining age 16.
- 33 -
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
(See also, Part I-Educational and Training Voucher Program)
1. What vocational or training programs are
available to youth making the transition from
foster care? How can they access services to
prepare them for the workforce?
The CFCIP provides a number of opportunities
for youth who are transitioning from foster care
to access vocational or training services. The
first is through CFCIP-funded independent living
services, which may include life-skills training,
vocational training, job placement and retention
services, education, and other appropriate
support services. Also under CFCIP, the
Educational and Training Voucher program
offers funds to transitioning youth ages 18 to 23
to attend an ?institution of higher education,?
including vocational schools. The CFCIP
requires child welfare agencies to coordinate
with other available services in the community
for which young people in care may be eligible.
Vocational and other career-related services
should be a high priority for coordination efforts.
The Department of Labor (DOL) has identified
young people in foster care as a group in
greatest need of employment support. In July of
2004, the Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) of DOL released its New
Strategic Vision for the Delivery of Youth
Services Under the Workforce Investment Act,
which includes the following goal:
GOAL: ETA will prioritize investments that serve
youth in foster care, those aging out of foster
care, youth offenders, children of incarcerated
parents and migrant youth.| Funds will be used to develop model
programs for youth aging out of foster care.
Model programs will take a comprehensive
approach to serving this population,
including basic skills remediation, help
staying in school or returning to school,
employment, internships, help with attaining
a high school diploma or GED, postsecondary
vocational training,
apprenticeships, and enrollment in
community colleges and four-year
colleges.20
In September, 2004, DOL announced a series of
demonstration grants to cities with large
numbers of foster youth. Demonstration grants
were awarded in Detroit, San Francisco,
Chicago, Houston, and New York. These sites
will develop programs to help youth aging out of
foster care become employed and self-sufficient,
and have the goal of establishing model youth
workforce programs for the rest of the country.
2. Can CFCIP dollars be used to provide
tutoring and other educational supports
to middle- and high-school age foster
youth?
Yes. Services provided under the Chafee Foster
Care Independence Program may include
activities to support successful educational
outcomes and to prepare young people for
postsecondary training and education. For
example, Massachusetts? Independent Living
Support Program provides youth with tutoring,
books, supplies, computers and computer
training, internships, transportation, uniforms,
and GED and SAT preparation courses and
20 U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration Advisory System, Training and Employment
Guidance Letter No. 03-04, July 16, 2004.
- 34 -
testing fees. Such assistance is essential to
helping youth successfully pursue educational or
vocational goals. In California, the Community
College Foundation?s ESTEP (Early Start to
Emancipation Program) provides tutoring and
mentoring to 12- to 15-year-olds in foster care,
and has been identified as a model CFCIPfunded
program. CFCIP dollars may also
support extra-curricular activities for youth in
foster care, such as sports, music-related
activities, or other interests.
3. What role can foster parents or kinship
caregivers play in providing educational
and vocational support services to the
youth in their care?
Foster and kinship parents, as the primary
caregivers for the majority of young people in
foster care, play a critical role in supporting the
achievement of successful outcomes in all areas
of independent living. Caregivers have a unique
knowledge of the strengths, needs, hopes and
fears of the youth in their care. Caregivers can
also serve as allies and partners in building the
capacity of young people to achieve their
personal, educational, and vocational goals.
Caregivers should partner with the case
manager and the youth themselves in the
process of providing services and brokering
community resources. The FCIA requires that
the child welfare agency provide training to
caregivers on addressing the needs of
adolescents in care, particularly those needs
related to the transition to adulthood. Caregivers
can and do teach life skills in the home, but
should still be supported in understanding the
transition planning process for youth in their
care. Caregivers are often a young person?s
strongest advocate, and should be included as
an important stakeholder in transition programs
and services.
4. What other ways can CFCIP services
or dollars support better educational
options for foster youth preparing for the
transition to adulthood?
States can utilize CFCIP dollars to provide a
broad range of educational supports for youth
transitioning from foster care. Those youth
seeking higher education may need not only
tutoring and SAT preparation, but also
counseling and assistance throughout the
application process, and supports to succeed
once they are in college. CFCIP funds may be
used to help public and private institutions of
higher education recruit youths transitioning
from foster care, and to provide such students
with support services such as mentoring, as well
as academic and financial aid counseling. The
Foster Care Independence Act requires that
states coordinate with other federally funded
programs for which youth in foster care may be
eligible. States and local child welfare
departments should link services for these youth
with local education support programs and with
federally supported education programs such as
TRIO and GEAR UP.21 CFCIP staff should also
work with colleges to ensure that those youth
living in dormitories have access to housing
during school vacations and summer breaks.
21 Gear Up - The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant
program designed to increase the number of low-income
students who are prepared to enter and succeed in
postsecondary education.
www.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html
Trio - The Federal TRIO Programs are educational
opportunity outreach programs designed to motivate and
support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO
includes six outreach and support programs targeted to
serve and assist low-income, first-generation college
students, and students with disabilities to progress through
the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate
programs.
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html
- 35 -
CFCIP funds may also be used to help the many
youth transitioning from foster care for whom
traditional high schools are not appropriate. For
example, in Illinois the Youth Skills Development
and Training Program (YSDTP) is offered to
foster youth through a partnership between the
Department of Child and Family Services
(DCFS) and the Alternative Schools Network of
Chicago.22
YSDTP offers comprehensive education
opportunities and supports to youth who might
not otherwise receive a high school diploma or
GED because of housing, academic, or personal
issues. Small, intensive classes help older
students, who may have dropped out of school
while in foster care, catch up. Flexible rules
allow student-parents to bring their children to
school with them if child care is an issue. The
program?s success has been attributed to its
comprehensive effort to meet the diverse needs
of transitioning youth. All programs offer a yearround
academic program, and an after-school
enrichment program that includes life skills,
tutoring, employment skills, structured social and
cultural activities, and a financial planning and
savings program. Each school also provides a
full-time school-based mentor for DCFS
students. The mentor offers intensive support
geared towards helping the students remain in
school, along with graduation and transition
services, as well as coordination with DCFS
case workers and other community-based
resources.
22 www.asnchicago.org/programs/ysdtp.asp
- 36 -
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGEMENT
(See also, FAQ II, pp 30-33)
1. How are states listening to and
utilizing the expertise of young people in
care and those who have aged out of
care?
States use a variety of approaches to involve
foster youth in the design and implementation of
independent living services and programs.
Some states have engaged in intensive efforts
to support and promote active youth advisory
boards or youth-run advocacy organizations,
while others have minimal youth involvement. In
light of the requirements of the CFCIP, all states
are evaluating their approach to youth
involvement and many are implementing new
efforts or expanding existing projects and
programs to include young people in meaningful
ways. States report a range of opportunities for
youth to make their voices heard, participate in
program development and implementation, and
develop leadership skills. Some of these state
activities include:| Annual conferences for teens in foster care
and recent alumni of care, with young people
involved in both conference planning and
participation.
The FosterClub All-Stars, is a group of
former and transitioning foster who
participate in a paid summer internship with
FosterClub and assist in planning,
facilitating, and evaluating the Teen
Conference U.S. Tour.
www.fosterclub.com/allStars/join.cfm| Youth speakers bureaus, with young people
trained and skilled in public speaking.
The California Youth Connection (CYC) has
a youth speakers bureau.
www.calyouthconn.org/site/cyc/section.p
hp?id=12| Youth or alumni developing and/or
delivering training to child welfare staff.
CYC partnered with San Francisco State
University to develop Youth Offering Unique
Tangible Help (YOUTH). This entirely youth
developed and delivered curriculum
provides child welfare staff with the
instruction and tools needed to assist older
youth in making a successful transition to
independence and achieving selfsufficiency.
www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/ilcurriculums/
youth.htm
The University of Southern Maine offers the
Teach Them to Fish: Working with Youth in
Transition from Foster Care curriculum. This
adolescent caseworker competency training
focuses on working effectively with young
people as they move into adulthood and
independent living. This project included the
involvement of youth as full partners in the
design of the model/curriculum and delivery
of the training.
www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/ilcurriculums/
muskie.htm
The California Permanency for Youth Project
utilizes digital stories developed by foster
care alumni to bring attention to the
permanency needs of older youth and to
educate child welfare practitioners.
www.cpyp.org
- 37 -| Youth or alumni delivering independent living
services, especially life skills training, to other
teens in care.| Youth or alumni assisting in the recruitment
and training of foster and adoptive parents.| Training young people as advocates, and
engaging their advocacy efforts at legislative and
administrative levels.
The California Youth Connection (CYC) is
an advocacy and support organization of,
by, and for foster youth and foster care
alumni in California. Probably the nation?s
best-known foster youth advocacy
organization, CYC has been responsible for
the passage of numerous pieces of state
legislation to improve services and programs
for foster children and youth. CYC was the
primary youth voice involved in the
development and passage of the FCIA.
www.calyouthconn.org
The National Child Welfare Resource Center
for Youth Development sponsors a bi-annual
advocacy training day for youth in foster
care, Destination Future, at which state
teams of young people develop
recommendations for systems improvement.
www.nrcys.ou.edu/conferences.htm
Foster Care Alumni of America (FCAA),
strives to connect the estimated twelve
million adults who have spent time living in
foster care into a voice of strength and
knowledge. FCAA believes that alumni
perspectives about policies and practices
should directly affect current approaches in
today?s foster care system.
www.fostercarealumni.org| Young people contributing to, editing, or totally
managing a newsletter for youth in care and
alumni.
