	Youth Independent Living Services

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

PA-YIL 8: Preparation for Community Membership

Services promote age-appropriate community involvement and decision-making.

PA-YIL 8.01

To facilitate access to all available services and active membership in the community, the agency:

remains knowledgeable about local, regional, and state resources, including networking and leadership opportunities;
educates the community about the assets and needs of individuals receiving support to attain self-sufficiency; and
finds and creates opportunities for individuals to develop positive ties to the community based on mutual interests and abilities.

Research Note: A federal review of state annual program reports that examined the match between ILS services needed and provided found that programs miss opportunities to provide services that match the employment potential of foster youth with appropriate employment pathways, for example, unavailable vocational opportunities, and to make connections with potential employers.

PA-YIL 8.02

Individuals have opportunities to participate in peer group activities where they can meet, lend support, and share positive experiences.

Interpretation: Opportunities to participate in culturally appropriate social, cultural, recreational, and religious activities should be designed to expand the range of life experiences, and sensitive to the needs of indigenous groups or individuals with special needs.

PA-YIL 8.03

Counseling or mentoring, information, and institutional and business resources in the community are identified that can promote self-sufficiency, informed decision making, and readiness to assume responsibility for:

activities of daily living;
obtaining housing and household management;
obtaining and keeping employment;
budgeting, saving and investing;
money management, including high costs associated with loans and buying on credit, and debt counseling;
use of community resources;
use of information about when and why public assistance is available;
serving as a resource to the community; and
effective interpersonal communication and conflict resolution.

Research Note: A study of 500 older adolescents in out-of-home placements, though limited by lack of an external reference group, found higher satisfaction, a broader range of daily living information, higher Life-Skills Inventory scores, and higher scores on indicators of positive outcomes at age 21 follow-up for youth living in apartment and home placements, compared to youth living in group care. This study notes that empirical information on effectiveness of apartment placements is virtually non-existent and suggests the possible benefit of extending and evaluating apartment opportunities. A qualitative study of congregate care, as well as a federal review of ILS programs, add support for the value of providing youth with practice as well as instruction.

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	PURPOSE: Young adults who receive Independent Living Services obtain safe and stable housing, develop life skills and competencies including work readiness, achieve educational and financial growth goals, and establish healthy, supportive adult and peer relationships.

RELATED FILES


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	COMMUNITY A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.


	LEADERSHIP A nonprofit organization's leadership consists of its governing body, chief executive officer, and may also include its senior management. In a public agency the term refers to the agency head and administration team. The term "leadership" is not generally applied to for-profit organizations. With respect to COA standards, in for-profit organizations the term leadership applies to the owner and board of directors if one exists.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	SPECIAL NEEDS A designation used in reference to conditions or characteristics of a person that reflect a need for special care, services, or treatment. When the term is used in the context of adoption services, special needs refers to conditions that make a child harder to place for adoption. This includes children who are members of sibling groups, older children, children with disabilities, children of certain racial /ethnic backgrounds, etc. When the term is used in the context of foster care it refers to the need for a higher degree of specialized case services and attention due to mental and physical disabilities. When the term is used in the context of out-of-school time services, a child or youth may have special physical, behavioral, medical, emotional, or cognitive needs that should be addressed or accommodated. The term is also used in other contexts. See also DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.


	INDICATOR A described activity, event, outcome, or benchmark used for measurement in monitoring the quality and outcome(s) of service.


	PRACTICE Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organizational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.


	MANAGEMENT See ADMINISTRATION