The Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP) Specialist performs a variety of duties under the direct supervision of the ILSP Program Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator. They are responsible for engaging with foster and emancipated youth to provide services and skill development to improve their employability, education and housing outcomes upon exiting the foster care system, all of which are mandated services for Child Welfare to provide. These services are necessary to ensure the agency meets our legal obligation to assist these young adults with their transition out of the foster care system.  
  
Children and Family Services ILSP has been providing services to eligible youth between the ages of 16 to 21 since the passage of the John Chafee Independence Act of 1999 and more specifically Assembly Bill 12, signed into law September 30, 2010 and implemented January 1, 2012 (Fostering Connections to Success Act) which extended the time of foster youth dependency from age 18 to age 21. Additionally, probation cases are opting to remain under the jurisdiction of the juvenile courts and participate under AB 12, increasing the population to be served. Along with the increase in numbers of youths staying in foster care, the types of services and decrease in resources have required more time in working with young adults toward self-sufficiency. Also under AB 1712 effective 01/01/2014 the definition of a relative was expanded to include Non-relative extended family members. Since Kin-GAP payments are now federally reimbursable, Kin-GAP youth are automatically eligible for ILSP services at the age of 16. This legislation increases the numbers of youth that will be eligible for ILSP services.  
  
Currently there are four ILSP Specialists however as a result of the legislation described above there has been a steady increase in clients to be served. It is expected the client caseload growth will continue to increase given the added categories of eligibility and increased monitoring of outcomes as a result of legislation. This means that some youth will need to wait longer to receive the one-to-one services to work on their stated goals. In order to better serve the ILSP client population the Department requests one (1) full-time Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP) Specialist. The additional position will allow the ILSP program to serve more eligible young adults on a timely basis and to reach out and engage additional eligible youth with services toward self-sufficiency.   
  
  

If this position is not added the ILSP program will have insufficient staff to effectively provide timely direct services and on-going management of the ILSP cases. As a result young adults must wait longer to receive services to achieve self-sufficiency.   

The services provided by the ILSP Specialist are essential to the young adult’s ability to receive services in a timely manner to improve required transition outcomes. These older youths require a more sophisticated working relationship as this is the last phase of their dependency before being expected to survive on their own. The outcomes supported are: (1) Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood; (2) Families that are Economically Self Sufficient; (3) Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing; and (4) Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.