Virginia?s state Foster Care Advisory Council
produces a newsletter by and for foster
youth.
www.dss.state.va.us/files/division/dfs/fc/
independant_living/newsletters/fall04.pdf
Youth Communications, a youth media
organization in New York City, publishes a
monthly magazine, Represent, by and for
foster youth.
www.youthcomm.org/Publications/
FCYU.htm
The Mockingbird Times is a monthly
newspaper designed and produced by
young people who have experience with the
Washington State foster care/group home
system and/or homelessness. Each edition
emphasizes themes significant to children
and youth accessing social services across
the nation.
www.mockingbirdsociety.org/times/info.
php| Young people serving as mentors for children
and youth in foster care through peer
counseling and mentoring programs.| Handbooks by youth and for youth in foster
care and transitioning to independent living.
The Rhode Island Youth Advisory Board has
developed an online handbook of frequently
asked questions for foster children and
youth. www.dcyf.ri.gov/youth.htm
- 38 -
Maine?s Youth Leadership Advisory Team
(YLAT) has developed a comprehensive
handbook for foster youth. www.ylat.org| Websites targeted to and often created and
maintained by foster youth and alumni of the
foster care system.
Maine?s youth leadership team website at
www.ylat.org
Foster Club, www.fosterclub.com
Foster Care Alumni of America,
www.fostercarealumni.org
U ta h?s U Fo ster Suc ce s s pr oje ct,
w ww .ufos te rs ucc es s.org| Creating liaisons and partnerships between
young people in foster care and community
employers.
2. How many states have youth advisory
boards?
A number of states have formal youth advisory
boards (YABs), while others, such as Wisconsin
and Pennsylvania, have formal programs for
youth leadership training. FosterClub has a list
of state foster care youth advisory boards at
www.fyi3.com/fyi3/Involved/yabs/index.cfm.
Other states are currently reviewing models and
approaches to establish YABs. States have
often experienced challenges related to staff
support, the autonomy of the YAB, ongoing
youth participation, and funding that hinder the
successful implementation and sustained
support for YABs.
The Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
has made youth engagement the cornerstone of
its efforts to support foster youth in transition.
Youth leadership boards, established in each
community program site, are run by young
people. Members of youth leadership boards
become effective leaders and advocates by
collaborating with their communities, and by
improving their skills and supports. Youth
engagement is a hallmark of all community
partnerships. Young people play an important
role in the development, operation, and
evaluation of the community partnership. Youth
advisory board members conduct education
activities for child welfare staff and community
members; participate in local, state, and national
advocacy efforts on behalf of themselves and
their peers; and support program
implementation in local sites.
www.jimcaseyyouth.org/community.htm
The Child Welfare League of America has
created a National Foster Youth Advisory
Council (NFYAC) with the support of the Jim
Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. A diverse
national group comprised of current and former
foster youth, NFYAC provides a voice for and
makes a difference in the lives of youth currently
in care. NFYAC members work to:| Inform the field about the strengths, needs,
and concerns of youth involved with and
transitioning from the foster care system.| Engage young people and promote youth
leadership on a national level.| Formalize collaborative relationships and
develop additional strategic alliances at the
national, state, and local levels to
strengthen the overall system of supports
and services available to youth involved with
and transitioning from foster care.| Build the capacity of and provide national
leadership to the field in the areas of
positive youth development, independent
living, transition supports, and youth
involvement.
www.cwla.org/programs/positiveyouth/
nfyac.htm
- 39 -
3. Can states use Chafee Foster Care
Independence Program funds to support
youth involvement on youth advisory
boards?
Yes. States can use CFCIP funds to ensure that
youth are an integral part of the broad
consultation required by the FCIA in developing
states? five-year plans. Youth advisory boards
can also advise child welfare administrators on
the long-term implementation of the states?
overall Child and Family Services Plans.
4. How do states involve young people in
their own individual case plans?
The CFCIP requires that states facilitate the
development of personal responsibility by
ensuring that young people participate in the
planning and implementation of services at the
individual level. Young people must be involved
in the case planning process. They must also have
some degree of responsibility for decisionmaking
regarding their own needs and
participation in services and programs.
In a broader context, this requirement of the Act
points toward a need for client-centered social
work practice, where the determination of the
service delivery rests in the hands of the client,
with support from professionals and other
service providers. Some providers of services to
persons with special health care needs,
developmental disabilities, or mental health needs
have developed expertise in client-centered social
work practice and may make appropriate
partners in this effort.
Organizations such as Family Voices at
www.familyvoices.org can provide leadership
and models of this approach to client services.
Some programs have experienced great
success with a ?person-centered planning?
strategy adapted from the disabilities field.
Information on person-centered planning can be
found at www.ihd.umkc.edu/UCE/PCP.htm.
Florida has recently strengthened its approach
to youth participation in case planning. In an
advocacy effort led by young people in care,
legislation requiring youth in care to attend court
hearings and case reviews was passed in 2004.
Young people should also have consistent
opportunities to give structured feedback
regarding the quantity and quality of services
and supports provided to them in care and after
they have aged out. This consumer feedback
provides both quality assurance for independent
living projects and critical indicators of youthidentified
service needs.
5. What resources are available to help a
state set up a youth advisory or advocacy
group?
The National Foster Youth Advisory Council, in
partnership with the Child Welfare League of
America, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities
Initiative, and FosterClub, has developed a
toolkit for increasing youth involvement. This
toolkit helps youth and adults find ways to
become involved in state advocacy efforts,
including how to form a youth advisory board.
FosterClub has a number of resources for youth
boards, as well as a centralized directory for
youth to find local YABs. The California Youth
Connection can provide training on developing a
youth advocacy organization to child welfare
staff and/or advocates and young people. Casey
Family Programs has developed a Better
Together workshop to support effective
partnerships among alumni of foster care, child
welfare staff, and allies of child welfare. Casey
Family Programs also provides leadership
training for youth advisory groups.
- 40 -
HOUSING
(See also, FAQ II, pp. 27-30)
1. Can CFCIP dollars be utilized to
purchase or to build housing units for
foster youth or emancipated foster
youth?
No. The CFCIP legislation does not allow states
or the organizations they fund to purchase real
property with CFCIP funds. It is also important to
note that states may not use purchased property
to qualify for the state match to CFCIP funds.
2. Can CFCIP dollars be utilized to
rehabilitate or improve existing housing
for program participants?
CFCIP funds may not be used for major
improvements, however, minor renovations are
allowed.
Major improvements include structural changes
to the foundation, roof, floor, exterior or loadbearing
walks of a facility. Structural changes
also include the extension of a facility to
increase its floor area or extensive alteration of a
facility that significantly changes its function and
purpose.
Minor renovations may include window
replacements, addition of a wall, painting,
plumbing, and other minor repairs. The criteria
for minor repairs include: improvements that are
essential for the accomplishment of the
authorized purposes of the appropriations; the
expenses are reasonable amounts; the
improvements are used for the primary benefit of
the government; and the interests of the
government are fully protected.
The HHS Administration of Children and
Families (ACF) Regional Office can provide
additional guidance to states in this area.
3. How are states using the 30% room
and board option under CFCIP?
States can use up to 30% of their CFCIP funds
to provide room and board services to young
people between the ages of 18 to 21 years of
age. This includes young people who move into
independent living programs, enter postdischarge
programs, age out, or leave
voluntarily/lose contact with the foster care
system and then return for services before the
age of 21. ETV funds may be used, in some
cases, to pay for room and board for eligible
youth participating in post-secondary education
programs.
4. What does ?room and board? mean?
?Room and board? typically includes shelter and
food expenses. These are the most expensive
and essential items that young people between
the ages of 18 and 21 may not be able to afford
with their own incomes. Each state must
establish their own definition of room and board
expenses that may include items such as rent
deposits, utilities, and other household start-up
purchases. Emergency rental assistance may
also be included as a room and board expense.
It is important to note that the number of items
included in each state?s definition will impact the
number of youth that can receive assistance.
- 41 -
According to a CFCIP Independent Living
Coordinator Questionnaire23, 35 out of 38 states
reported using CFCIP funds for room and board
services for young people aging out of the foster
care system. Eleven states reported using a full
30% of CFCIP funds. Two examples of states
using the full 30% of CFCIP funding to provide
room and board services for former foster youth
are Colorado and Illinois. Colorado?s
Department of Human Services has
implemented the Family Unification Program
(the use of time-limited Section 8 vouchers
under the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development housing assistance
program for youth aging out) while Illinois?
Department of Children and Families has a
Youth Housing Assistance Program to provide
youth with housing services. Two states,
Connecticut and Maine, reported no use of
CFCIP funds for room and board services.
Instead, these states are using state funds to
provide room and board services for young
people aging out of the system.
States that have state-supervised, countyadministered
systems vary in the amounts of
CFCIP funding utilized at the local level for room
and board. Services available depend on the
need and resources available in each locality.
5. Can a state utilize CFCIP funds to
provide room and board to a youth who
voluntarily remains in foster care after
age 18?
