To ensure the continued safety and well-being of the 1,146 school-aged children in foster care, The School District of Palm Beach County’s Foster Care Specialist provided the following support:
- default_titleFoster Care Liaison faxed 547 shelter orders to schools during the 2013-2014 school year.
- default_titleDCF shelter orders might include child placement and parent/guardian visitation details.
- default_titleDefined when parents/guardians may have supervised visitation, to include visitation only when a DCF/Delegate is present.
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Update TERMS A05:
- default_titleNew caregiver name.
- default_titleClarification of parental contact, if applicable.
- default_titleKeep parent names on the A05 screen for staff to schedule any necessary meetings or conference calls. Parents continue to have rights to their students’ educational updates and records; this is a DCF requirement in the reunification plan.
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- default_titleForewarned schools that a child will have an initial medical appointment within 72 hours of entering DCF custody.
- default_titleProvided names of potential ChildNet Family Support Workers (FSW) that will transport the child to the medical appointment and is authorized to pick up the child.
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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was fully implemented in January of 2014. It has powerful implications for youth who have aged out of foster care. The ACA increases the number of individuals who have access to health insurance, simplifies insurance enrollment, requires that benefits include substance abuse and mental health coverage, as well as medical services, and promotes innovations to help coordinate the fragmented delivery of care. More specifically, the ACA includes a targeted provision to require health insurance coverage under Medicaid for youth up to age 26, previously in foster care and enrolled in Medicaid.
Youth who aged out in the past several years and are not yet age 26 are covered immediately, and youth currently in foster care are covered when they age out. This provision is intended to ensure health insurance coverage, without interruption, until youth are 26 years old.
Palm Beach County agencies collaborate through a Transition to Independent Living monthly meeting. This group discussed the implementation of the new Extended Foster Care Law. Foster care youth, ages 18 and up, now receive the following:
- default_titleImproved tuition waivers
- default_titlePost-secondary supports and services (PESS)
- default_titleChoices to stay in or return to a foster care living setting
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- default_titleThe center serves as overall housing coordination for unaccompanied youth and foster care youth over the age of 18.
- default_titleThe housing coordinator builds relationships with landlords and rental apartment complexes for these youth.
- default_titleThe group tracks the upcoming number of youth in need of housing to support a smooth transition toward independent living.
- default_titleLandlords and host homes are needed to supporting these youth.
- default_titleAll OASIS housing meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of the month.
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The Foster Care Liaison has utilized this resource, distributing new/slightly used shoes and other items to Home Safe, Vita Nova, Inc. and McKinney-Vento children. This is a free service to all Palm Beach County schools that have children in need of shoes. As a non-profit agency, the agency asks schools to register and pick up individualized orders.
This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the educational success of foster care children. The Foster Care Liaison provides weekly educational reports of these children. This program supports, guides, and empowers foster care children, giving them every opportunity to succeed in high school and college.
The Foster Care Liaison was acknowledged and received a “Compassion in Action Award” from ChildNet, Inc. A foster parent recruitment campaign was conducted throughout the School District as a result of the limited local foster homes in Palm Beach County.
Over the last three quarters of the 2013-2014 school year, the West Palm Beach Amerigas office employees have graciously donated gifts and clothing. These donations have been shared with foster care children, teen parents, and McKinney-Vento children.
The Foster Care Liaison provides an educational summary of each child that has received a 30-day notification to change/leave his/her current foster placement. This summary is used during the student’s individualized “Disruption Staffing” facilitated by ChildNet. The summary includes school history, grades, attendance, discipline, and Exceptional Student Education details. The goal is that this critical educational information is reviewed and taken into account when considering a new foster placement.
For two years, the Foster Care Liaison has collaborated with the University of Miami Children and Youth Law Clinic, which is conducting research entitled, “Education of Children in Foster Care.” Palm Beach County, along with 19 other Florida counties, is identifying educational policies and practices for children in out-of-home care circumstances. This research will provide a snapshot of how these children are actually doing academically. The project will conclude in June of 2015.