Foster Youth Rights and Independent Living

Foster Youth Rights Handbook

• The PCSA must provide and explain the JFS 01677 "Foster Youth Rights Handbook" to each youth in agency custody.

Life Skills Assessment

• The PCSA must conduct a life skills assessment on each youth in agency custody no later than age fourteen.
• The assessment must be completed within sixty days of the youth's fourteenth birthday or sixty days after the youth enters agency custody, if the youth is fourteen or older.
• Independent living services should be based on the Casey life skills assessment.

Independent Living Plan

• The PCSA must develop an independent living plan in Ohio SACWIS within thirty days of the completion of the life skills assessment.
• The plan must be based on the assessment and the developmental age of the youth.
• The plan must be youth-driven and include input from the youth's caseworker, the resource caregiver, and two adult supporters.
• Copies of the plan and any subsequent updated plans must be provided to the youth and resource caregiver within thirty days of development or update.

Credit Report

• The PCSA must request a credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies each year until the youth is discharged from substitute care.
• The PCSA must ensure each youth receives a copy and is provided interpretation of their consumer credit report annually until emancipation.

Transition to Independence

• At least ninety days prior to the youth's emancipation, the PCSA must refer the youth to the bridges program, assign a bridges representative, introduce the youth to the bridges representative, and collaborate with the bridges representative until emancipation.
• The final transition plan must be youth-driven, reviewed with the youth during monthly visits, entered into Ohio SACWIS, and shared with the bridges representative.
• The plan must be provided to the youth and explained, including the need to renew Medicaid annually in the county of residence.

This quiz covers the rights of foster youth, life skills assessments, and independent living services provided by the Public Children Services Agency (PCSA). It explains the rules and regulations outlined in the Administrative Code.