It is permissible to expend CFCIP funds for
youth between the ages of 18-21 who voluntarily
remain in state foster care, including room and
board services. The certifications required by the
Foster Care Independence Act stipulate that the
23 Torrico,R. (April 2005). Child Welfare League of America
Independent Living Coordinator Questionnaire. Washington,
DC: Child Welfare League of America.
state will serve youth who have left foster care
because they have attained 18 years of age,
including room and board services, if available.
A state that elects to provide room and board to
youth who voluntarily remain in foster care must
also provide such services to young adults who
have left foster care and are in need of
assistance. The state must also meet the federal
non-supplantation requirement for youth ages
18-21. Therefore, if a state previously utilized
state or federal funds to provide room and board
or other placement (through foster care
maintenance funding) to youth ages 18-21
remaining in foster care, it must sustain this
effort. Up to 30% of a state?s CFCIP funds may
be used for room and board services. If a young
adult over age 18 is still in state custody under
the jurisdiction of the court, housing or other
placement costs must be paid through statefunded
foster care maintenance.
If the youth is no longer under court jurisdiction
and in custody, but is still receiving foster care
services, the youth may be considered to have
left foster care because they reached the age of
majority. The Act requires that states provide
some level of services to young people who
have left foster care because they turned 18,
and may provide room and board services to
such youth. Room and board services are not
mandated.
6. How can states coordinate with other
housing programs, such as public
housing or Section 8 programs, to
increase access to safe, stable housing
for foster youth who age out of care?
Access to safe, stable and affordable housing
for young people aging out of the foster care
system requires solid collaboration among public
- 42 -
housing authorities, child welfare agencies, faith
and community-based agencies, housing
officials, business leaders, developers,
advocates, and youth.
Several states have developed partnerships to
provide housing services for youth aging out of
the foster care system.
Some states have implemented the Family
Unification Program (FUP)24 which provides
housing assistance and aftercare services for
young adults between the ages of 18 and 21
who have left foster care system at age 16 or
older. FUP is a collaboration between child
welfare systems, housing authorities, and/or
community based agencies to implement the
use of time-limited (18 months) Section 8
vouchers and case management for young
people aging out of the foster care system.
However, many states that do not have these
vouchers available have opted to follow the
Family Unification Program Model and prioritize
Section 8 vouchers for youth aging out of care.
According to the CWLA Independent Living
Questionnaire, 42% of states are currently using
FUP or Section 8 vouchers for youth who have
aged out of the foster care system. Other
partnerships have resulted in giving priority on
waiting lists for Section 8, public housing, and
supportive housing programs to youth
discharged from foster care.
Examples of FUP and Section 8 use:| Colorado is among several states that are
using FUP vouchers for young people. In the
Denver area, a collaboration between the child
24 In October 2000, Congress amended existing housing
legislation to make youth aging out of the foster care system
eligible for housing under the Family Unification Program.
For more information go to
www.cwla.org/programs/housing.
welfare department, the local housing
authority, AmeriCorps, and other community
partners offers a comprehensive housing,
mentoring, and support program.| New York City has implemented a Section 8
Priority Code program to serve youth aging
out of the system utilizing otherwise
underused efficiency apartment stock.
Example of an innovative collaboration outside
of CFCIP:| The Department of Human Services and the
New Jersey Mortgage Finance Agency have
partnered to create the New Jersey
Community Housing Demonstration Programs
(NJCHDP). NJCHDP Shared Living
Residence Rental Housing Program provides
financing to not-for-profit, for-profit developers
and/or municipalities for the acquisition of land
and buildings, and the rehabilitation,
conversion, or new construction of buildings to
serve as transitional or permanent rental units
for persons with special needs. Eligible clients
include persons with special needs over the
age of 18 and adolescents who are referred in
writing by the New Jersey Department of
Human Services or other DHS-approved
sponsors.
7. What kinds of aftercare (other than
housing) can a state provide to youth
ages 18-21 who have left care?
In addition to assistance with housing, states
can assist former foster youth with services
including, but not limited to, education, life-skills
training, counseling and case management, and
referrals to community based agencies
necessary to obtain employment or other
services. States also have the option of
- 43 -
providing Medicaid coverage for youth leaving
foster care up to the age of 21.25
Aftercare or other transition supports for young
people aging out of foster care in rural areas
have proved a particular challenge. For an
excellent example of a coordinated statewide
system of aftercare services for young adults
who have left foster care, including those in rural
areas, see the Iowa Aftercare Services Network,
www.ypii.org/IASN/IASN_County_Map.htm.
8. Can states use CFCIP dollars to
provide services beyond age 21 (not
including ETV dollars)? If not, what
sources of funding can be used to
provide services beyond age 21?
No. CFCIP dollars cannot be used to provide
services beyond age 21, except for the ETV
Program. The ETV Program is available to
young people ages 21-23 who were participating
in the program on their 21st birthday. This is the
only component of the CFCIP available after age
21. States can use other sources of funding to
serve youth beyond 21. For example,
Connecticut and Massachusetts use state funds
to serve youth beyond the age of 21 (policy in
these states allows for a range of services to be
provided up to age 23).
25 GAO reports that 31 states reported offering Medicaid
benefits to at least some emancipated youth. Eight states
have implemented the option to provide extended Medicaid
benefits directly as a result of the Foster Care Independence
Act of 1999: OK, TX, CA, AZ, NJ, WY, IN, and HI.
- 44 -
Appendix A
MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Annie E. Casey Foundation
www.aecf.org
California Youth Connection
www.calyouthconn.org
Casey Family Programs
www.casey.org
Casey Family Services
www.caseyfamilyservices.org
Child Welfare League of America
www.cwla.org
Children?s Bureau, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb/
Children?s Action Network
www.childrensactionnetwork.org
Children?s Defense Fund
www.childrensdefense.org
Children?s Rights
www.childrensrights.org
Community College Foundation
www.communitycollege.org
Congressional Coalition on Adoption
Institute
www.ccainstitute.org
Connect for Kids
www.connectforkids.org
Edmund Muskie School of Public Service at
the University of Maine
http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/
Foster Care Alumni of America
www.fostercarealumni.org
FosterClub
www.fosterclub.org
Freddie Mac Foundation
www.freddiemacfoundation.org
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
www.jimcaseyyouth.org
Joint Action in Community Service
www.jacsinc.org
- 45 -
National Alliance to End Homelessness
www.naeh.org
National Association of Former Foster
Children of America
www.naffcca.org
National Association of Public Child Welfare
Administrators
www.aphsa.org
National CASA (Court Appointed Special
Advocates)
www.nationalcasa.org
National Coalition for the Homeless
www.nationalhomeless.org
National Foster Parent Association
www.nfpainc.org
National Independent Living Association
www.nilausa.org
National Indian Child Welfare Association
www.nicwa.org
National Network for Youth
www.nn4youth.org
National Child Welfare Resource Center for
Family Centered Practice and Permanency
Planning
www.nrcfcppp.org
National Child Welfare Resource Center for
Youth Development
www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd
Orphan Foundation of America
www.orphan.org
Rowell Foster Children's Positive Plan
www.rowellfosterchildren.org
Streetlaw
www.streetlaw.org
Stuart Foundation
www.stuartfoundation.org
Voices for America?s Children
www.voices.org
Volunteers of America
www.voa.org
- 46 -
APPENDIX B
THE FOSTER CARE INDEPENDENCE ACT OF 1999 AND THE PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE
FAMILIES AMENDMENTS OF 2001 (amendment to FCIA establishing the Chafee ETV program)
Title 1: Improved Independent Living Program
An Act
To amend part E of title IV of th e Social Sec urity Act to provide Sta tes with more fund ing an d grea ter flexibility in
carrying out programs desig ned to help children mak e the transition from fo ster c are to self-suffic iency, and for
oth er purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,: Foster
Care Independence Act of 1999
TITLE I?IMPROVED INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM Subtitle A?Improved Independent Living Program
SEC . 101. IMPRO VED IN DEPEND ENT LIVING P ROGRAM .
(a) Findings.?T he Con gress finds the fo llowin g:
(1) Sta tes are requ ired to make reaso nable efforts to find ad optive families fo r all children,
inc luding older child ren, for who m reun ification with the ir bio logica l family is not in the b est
interests of th e child. However, some older children will continue to live in foster care. These
children should be enrolled in an In depend ent Living p rogram desig ned an d cond ucted by Sta te
and local government to help prep are th em for emplo yment, posts econda ry edu cation , and
suc cessfu l mana gement of ad ult re sponsibilities.
(2) Old er children who co ntinue to be in fo ster c are as adole scents may b ecome eligib le for
Ind epende nt Liv ing programs . Thes e Inde penden t Living pro grams are no t an a lterna tive to
ado ption for th ese ch ildren . Enro llment in In depend ent Living p rogram s can occ ur con curren t
with continued efforts to locate and ac hieve placem ent in adoptive fa milies for o lder c hildre n in
fos ter ca re.
(3) About 20,000 adolescents leave the Nation?s foster care system each year because they have
reached 18 ye ars of age a nd are expec ted to suppo rt the mselve s.
