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Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families
Department Operating Procedure
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Page 1 of 3
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Revision History:
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Title:
Transfer from the Family Service Unit or Juvenile Corrections to the Youth Development Support Division
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Related Forms:
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I. PURPOSE
Youth who are open in any division of the Department of Children, Youth and Families (hereinafter, the Department), may be eligible for the Department’s Voluntary Extension of Care (VEC) program. The VEC program allows eligible youth to remain in the care of the Department up to the age of 21. Eligible youth who are interested in participating in the VEC program are transferred from their primary service worker to the YDS division. The following operating procedure outlines the duties of each division during the transfer period.
II. PROCEDURE
A. Youth Case Consultation
1. Any youth who is in out-of-home care, including the Rhode Island Training School (RITS), on his or her 17th birthday (or upon entry into out-of-home care should the youth enter out-of-home care after his or her 17th birthday) is reviewed by the YDS administrator to determine the likelihood that the youth will achieve permanency prior to the youth’s 18th birthday.
2. The YDS administrator convenes a case consultation for any youth identified as not being likely to achieve permanency by his or her 18th birthday. Case consultations must occur no later than six months before the youth turns 18 years of age
3. YDS division staff contacts the identified youth’s primary service worker to schedule a case consultation within ten days. The primary service worker and supervisor, the YDS division supervisor, the youth, and any other relevant individuals at the discretion of the YDS administrator and/or YDS supervisor attend the case consultation.
4. The youth is invited to participate in this review and is informed of the option to choose up to two members of his or her case planning team who is not a foster parent or a caseworker for the youth. The Department may reject an individual selected by the youth to be a member of the case planning team if the Department has good cause to believe that the individual would not act in the best interests of the youth. One of the individuals selected by a youth to be a member of the youth’s case planning team may be designated by the youth to be the youth’s advisor.
5. A determination is made at the case consultation regarding the youth’s eligibility and appropriateness for participation in the VEC program. Consultation topics include, but are not limited to:
a. permanency goals;
b. the youth’s interest and identified willingness to agree to the VEC program requirements;
c. current living arrangement and recent placement history;
d. legal status and the nature of any active petitions involving the youth;
e. trauma history;
f. any Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and/or a Functional Developmental Disability diagnoses and the extent to which any such determination shows that the youth has significant challenges to meeting daily needs;
g. educational/employment status and goals;
h. relationships with supportive adults;
i. goals, objectives, services, and progress towards achievement;
j. needs to be considered prior to transfer; and
k. timeframe for transfer.
i. For youth deemed appropriate and eligible for services through the VEC, a timeframe for transfer and any case related activities to be completed prior to transfer is established.
ii. Transfer must occur no later than 60 days from the date of the case consultation.
6. If it is determined that the youth is likely to achieve permanency before his or her 18th birthday the youth remains with the Family Service Unit (FSU) or Juvenile Probation Unit (JPU).
7. If it is determined that the youth is unlikely to achieve permanency prior to his or her 18th birthday, the permanency goal is changed to Another Permanent Planned Living Arrangement (APPLA) unless it is already identified as APPLA. All APPLA cases are transitioned to the YDS Division.
B. Transition Period- Joint Case Management Responsibility
1. Eligible youth who elect to participate in the VEC program are transferred to the YDS division.
2. Any decision not to transfer the youth to the YDS division is approved by the primary service worker’s unit administrator and the YDS division administrator and recorded in a Case Activity Note (CAN). This CAN includes:
a. Reasons for the decision not to transfer; and
b. Any reason(s) that would warrant a case transfer in the future.
3. Cases are assigned by the primary worker’s supervisor to the YDS supervisor within three business days of the determination that the youth will participate in the VEC program. Assignment to the YDS division initiates a 30-day joint coverage and transition period for the youth.
4. The primary service worker schedules a face-to-face meeting with the youth, preferably in his or her place of residence, within five business days of the case consultation and introduces the assigned YDS worker to the youth.
5. For cases in which the youth’s siblings are active with the Department, only the young adult eligible for VEC is transferred to the YDS division, and the family case record remains with the primary service worker.
6. The primary service worker is responsible for creating a hard copy of the family case record for the YDS worker. The hard copy case record includes the youth’s:
a. service plan;
b. safety and risk assessments;
c. medical documents;
d. educational materials;
e. mental/behavioral health assessments;
f. treatment plans;
g. court petitions and decrees; and
h. any other relevant documents pertaining to the youth.
7. The transfer of case management responsibilities for eligible youth begins on the day of the assignment to the YDS division. Finalization of the transfer must occur no later than 60 days from the date of case consultation.
8. From the date of the case consultation to the date of case assignment in the YDS division, the primary service worker completes all case management responsibilities.
9. During the first two weeks of the dual divisional 30-day period, the primary service worker is responsible for all case related meetings, appointments, and court hearings, and for any changes in placement that may occur. The primary service worker ensures that the service plan is up to date. The primary service worker invites the YDS worker to all case related appointments and activities.
10. During the last two weeks of the transition period, the YDS worker is responsible for all case related meetings, appointments, court hearings, and/or any changes in placement that may occur.
11. At the end of the 30-day dual coverage period the YDS worker is the youth’s primary service worker for all matters not related to any outstanding juvenile petitions for which the youth is involved. The JCS worker maintains responsibility for all court matters, legal hearings, meetings, or appointments directly related to juvenile petitions for which the youth is involved.
a. Prior to the dismissal of any juvenile petitions and/or prior to the youth’s 18th birthday, the JCS worker files a dependency petition on behalf of the youth. The youth must have legal standing on said petitions as a requirement for YDS involvement.
12. Upon completion of the transition period, the YDS worker delivers services in accordance with DOP: 700.0175 Voluntary Extension of Care.
13. The YDS worker finalizes a Voluntary Extension of Care Agreement with the young adult on or after his or her 18th birthday.