"Youth development, the process of growing up and developing one's capacities, happens no matter what we do. The challenge is to promote positive youth development and plan quality experiences with young people." ("Keys to Quality Youth Development", University of Minnesota Extension at http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/youthdevelopment/DA6715.html )
The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) is committed to providing you, a young person in the care of the Department, with access to quality programs and experiences that promote the principles of positive youth development and help you become a successful adult. DCYF directly funds some of these programs using state and federal tax dollars while other state or private agencies fund some programs. Each program or service has its own eligibility rules so you will need to pay attention to those rules carefully. If you are still in the care of DCYF, your social worker or probation counselor may be able to help with questions or contact the programs/services directly.
This program, operated by the RI Council of Resource Programs for Youth (RICORP), is funded by DCYF through the federal Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. The Chafee Life Skills Center is named after John H. Chafee, Rhode Island's late U.S. Senator and a long time champion of this nation's most vulnerable youth. If you are 16 years or older, involved with DCYF and in out of home care (including if you aren't involved with DCYF but were before you turned 18 and haven't reached 21 yet), then the services offered by the Chafee Life Skills Center are available to you.
The Life Skills Program operated by the Center is a sixteen-week course that teaches various topics important to becoming self-sufficient and living independently. The course includes budgeting, banking, credit, job skills, health, home management, housing, cooking, legal skills, car purchasing and insurance, fire safety, first aid, and consumer and shopping skills. The program assesses your knowledge of these and other topics before and after the Program. Referrals need to be made through your DCYF Social Workers or Probation Counselor. They can contact Kim at the Life Skills Center to make a referral (Phone: 401-431-0557 or email KimatLifeskills@aol.com.
Referrals to the Life Skills Program for RI Training School Residents are funded separately but Training School staff can use the same referral process.
ASPIRE, affiliated with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, is part of a national effort to help youth in foster care successfully transition to adulthood. To participate in ASPIRE, you must be between the ages of 14 and 23 and currently or formerly in foster care with DCYF. You can self-refer to this program or an adult working with you may also refer you to this program using this referral form. ASPIRE also works with youth transitioning from the Training School and can get assistance accessing this through Training School staff.
The Rhode Island Foster Parent's Teen Grant Program, funded by DCYF's Chafee Foster Care Independence Program, serves youth and young adults between the ages of 14-21 who are or were in the care and custody of the Department due to reasons of child abuse/neglect and or for voluntary placement and who currently live outside of their family's home. If you are one of these youth, you are eligible to apply for grants for up to $400.00 per year in order to enhance self-esteem, build skills and knowledge and prepare for independence and adulthood. Grants are limited to the total amount of funds available in any given year.
Teen Grant Applications are available on the RIFPA website which also includes additional details on the program. You, the youth who wants this grant, must complete the application. Foster parents, DCYF and private Agency Caseworkers are strongly discouraged from filling out and applying on your behalf. The grant process helps you to build independence and self-esteem. When an adult takes on the responsibility of applying on your behalf, it undermines the spirit of the grant process. Applications filled out by anyone other than the applicant will only be accepted under circumstances where you are unable to complete it on your own (e.g., you are physically challenged or developmentally challenged). You should also be researching your requests fully. For example, "I want a computer to help me with my school work", isn't sufficient. You should have a particular computer in mind, the cost of the computer, where it will be purchased, and how you will pay any remaining costs (if any). In cases where musical instruments, etc. are requested, previous lessons or a mentor should be identified to show that you will be able to fully utilize the item requested.
The Real Connections program helps youth in state care connect and reconnect to important adults. The program can help youth in state care reconnect with family, friends, teachers or other important people that they have lost touch with or with whom they would like to build a stronger connection. The goal of the Real Connections program is to ensure that all youth leave state care with positive, permanent adult connections and options for a successful future. Real Connections also engages community mentors that can help you work on and achieve your goals including getting a GED, planning for college, getting a job, finding that first apartment and more. If you are interested in how Real Connections can help, contact Emily Buckbee, Real Connections Coordinator at 401-438-3900 x103 or emily.buckbee@rifpa.org.
YESS (Young Adults Establishing Self Sufficiency) is a partnership between RICORP's Chafee Life Skills Center and DCYF. If you currently are transitioning from or have transitioned from DCYF foster care services and are between 18 years old and your 21st birthday, and you have demonstrated a level of maturity and capacity towards greater independence, then you may be eligible for YESS. YESS is funded through state general revenue funds.
To participate in YESS, you are expected to be finishing high school or a high school equivalency program; or, attending a trade school or post-secondary educational program; and/or working. You may be eligible, on a case-by-case basis, if you are completing a GED or engaging in volunteer work or awaiting entrance into school or full-time employment. While your social worker must refer you to YESS, he/she or your current provider staff may assist you with the application development. You are expected to direct this process and be a major contributor in identifying supports and services you may need.
For information on YESS please contact Madeline at (401) 497-3545 or you can find their application and admission criteria through RICORP's website.
DCYF and our community partner agencies are dedicated to ensuring that children and youth in our care have access to quality primary, secondary and post-secondary educational services. Through our Division of Community Services and Behavioral Health we support social workers and probation counselors in assisting you with getting through elementary, middle and high school (public or private) and making sure that you get the same chances to succeed as your classmates who are not involved with DCYF. This Division also works closely with Eckerd Youth Alternatives (Camp E-Hun-Tee) , the NAFI ACE Program and Ocean Tides Residential Treatment Program in ensuring that the federal educational funds received by these residential school programs are used effectively and that these programs meet the grade level expectation requirements of the RI Department of Education (RIDE).
The RI General Assembly and Congress both recognize the importance of providing post-secondary educational opportunities for youth at risk of "aging out" of foster care and youth who have already aged out of foster care. The General Assembly, through the DCYF Higher Education Opportunity Grant Program, and Congress, through the John H. Chafee Education and Training Voucher Program, each have has set aside money to fund tuition assistance programs which DCYF has combined into the DCYF Post Secondary Tuition Assistance Program. The DCYF Higher Education Grant Program receives $200,000 each year and can be used for eligible youth attending the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), Rhode Island College (RIC) or the University of Rhode Island (URI) on a full-time basis. The ETV Program receives approximately $225,000 each year and can be used for eligible youth attending any program or school which meets the federal government's definition of Institution of Higher Education but each student can receive no more than $5,000 per academic year. Applications for the DCYF Post Secondary Tuition Assistance Program are due no later than June 1st of each year for the following academic year. For funding purposes, DCYF defines the academic year July 1 through the June 30 of each year. Applications for the 2009-10 Academic Year are no longer being accepted. Applications for the 2010-11 Academic Year won't be available until early January 2010. Please check back here for updates. Frequently Asked Questions
It is important that youth involved with DCYF who want to attend college or other post-secondary educational programs take advantage of resources available while they are in their high schools such as guidance counselors, social workers and other adults in their lives. Youth should seek help to make sure the classes they are taking.