(4) Con gress has re ceived exten sive informa tion that ad olesce nts le aving foster care have
sig nifica nt difficulty making a s uccess ful transition to adulth ood; this in formation sh ows th at
children aging out of foste r care show high rates of homelessness, non-marital childbearing,
poverty, and delinquent or criminal behavior; th ey are also freque ntly the target of crime and
phy sical assaults.
(5) The Natio n?s State an d loca l gove rnments, with fina ncial support from the F ederal
Gov ernmen t, sho uld offer an exten sive p rogram of ed ucatio n, tra ining, emplo yment, and
fin ancial suppo rt for young adults leav ing fo ster c are, w ith pa rticip ation in suc h prog ram
beg inning several yea rs before high sch ool graduation and continuing, as ne eded, until the
you ng adu lts em ancipa ted from fos ter ca re establish indep endenc e or reach 2 1 years of a ge.
(b) Improved Independent Living Program.?Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is amended to
rea d as follows :
SEC . 477. JOHN H. CHA FEE FO STER C ARE IN DEPEND ENCE PRO GRAM.
(a) Purpose.?The purpose of this section is to provide States with flexible funding that will enable
programs to be desig ned an d cond ucted?
(1) to identify children who are like ly to remain in fo ster c are un til 18 years of ag e and to help
the se children make the transition to self-sufficiency by providing services such as
assistance in obtaining a high school diploma, caree r exploratio n, voc ationa l training, job
pla cement and retention, training in da ily living skills, training in budgeting and financial
management skills, substance abuse prevention, and preventive he alth a ctivities (including
smo king a voidan ce, nu tritio n educ ation, and p regnan cy pre ventio n);
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(2) to help c hildre n who are likely to rema in in foster care until 18 yea rs of age re ceive
the educa tion, training, an d serv ices n ecessa ry to obtain emplo yment;
(3) to help c hildre n who are likely to rema in in foster care until 18 yea rs of age
pre pare for and enter posts econda ry tra ining and ed ucatio n institutio ns;
(4) to provid e pers onal a nd emo tional suppo rt to children aging out of fo ster c are, through
men tors a nd the promo tion o f inte ractio ns with dedicated adults ; and
(5) to provid e fina ncial, housing, co unseling, em ployme nt, ed ucatio n, and other appro priate
sup port a nd services to former foster care recipients between 18 and 21 years of age to
complement their own efforts to achie ve self-sufficienc y and to ass ure th at pro gram
participa nts re cogniz e and accept their perso nal re sponsibility for p reparing for and then
mak ing th e tran sition from adoles cence to adu lthood .
(b) Application s ?
(1) In genera l ? A State may ap ply fo r fun ds fro m its allotm ent un der su bsection (c) for a
period of five consecutive fiscal years by submitting to the Secretary, in writing, a plan that
meets the requirements of pa ragrap h (2) and th e certifications require d by p aragra ph (3)
with resp ect to the p lan.
(2) State plan ? A plan meets the requirements of this paragraph if the plan specifies which
State agency or ag encies will administer, superv ise, o r oversee th e prog rams c arried out
und er the plan, and d escrib es how the S tate intends to do the following:
(A) Des ign an d deliver programs to ac hieve the pu rposes of th is sec tion.
(B) Ens ure th at all political s ubdivisions in the State are s erved by the program, th ough
not neces sarily in a uniform mann er.
(C) Ens ure th at the programs se rve ch ildren of va rious ages a nd at variou s
sta ges of achie ving indepen dence.
(D) Inv olve the pub lic an d priv ate se ctors in helping a dolesc ents in foster care achieve
ind epende nce.
(E) Use objec tive c riteria for determ ining eligib ility for be nefits and s ervice s unde r the
pro grams, and for ens uring fair a nd equ itable treatment o f bene fit re cipien ts.
(F) Coo perate in na tional evalu ations of th e effe cts of the p rogram s in a chieving the
purposes of this section.
(3) Certifications ?T he certifica tions required by this p aragra ph with resp ect to a pla n are the
following :
(A) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t the State will p rovide
ass istanc e and services to children who have left foster care because they have
attained 18 years of age, and who ha ve not attained 21 years of ag e.
(B) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t not more than 30
percent o f the amounts paid to th e State from its a llotme nt und er sub sectio n (c) for
a fiscal year w ill be expen ded for room or board for children who have left foster care
because they have attained 18 years of age, an d who have n ot attained 21 yea rs of
age .
(C) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t none of th e amou nts
paid to the Sta te fro m its allotm ent un der su bsection (c) will be exp ended for ro om
or board for an y child who has no t atta ined 1 8 years of a ge.
(D) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t the State will u se tra ining
fun ds pro vid ed und er the program of Federa l paym ents for fos ter ca re and adoption
ass istanc e to p rovide train ing to help foster paren ts, ad optive paren ts, wo rkers in
gro up hom es, an d case manag ers un dersta nd and addre ss the issue s confrontin g
ado lescen ts pre paring for indepen dent living, and w ill, to the extent possible,
coo rdinate such train ing with the indep endent livin g prog ram co nducte d for
ado lescen ts.
(E) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t the
Sta te has consu lted w idely with public and private organizations in
developing the plan and that the State has given all interested
mem bers o f the public at le ast 30 days to sub mit co mments on th e
pla n.
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(F) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t the State will m ake ev ery
effort to coord inate the State programs receiving funds p rovide d from an allotmen t
mad e to the Sta te und er sub sectio n (c) with o ther F ederal and S tate p rogram s for
you th (es pecially tra nsitio nal living y outh p rojects fund ed und er part B of title III o f the
Juv enile Justic e and Delinq uency Preven tion A ct of 1974), abstinence education
programs, local housing programs, programs for disabled youth (especially sheltered
workshops), and school-to-work programs offered by high schools or local workforce
agencies.
(G) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t each India n trib e in the
Sta te has been consulted ab out th e prog rams to be c arried out u nder the pla n; tha t
the re hav e been efforts to coordinate the programs with such tribes; and that benefits
and services under the programs will be ma de ava ilable to In dian c hildre n in the Sta te
on the sa me bas is as to oth er children in the State .
(H) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t the State will e nsure that
ado lescen ts participa ting in the progra m unde r this section participa te directly in
des igning their own p rogram activ ities that p repare them for in depend ent living a nd
tha t the adoles cents accept perso nal re sponsib ility for living u p to their p art of the
pro gram.
(I) A c ertification by th e chie f exec utive office r of the Sta te tha t the State has es tablis hed
and will enforc e stan dards and procedures to preven t frau d and abuse in the
pro grams carrie d out under the plan.
(4) Approval ?The Secretary shall approve an application submitted by a
State pursuant to paragraph (1) fo r a pe riod if?
(A) the application is su bmitte d on o r befo re Jun e 30 o f the calend ar yea r in w hich s uch
period be gins; and
(B) the Secre tary finds that th e applicatio n contains the material required by paragraph
(1).
(5) Autho rity to implement certain amen dments ; notification.?A State with a n applicatio n
app roved under paragraph (4 ) may implem ent an y amen dment to the plan contained in the
app lication if the ap plicatio n, inc orpora ting the ame ndment, would be a pprova ble un der
paragraph (4). Within 30 da ys after a S tate impleme nts an y such amend ment, the State
sha ll notify th e Secretary of the amend ment.
(6) Availability.?The State shall make availa ble to the p ublic any ap plication su bmitte d by the
Sta te pursuant to paragraph (1), and a brief summary of the pla n contained in the
app lication.
(c) Allotments to Sta tes.?
(1) In genera l.?Fro m the amount specified in subs ection (h) that re mains after applying
sub sectio n (g)(2) for a fis cal ye ar, th e Secretary shall allot to eac h State with an
app lication app roved under subsec tion (b) for the fiscal year the amo unt wh ich be ars th e
sam e ratio to s uch re mainin g amou nt as the nu mber o f children in foster care unde r a
pro gram o f the State in the most recent fisca l year for w hich s uch in formation is available
bea rs to the to tal nu mber o f children in foster care in a ll Sta tes fo r such most recent fisca l
yea r, as adjusted in accord ance w ith pa ragrap h (2).
(2) Hold harm less p rovision.?
(A) In genera l.?The Secre tary s hall a llot to each State whose allotment for a fiscal year
und er paragraph (1) is less than the greater of $500,000 or the amount payable to the
State under this section for fiscal ye ar 199 8, an additional a mount equal to the
differenc e betw een su ch allotment and s uch greater amount.
(B) Ratable reduction of certain allo tments .?In the cas e of a State not d escrib ed in
sub paragraph (A ) of this pa ragrap h for a fisc al yea r, the Secre tary s hall reduce the
amo unt allotted to th e State for the fiscal year under paragraph (1) by the amount that
bears the same ratio to the sum of the differences determined under subparagraph (A)
of this paragraph for the fiscal year as the excess of the amount so allotted ov er the
gre ater o f $500 ,000 o r the amount payab le to the State un der th is sec tion for fis cal
yea r 1998 bears to th e sum of suc h exce ss amo unts d etermined fo r all such S tates.
(d) Use o f Fund s ?
- 49 -
(1) In genera l ?A S tate to whic h an a mount is paid from its a llotme nt und er sub sectio n
(c) may u se the amoun t in a ny man ner th at is reason ably c alcula ted to accom plish
the purpo ses of this sectio n.
(2) No sup planta tion o f othe r fund s available for sa me gen eral p urpose s.?T he amo unts
paid to a State from its allotmen t unde r subs ection (c) s hall b e used to su ppleme nt and
not supplant an y othe r fund s whic h are availa ble fo r the same g eneral purpo ses in the
Sta te.
(3) Two -year availa bility of fu nds ?P ayments made to a State under this s ection for a fisca l
yea r shall be e xpende d by the Sta te in the fiscal y ear or in th e succ eeding fisca l year.
(e) Penalties ?
(1) Use of grant in viola tion o f this part.?If th e Secretary is mad e aware, by an aud it
con ducted under chapter 75 of title 31, United States Code, or by any other means, that a
program receiving funds from an allotmen t made to a State under subsec tion (c) has been
ope rated in a m anner that is inco nsiste nt with, or not disclose d in the Sta te app lication
app roved under subsec tion (b), th e Secretary shall assess a pen alty a gainst the S tate in
an amount equal to no t less than 1 perc ent an d not more than 5 percen t of the amo unt of
the allotment.
(2) Failure to comp ly with data reporting require ment.?T he Sec retary shall asses s a pe nalty
aga inst a State that fails during a fis cal ye ar to comply with an information collectio n plan
imp lemented und er sub sectio n (f ) in an amoun t equa l to n ot les s than 1 percent a nd not
more than 5 percent o f the amount allotted to the S tate for the fisca l year.
(3) Penalties based on degree of noncompliance.?The Secretary shall assess penalties under
this subsection ba sed on the d egree of non compliance.
(f ) Data Colle ction and Pe rforma nce Me asurem ent.?
(1) In genera l.?The Secre tary, in con sultation with Sta te and lo cal pu blic o fficia ls
res ponsib le for admin istering indep endent livin g and other child welfare prog rams, child
welfare a dvocates, Me mbers of Con gress, youth service pro viders , and researchers,
sha ll?
(A) develop outcome m easure s (inc luding measu res of educa tional attainment, high
sch ool diploma, emplo yment, avoid ance o f depe ndency , home lessne ss,
non marita l childbirth , inca rceration, a nd high-risk behaviors) that can be used to
assess the performance of States in operating independent living p rogram s;
(B) ide ntify data e lements need ed to track?
(i) the numbe r and charac teristics of child ren re ceivin g serv ices u nder this se ction;
(ii) the type and qu antity of se rvices being provided; a nd
(iii) Sta te performan ce on the ou tcome measures; an d
(C) dev elop a nd imp lement a pla n to c ollect the n eeded inform ation beginn ing with
the secon d fisc al yea r beginning after the da te of the en actmen t of this se ction.
(2) Rep ort to the C ongres s.?W ithin 12 mon ths after th e date of th e enac tment of this
sec tion, the Se cretary shall subm it to the Co mmitte e on W ays an d Mean s of the Hou se
of Repres entatives an d the Committee on Finan ce of the Se nate a report deta iling the
pla ns and timetable for collectin g from the S tates the in formation de scribe d in p aragra ph
(1) and a propo sal to impos e pena lties consis tent w ith pa ragrap h (e)(2) on States that do
not report data .
(g) Evaluations.?
(1) In general.?The Secretary shall conduct evaluations of such State programs funded under
this section as the Secretary deems to be innovative or of potential national significance. The
evaluation of any such program shall include information on the effects of the program on
education, employment, and personal development. To the maximum extent practicable, the
evaluations shall be based on rigorous scientific standards including random assignment to
treatment and control groups. The Secretary is encouraged to work directly with State and
local governments to design methods for conducting the evaluations, directly or by grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement.
(2) Funding of evaluations.?The Secretary shall reserve 1.5 percent of the amount specified in
subsection (h) for a fiscal year to carry out, during the fiscal year, evaluation, technical
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assistance, performance measurement, and data collection activities related to this section,
directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with appropriate entities.
(h) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.?To carry out this section and for payments to
States under section 474(a)(4), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
$140,000,000 for each fiscal year.??.
(c) Payments to States.?Section 474(a)(4) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 674(a)(4)) is amended to read as follows:
4) the lesser of?
(A) 80 percent of the amount (if any) by which?
(i) the total amount expended by the State during the fiscal year in which the quarter occurs to carry out
programs in accordance with the State application approved under section 477(b) for the period in which
the quarter occurs (including any amendment that meets the requirements of section 477(b)(5)); exceeds
(ii) the total amount of any penalties assessed against the State under section 477(e) during the fiscal year
in which the quarter occurs; or
(B) the amount allotted to the State under section 477 for the fiscal year in which the quarter occurs, reduced
by the total of the amounts payable to the State under this paragraph for all prior quarters in the fiscal
year.??.
(d) Regulations.?Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health
and Human Services shall issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the amendments made by this
section.
42 USC 677 note.
(e) Sense of the Congress.?It is the sense of the Congress that States should provide medical assistance
under the State plan approved under title XIX of the Social Security Act to 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds who have
been emancipated from foster care.
Subtitle B?Related Foster Care Provision
SEC. 111. INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF ASSETS ALLOWABLE FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.
Section 472(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 672(a)) is amended by adding at the end
the following: ?In determining whether a child would have received aid under a State plan
approved under section 402 (as in effect on July 1 6, 1996), a child whose resources
(determined pursuant to section 402(a)(7)(B), as so in effect) have a combined value of not more
than $10,000 shall be considered to be a child whose resources have a combined value of not
more than $1,000 (or such lower amount as the State may determine for purposes of such
section 402(a)(7)(B)).??.
SEC. 112. PREPARATION OF FOSTER PARENTS TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN IN STATE CARE.
(a) State Plan Requirement.?Section 471(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)) is amended?
(1) by striking ?and?? at the end of paragraph (22);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (23) and inserting ?; and??; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
(24) include a certification that, before a child in foster care under the responsibility of the State
is placed with prospective foster parents, the prospective foster parents will be prepared
adequately with the appropriate knowledge and skills to provide for the needs of the child, and
that such preparation will be continued, as necessary, after the placement of the child.??.
(b) Effective Date.?The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 1999.
Subtitle C?Medicaid Amendments
SEC. 121. STATE OPTION OF MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR ADOLESCENTS LEAVING FOSTER CARE.
(a) In General.?Subject to subsection (c), title XIX of the Social Security Act, is amended?
(1) in section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii) (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii))?
- 51 -
(A) by striking ?or? at the end of subclause (XIII);
(B) by adding ?or? at the end of subclause (XIV); and
(C) by adding at the end the following new subclause:
(XV) who are independent foster care adolescents (as defined in section
1905(v)(1)), or who are within any reasonable categories of such adolescents
specified by the State;??; and (2) by adding at the end of section 1905 (42 U.S.C.
1396d) the following new subsection:
(v)(1) For purposes of this title, the term `independent foster care
adolescent? means an individual?
(A) who is under 21 years of age;
(B) who, on the individual?s 18th birthday, was in foster care under the
responsibility of a State; and
(C) whose assets, resources, and income do not exceed such levels (if
any) as the State may establish consistent with paragraph (2).
(2) The levels established by a State under paragraph (1)(C) may not be less than the
corresponding levels applied by the State under section 1931(b).
(3) A State may limit the eligibility of independent foster care adolescents under section
1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XV) to those individuals with respect to whom foster care
maintenance payments or independent living services were furnished under a program
funded under part E of title IV before the date the individuals attained 18 years of age.??.
(b) Effective Date.?The amendments made by subsection (a) apply to medical assistance for items
and services furnished on or after October 1, 1999.42 USC 1396a note.
(c) Contingency in Enactment.?If the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999
is enacted (whether before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act)?
(1) the amendments made by that Act shall be executed as if this Act had
been enacted after the enactment of such other Act;
(2) with respect to subsection (a)(1)(A) of this section, any reference to
subclause (XIII) is deemed a reference to subclause (XV);
(3) with respect to subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section, any reference to
subclause (XIV) is deemed a reference to subclause (XVI);
(4) the subclause (XV) added by subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section?
(A) is redesignated as subclause (XVII); and
(B) is amended by striking ``section 1905(v)(1)?? and inserting ``section 1905(w)(1)??;
and
(5) the subsection (v) added by subsection (a)(2) of this section?
(A) is redesignated as subsection (w); and
(B) is amended by striking 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XV)?? and inserting
1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XVII)??. Subtitle D?Adoption Incentive Payments
SEC. 131. INCREASED FUNDING FOR ADOPTION INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.
(a) Supplemental Grants.?Section 473A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673b) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
( j) Supplemental Grants.?
(1) In general.?Subject to the availability of such amounts as may be provided in advance in
appropriations Acts, in addition to any amount otherwise payable under this section to any
State that is an incentive eligible State for fiscal year 1998, the Secretary shall make a
grant to the State in an amount equal to the lesser of?
(A) the amount by which?
(i) the amount that would have been payable to the State under this section during fiscal
year 1999 (on the basis of adoptions in fiscal year 1998) in the absence of subsection
(d)(2) if sufficient funds had been available for the payment; exceeds
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(ii) the amount that, before the enactment of this subsection, was payable to the
State under this section during fiscal year 1999 (on such basis); or
(B) the amount that bears the same ratio to the dollar amount specified in paragraph (2) as
the amount described by subparagraph (A) for the State bears to the aggregate of the
amounts described by subparagraph (A) for all States that are incentive-eligible States for
fiscal year 1998.
(2) Funding.?$23,000,000 of the amounts appropriated under subsection (h)(1) for fiscal year
2000 may be used for grants under paragraph (1) of this subsection.??.
(b) Limitation on Authorization of Appropriations.?Section 473A(h)(1) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 673b(h)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
(1) In general.?For grants under subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary?
(A) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1999;
(B) $43,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; and
(C) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2003.??.
Amendment to Title IV-E, John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program ?
Educational and Training Voucher Program:
PL 107-133, The Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001
TITLE II--FOSTER CARE AND INDEPENDENT LIVING
SEC. 201. EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING VOUCHERS FOR YOUTHS AGING OUT OF
FOSTER CARE.
(a) Purpose.--Section 477(a) (42 U.S.C. 677(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(6) to make available vouchers for education and training, including postsecondary
training and education, to youths who have aged out of foster care.''.
(b) Educational and Training Vouchers.--Section 477 (42 U.S.C. 677) is amended by adding at the end the
following: ``(i) Educational and Training Vouchers.--The following conditions shall apply to a State
educational and training voucher program under this section: ``(1) Vouchers under the program may be
available to youths otherwise eligible for services under the State program under this section.``(2) For
purposes of the voucher program, youths adopted from foster care after attaining age 16 may be
considered to be youths otherwise eligible for services under the State program under this section.
[[Page 115 STAT. 2423]]
``(3) The State may allow youths participating in the voucher program on the date they attain 21
years of age to remain eligible until they attain 23 years of age, as long as they are enrolled in a
postsecondary education or training program and are making satisfactory progress toward
completion of that program.
``(4) The voucher or vouchers provided for an individual under this section--
``(A) may be available for the cost of attendance at an institution of higher education, as defined
in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and
``(B) shall not exceed the lesser of $5,000 per year or the total cost of attendance, as defined in
section 472 of that Act.
``(5) The amount of a voucher under this section may be disregarded for purposes of determining the
recipient's eligibility for, or the amount of, any other Federal or Federally supported assistance,
except that the total amount of educational assistance to a youth under this section and under
other Federal and Federally supported programs shall not exceed the total cost of attendance,
as defined in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and except that the State agency
shall take appropriate steps to prevent duplication of benefits under this and other Federal or
Federally supported programs.
``(6) The program is coordinated with other appropriate education and training programs.''.
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(c) Certification.--Section 477(b)(3) (42 U.S.C. 677(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(J) A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the State educational and training
voucher program under this section is in compliance with the conditions specified in subsection
(i), including a statement describing methods the State will use--
``(i) to ensure that the total amount of educational assistance to a youth under this section and under
other Federal and Federally supported programs does not exceed the limitation specified in
subsection (i)(5); and
``(ii) to avoid duplication of benefits under this and any other Federal or Federally assisted benefit
program.''.
(d) Increased Authorizations of Appropriations.--Section 477(h) (42 U.S.C. 677(h)) is amended by striking
``there are authorized'' and all that follows and inserting the following: ``there are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary for each fiscal year--
``(1) $140,000,000, which shall be available for all purposes under this section; and
``(2) an additional $60,000,000, which are authorized to be available for payments to States for
education and training vouchers for youths who age out of foster care, to assist the youths to
develop skills necessary to lead independent and productive lives.''.
(e) Allotments to States.--Section 477(c) (42 U.S.C. 677(c)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``(1) In general.--From the amount specified in subsection (h)'' and inserting
``(1) General program allotment.--From the amount specified in subsection (h)(1)'';
(B) by striking ``which bears the same ratio'' and inserting ``which bears the ratio''; and
(C) by striking ``as the number of children in foster care'' and all that follows and inserting ``equal to
the State foster care ratio, as adjusted in accordance with paragraph (2).''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(3) Voucher program allotment.--From the amount, if any, appropriated pursuant to subsection
(h)(2) for a fiscal year, the Secretary may allot to each State with an application approved under
subsection (b) for the fiscal year an amount equal to the State foster care ratio multiplied by the
amount so specified.
``(4) State foster care ratio.--In this subsection, the term `State foster care ratio' means the ratio of
the number of children in foster care under a program of the State in the most recent fiscal year
for which the information is available to the total number of children in foster care in all States
for the most recent fiscal year.''.
(f) Payments to States.--
(1) In general.--Section 474(a)(4) (42 U.S.C. 674(a)(4)) is amended to read as follows:
``(4) an amount equal to the amount (if any) by which--
``(A) the lesser of--
``(i) 80 percent of the amounts expended by the State during the fiscal year in which the
quarter occurs to carry out programs in accordance with the State application approved
under section 477(b) for the period in which the quarter occurs (including any
amendment that meets the requirements of section 477(b)(5)); or
``(ii) the amount allotted to the State under section 477(c)(1) for the fiscal year in which the
quarter occurs, reduced by the total of the amounts payable to the State under this
paragraph for all prior quarters in the fiscal year; exceeds``(B) the total amount of any
penalties assessed against the State under section 477(e) during the fiscal year in
which the quarter occurs.''.
(2) Discretionary grants.--Section 474 (42 U.S.C. 674) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(e) Discretionary Grants for Educational and Training Vouchers for Youths Aging out of Foster Care.--From
amounts appropriated pursuant to section 477(h)(2), the Secretary may make a grant to a State with a plan
approved under this part, for a calendar quarter, in an amount equal to the lesser of--
``(1) 80 percent of the amounts expended by the State during the quarter to carry out programs for
the purposes described in section 477(a)(6); or
``(2) the amount, if any, allotted to the State under section 477(c)(3) for the fiscal year in which the
quarter occurs, reduced by the total of the amounts payable to the State under this subsection for
such purposes for all prior quarters in the fiscal year.''.
SEC. 202. REALLOCATION AND EXTENSION OF FUNDS.
(a) Reallocation of Unused Funds.--Section 477(d) (42 U.S.C. 677(d)) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
- 54 -
``(4) Reallocation of unused funds.--If a State does not apply for funds under this section for a fiscal
year within such time as may be provided by the Secretary, the funds to which the State would
be entitled for the fiscal year shall be reallocated to 1 or more other States on the basis of their
relative need for additional payments under this section, as determined by the Secretary.''.
(b) Temporary <> Extension of Availability of Independent Living Funds.--
Notwithstanding section 477(d)(3) of the Social Security Act, payments made to a State under section
477 of such Act for fiscal year 2000 shall remain available for expenditure by the State through fiscal
year 2002.
TITLE III--EFFECTIVE DATE
SEC. 301. <> EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Delay Permitted if State Legislation Required.--In the case of a State plan under subpart 2 of part B or
part E of the Social Security Act that the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires
State legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) in order for the plan to meet the additional
requirements imposed by the amendments specified in subsection (a) of this section, the State plan
shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the requirements of such part solely on the basis of the
failure of the plan to meet the additional requirements before the first day of the first calendar quarter
beginning after the close of the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date of
the enactment of this Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-
year legislative session, each year of the session shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of
the State legislature.
Approved January 17, 2002.
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APPENDIX C
CFCIP EXCERPT FROM PROGRAM
INSTRUCTION FOR FIVE-YEAR CHILD
AND FAMILY SERVICES PLAN: 2005-
2009
CHAFEE FOSTER CARE INDEPENDENCE AND
EDUCATION AND TRAINING VOUCHERS
PROGRAMS
States must include in the CFSP a
description of the Chafee Foster Care
Independence and the Education and
Training Vouchers Programs services to be
provided in the upcoming fiscal year (FY
2005). In order to fulfill the intent of the Act,
which is in keeping with positive youth
development, States are strongly
encouraged to include youth, presently in
care as well as former foster youth, as
critical stakeholders in the development of
the State plan. States must identify the State
agency or agencies that will administer,
supervise or oversee the programs and
provide a statement that indicates that the
State agency will cooperate in national
evaluations of the effects of the programs in
achieving the purposes of CFCIP. The
Chafee section of the CFSP must address
the following:
1. Education and Training Vouchers
program. States should note that purpose
6 of section 477(a) is to make available
vouchers for education and training,
including postsecondary training and
education to youths who have aged out
of foster care. ACYF-CB-PI-03-06, issued
July 8, 2003, provided the specific
guidance to develop this portion of the
plan. Describe how the State will
establish, expand or strengthen its post
secondary educational assistance
program to achieve the purpose of the
ETV program (section 477(a)(6) of the
Act) and to accomplish the purposes of
the Act. States must describe the
methods they use to operate the program
efficiently and assure that they will
comply with the conditions specified in
subsection 477(i). (See Attachment E.)
The components that apply to CFCIP
also apply to ETV and must be included
in the narrative section of the CFSP
either alone or in combination with the
CFCIP portion of the plan.
2. States should discuss how they will
design, conduct and/or strengthen their
programs to achieve the purposes of
section 477(b)(2)(A) and section
477(a)(1-6) of the Act to:| Help youth transition to self-sufficiency;| Help youth receive the education,
training and services necessary to
obtain employment;| Help youth prepare for and enter
postsecondary training and educational
institutions;| Provide personal and emotional support
to youth through mentors and the
promotion of interactions with dedicated
adults;| Provide financial, housing, counseling,
employment, education and other
appropriate support and services to
former foster care recipients between 18
and 21 years of age; and| Make available vouchers for education
and training, including postsecondary
education, to youth who have aged out
of foster care.
Services to Youth Ages 18 - 20:
Section 477(a)(5) permits States to
provide services to youth ages 18
through 20 years who have left foster
care but have not reached their twentyfirst
birthday. States are required to
provide services (including room and
board) to, and expend funds on behalf of,
youth who left foster care because they
attained 18 years of age, but have not yet
attained 21 years of age (Section
477(b)(3)). In the State plan, States
should describe the approaches being
used to address these provisions.
Room and Board: The State must
develop a reasonable definition of "room
and board" and provide the definition in
the CFSP. The CFSP must include a
description of the approach(es) being
used to make room and board available
- 56 -
to youth ages 18 through 20. States are
required to certify (by signing the
Certification form in Attachment E) in
their State plans that no more than 30
percent of their allotment of Federal
funds will be expended for room and
board for youth who left foster care
because they attained 18 years of age,
but have not yet attained 21 years of age.
3. Describe how youth of various ages and
at various stages of achieving
independence are to be served,
particularly with regard to services for (1)
youth under 16, (2) youth 16 - 18 and (3)
youth 18 through 20. The description
should include the identification of State
statutory and/or administrative barriers, if
any, which, in order to facilitate the State
serving a broader range of eligible youth,
need to be eliminated or amended.
States should also discuss how they are
developing services for those individuals
"likely to remain in foster care until age
18." Some identifiers of individuals "likely
to remain in foster care until 18" include,
but are not limited to, age, ethnicity,
presenting problems, case histories, and
individual case goals and objectives.
4. Discuss how the State involves the public
and private sectors in helping
adolescents in foster care achieve selfsufficient
independence. Beginning in FY
2000, States have had an opportunity to
conduct meetings and plan activities with
various partners and stakeholders to
design and develop a CFCIP State plan.
5. States should describe in detail how
public and private organizations
representing a wide range of
stakeholders and consumers, in
particular Indian Tribes, were consulted,
and are involved in, the development of
this part of the CFSP.
6. States should discuss their efforts: (1) to
coordinate with "other Federal and State
programs for youth (especially
transitional living programs funded under
Part B of the Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974,
abstinence programs, local housing
programs, programs for disabled youth
(especially sheltered workshops), and
school-to-work programs?", and; (2) to
consult with and coordinate with "each
Indian tribe in the State" and ensure "that
benefits and services under the program
will be available to Indian children in the
State on the same basis as to other
children in the State" (certifications F and
G, section 477(b)(3)). Also, States are
encouraged to coordinate services with
other relevant programs, including, but
not limited to, the Court Improvement
Program, Community Action Agencies,
and Medicaid.
7. The CFSP should describe how the State
has utilized, or is coordinating efforts to
utilize, the option to expand Medicaid to
provide services to youth ages 18 to 20
years old who have aged out of foster
care. Subtitle C, section 121 of PL 106-
169 permits States to expand Medicaid
eligibility for youth transitioning from
foster care. A State may provide
Medicaid to all young people under the
age of 21 who were in foster care under
the responsibility of the State on their
eighteenth birthday, or to "reasonable
categories" of this group. If the State
does not choose to provide Medicaid to
all young people under the age of 21 who
were in foster care under the State's
responsibility on their eighteenth
birthday, the State plan should describe
what "reasonable categories" of children
it has chosen to provide Medicaid
services to, if any.
8. Discuss the objective criteria the State
uses for determining eligibility for benefits
and services under the programs,
including the process for developing the
criteria.
9. Discuss how the State ensures fair and
equitable treatment of benefit recipients.
10. Describe how the comments received
from the public (both written and oral),
influenced the contents of the Plan.
- 57 -
APPENDIX D
DIRECTORY OF USEFUL INTERNET SITES
The follo wing Interne t site s offe r a va riety of
informatio n and resour ces re lated to fos ter
car e and indepe nden t living. In addition, e ach
NFC C memb er org anization ha s its own
web site, listed in Ap pendix A, wh ich offer a
wea lth of resou rce in formation, p ublica tions
and other mater ials, and links.
LEGISLATIVE & FEDERAL
U.S. Federal Government Agencies
Directory: www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html
Lib rary o f Cong ress D irecto ry of State and
Loc al Gov ernmen t Inte rnet p ages:
www.lcweb.loc.gov/global/state/
stategov.html
Fed eral funding and g rants: www .grant s.gov
FCIA AND IL RESOURCES
Full text of the Foster Care Independence Act
of 1999, and other past, current, or pending
legislation on the Thomas website:
http://thomas.loc.gov
Updated status on implementation of the
Act, funding notices, and guidance about the
FCIA and other Federal initiatives on the
Children?s Bureau website:
www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb
Full text of both Frequently Asked Questions
I and II on the NFCC website:
www.natlfostercare.org
Timely information about the FCIA and other
related foster care issues on the Connect for
Kids website: www.connectforkids.org
Online discussion list serve, listing of all
state independent living coordinators, and
state by state information on independent
living services on the National Child Welfare
Resource Center for Youth Development
website: www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd
Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessments and life
skills training resources:
www.caseylifeskills.org
FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION
National Child Welfare Resource Center for
Family Centered Practice and Permanency
Planning:
www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/
National Council of Juvenile and Family
Court Judges Pe rmanen cy Pla nning Projec t:
www.ncjfcj.org
Ado ption/Foster /Kinsh ip Car e Publicatio ns:
www.welfareinfo.org/cwadoption
fostercare.htm
National Resour ce Cen ter fo r Spec ial Ne eds
Ado ption: www.spaulding.org
National Adoption Information Cle aringh ouse:
guthrie.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/
Nor th Ame rican Council on Adoptab le
Children (NACAC) (see especially Sho rten ing
C hild re n ?s Stay s: Innovative Permanency
Planning Options): www.nacac.org
Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care:
www.pewfostercare.org
Fostering Futures: www.fosteringfutures.org
Chapin Hall Center for Children (research):
www.chapinhall.org
CWLA National Data Analysis System (NDAS):
http://ndas.cwla.org
Casey Family Services-Casey Center for
Effective Child Welfare Practice:
www.caseyfamilyservices.org/pr_casey_cent
er.html
California Permanency for Youth Project
www.cpyp.org
- 58 -
MEDICAID & HEALTH
Center for Adolescent Health and the Law:
www.adolescenthealthlaw.org
FMAP chart: Federal and State matching rates
for Medicaid costs:
www.aspe.hhs.gov/health/fmap.htm
State Medicaid officials list:
www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/
mcontact.asp
EPSDT requirements and information:
www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/epsdt/
default.asp
National Health Law Project:
www.healthlaw.org/index.shtml
American Medical Association Adolescent
Health Online: www.amaassn.
org/ama/pub/category/1947.html
Covering Kids: www.coveringkids.org
YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Division
of Services for Children with Special Health
Needs: www.mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/
default.htm
State Departments of Mental Health:
www.state.sc.us/dmh/usa_map.htm
Department of Education, IDEA:
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/
index.html
Department of Vocational and Rehabilitation
Services: www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/
Healthy and Ready to Work:
www.mchbhrtw.org
Family Voices: www.familyvoices.org
Families USA: www.familiesusa.org
Family Village: www.familyvillage.wisc.edu
National Parent Network on Disabilities:
www.npnd.org
US Chamber of Commerce site for employing
youth with disabilities: www.uschamber.com/
cwp/strategies/disabilities/default
Job Accommodation Network for youth with
disabilities: www.jan.wvu.edu
Pacer Program Technical Assistance and
Training on the Rehabilitation Act:
www.pacer.org
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law:
www.bazelon.org
Federation for Families for Children?s Mental
Health: www.ffcmh.org
The National Association of Protection and
Advocacy Systems: www.napas.org
HOUSING
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development: www.hud.gov
National Coalition fo r the Homele ss:
www .national homeless .org
National Commun ity De velopment
Ass ociation: www.ncdaonl ine.org
National Association of Hou sing a nd
Red evelop ment O fficia ls: www.nahro.org
National Home o f Your Own Allianc e:
www.alliance.unh.edu
Child Welfare L eague of Ame rica:
www.cwla.org/programs/housing
YOUTH INVOLVEMENT
Forum for Youth Investment:
www.forumfor youthinvestment.org
National Clearinghous e on Familie s and
You th: www.ncfy.com
National Youth Develo pment Information
Cen ter: www.nydic.org
Maine Youth Advisory Board website:
www.ylat.org
Sta te 4-H progr ams: www.4h-usa.org
TRIBAL INVOLVEMENT
Bur eau of India n Affa irs:
www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html
- 59 -
National Indian Child Welfare Association:
www.nicwa.org
Office of Indian Education Programs:
www.oiep.bia.edu
EMPLOYMENT FOR YOUTH
U.S. Department of Labor: www.dol.gov
U.S. DOL Employment and Training
Administration:
www.doleta.gov/youth_services/
Jobs Corps and Youth Opportunities
Grantees:
www.dol.gov/dol/topic/training/jobcorps.htm
America?s Jobs: www.usworkforce.org
Americorps: www.americorps.org
Workforce Investment Act:
www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/wia/act.cfm
It?s My Life: Employment Guide:
www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/Its
MyLifeEmployment.htm
LEGAL ISSUES
American Bar Association Center for
Children and the Law: www.abanet.org/ch
ild/home.html
National Center for Youth L aw:
www.youthlaw.org
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court
Judges: www.ncjfcj.org
Juv enile Law Ce nter: www.jlc.org
- 60 -
APPENDIX E
SELECTED REFERENCES
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Care Independence Program: New catalysts for reform for young people aging out of
foster care. Journal of Poverty Law and Policy, July-August, 197-216.
Ansell, D. I., & Kessler, M. L. (2003). Rethinking the role of independent living in permanency
planning. Child Law Practice, 22(4), 66-68.
Barth, R. P. (1986). Emancipation services for youth in foster care. Social Work.
Barth, R. P. (1990). On their own: the experiences of youth after foster care. Child and
Adolescent Social Work Journal, 7(5), 419-440.
California Permanency for Youth Project (2002-2005). National Convening Reports. Available at
www.cpyp.org.
Casey Family Programs. (2000). Transition from foster care: A state by state data base overview:
Vol. . Executive Summary. Seattle, WA: Author.
Casey Family Programs. (2003, October). The foster care alumni studies: Stories from the past to
shape the future: Vol. . Assessing the effects of foster care: Early results from the Casey
National Alumni Study. Seattle, WA: Author.
Casey Family Programs. (2004). A roadmap for learning: Improving educational outcomes in
foster care. Seattle, WA: Author.
Casey Family Services, Casey Center for Effective Child Welfare Practice. (2005). A call to
action: An integrated approach to youth permanency and preparation for adulthood. New
Haven, CT: Author.
Child Welfare League of America. (2005). Foreword. In Standards of Excellence: Transition,
Independent Living, and Self Sufficiency Services (Revised edition). Washington, DC:
Author.
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Clemens, N. (2000). Improving access to independent living services for tribes and Indian youth.
Portland, OR: National Indian Child Welfare Association.
Cook, R.. A national evaluation of Title IV-E foster care independent living programs for foster
youth: Vol. . Phase 2 Final Report. Rockville, MD: Westat, Inc.
Courtney, M., Piliavin, I., Grogan-Kaylor, A., & Nesmith, A. (1998). Foster youth transitions to
adulthood: Outcomes 12-18 months after leaving out-of-home care. Madison, WI:
University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Courtney, M., Terao, S., Bost, N. (2004). Midwest evaluation of the adult functioning of former
foster youth: Conditions of youth preparing to leave state care. Chicago: Chapin Hall
Center for Children.
Courtney, M., et.al. (2004). The educational status of foster children. Issue Brief. Chicago: Chapin
Hall Center for Children.
DeWoody, M., & Ceja, K. (1993). Independent living services for youth in out-of-home care.
Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America.
Foster Care Independence Act of 1999. (1999). PL 106-169, 113 Stat. 1822. Codified at 42
U.S.C. 677 [Abstract].
Foster Care Work Group, Youth Transitions Funders Group, & The Finance Project. (in press).
Connected by 25: A plan for investing in successful futures for foster youth. Washington,
DC: Author.
Freundlich, M. (2003). Time running out: teens in foster care. New York: Children's Rights.
Greene, M. F. (2004, February). Independence day: After a lifetime in foster care, how does a
teenager learn to be a man? Reader's Digest, 128-137.
Iglehart, A. P. (1994). Adolescents in foster care: Predicting readiness for independent living.
Children and Youth Services Review, 16(3-4), 159-169.
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. (2003). Public opinion about youth transitioning from
foster care to adulthood. St. Louis, MO: Author.
Kroner, M. (1999). Housing Options for Independent Living Programs. Washington, D.C.: Child
Welfare League of America.
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Louisell, M. (2004). Model Programs for Youth Permanency. Oakland, CA: California
Permanency for Youth Project.
McMillen, J., & Tucker, J. (1998). The status of older adolescents at exit from out-of-home care.
Child Welfare, 78, 339-360.
McNaught, K. & Onkeles, L. (2004). Improving outcomes for older youth: What judges and
attorneys need to know. Tulsa, OK: National Resource Center for Youth Services.
National Foster Care Awareness Project. (2000). Frequently Asked Questions About the Foster
Care Independence Act and the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (I &
II). Seattle, WA: Casey Family Programs.
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(Munsell, G.,Tribal Approaches to Transition; Jaklitsch, B., Aftercare Services; Kessler,
M., The Transition Years, Kessler, M. & Jaklitsch, B., In the Spirit of Chafee:
Collaboration in Youth Services). Tulsa, OK: www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd.
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the foster care system in Clark County, Nevada: Vol. . Issue Brief II. Las Vegas:
University of Nevada.
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Rayburn Building.
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America.
Nixon, Robin. (2004). Permanency for older youth. In Using Subsidized Guardianship to Improve
Outcomes for Children: Key Questions to Consider, Edited by Mary Bissell and Jennifer
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community organizations in promoting youth development. Washington, DC: Academy for
Educational Development.
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Sanchez, R. (2004. Youth Perspectives on Youth Permanency. Oakland, CA: California
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of 1985, PL 99-272, 12307(a), 100 Stat. 82, 294.
U.S. General Accounting Office. (1999). Foster care: Effectiveness of independent living services
unknown (HEHS 00-13). Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. General Accounting Office. (2004). HHS Actions could improve coordination of services and
monitoring of states' independent living programs. Washington, D.C.: Author.
Waldinger, G., & Furman, W. M. (1994). Two models of preparing foster youths for emancipation.
Child and Youth Services Review, 16(3/4).
Warren, J., & Knipe, J. (1999). Foster Youth Share their Ideas for Change. Washington, D.C.:
Child Welfare League of America.
Wattenberg, E. (2002). Debating the options for adolescents at risk: Can we safeguard the
interests of endangered adolescents? St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota.
Wertheimer, R. (2002, December). Youth who "age out" of foster care: Troubled lives, troubling
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White House Task Force on Disadvantaged Youth. (2003, October). Final Report. Washington,
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Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America.
- 65 -
APPENDIX F
STATE ALLOCATIONS FOR THE CFCIP AND CHAFEE ETV PROGRAMS,
FISCAL YEAR 2005
FY 2005 Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP)
State
Final State
Allocations
State
Final State
Allocations
Alabama 1,563,344 Montana 500,000
Alaska 524,629 Nebraska 1,553,057
Arizona 1,991,020 Nevada 587,636
Arkansas 771,514 New Hampshire 500,000
California 25,012,729 New Jersey 3,298,993
Colorado 2,251,277 New Mexico 540,060
Connecticut 1,733,849 New York 11,585,958
Delaware 500,000 North Carolina 2,451,871
District of Columbia 1,091,992 North Dakota 500,000
Florida 7,889,242 Ohio 4,969,320
Georgia 3,506,787 Oklahoma 2,364,432
Hawaii 763,027 Oregon 2,412,523
Idaho 500,000 Pennsylvania 5,598,104
Illinois 5,556,956 Puerto Rico 1,950,644
Indiana 2,288,567 Rhode Island 600,238
Iowa 1,288,685 South Carolina 1,258,597
Kansas 1,486,707 South Dakota 500,000
Kentucky 1,773,196 Tennessee 2,439,784
Louisiana 1,358,131 Texas 5,706,887
Maine 771,257 Utah 522,829
Maryland 2,962,870 Vermont 500,000
Massachusetts 3,242,415 Virginia 1,812,029
Michigan 5,497,293 Washington 2,161,782
Minnesota 1,887,123 West Virginia 1,046,430
Mississippi 723,166 Wisconsin 2,012,108
Missouri 3,090,942 Wyoming 500,000
Total $137,900,000
FY 2005 Chafee ETV Program
State
Final State
Allocations
State
Final State
Allocations
Alabama 534,236 Montana 163,988
Alaska 179,280 Nebraska 530,721
Arizona 680,385 Nevada 200,811
Arkansas 263,647 New Hampshire 106,953
California 8,547,517 New Jersey 1,127,354
Colorado 769,321 New Mexico 184,553
Connecticut 592,502 New York 3,362,375
Delaware 71,536 North Carolina 837,869
District of Columbia 271,732 North Dakota 108,798
Florida 2,695,964 Ohio 1,698,149
Georgia 1,198,362 Oklahoma 807,989
Hawaii 260,747 Oregon 824,423
Idaho 123,123 Pennsylvania 1,913,021
Illinois 1,898,960 Puerto Rico 666,587
Indiana 782,064 Rhode Island 205,117
Iowa 440,378 South Carolina 430,096
Kansas 508,047 South Dakota 138,854
Kentucky 605,948 Tennessee 833,739
Louisiana 399,073 Texas 1,950,195
Maine 263,559 Utah 178,665
Maryland 1,012,491 Vermont 123,826
Massachusetts 1,108,019 Virginia 619,218
Michigan 1,878,571 Washington 738,738
Minnesota 644,880 West Virginia 357,593
Mississippi 247,125 Wisconsin 687,591
Missouri 1,056,257 Wyoming 92,716
Total $45,923,663