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The
name of the North Carolina Foster Care Independence Program,
NC LINKS, is not an acronym and therefore doesn't "stand" for
anything. Instead,
it is a word that captures the purposes and intent of the John Chafee
Foster Care Independence Act:
...to
build a network of relevant services with youth so that they
will have ongoing connections with family, friends, mentors,
the community, employment, education, financial assistance,
skills training, and other resources to facilitate the transition
to adulthood.
Older
youth and young adults who have experienced extended time in foster
care are at increased risk of negative consequences once they leave
care, such as dropping out of school, unplanned parenthood, high
rates of untreated illness, homelessness, criminal activity, depression
and suicide. In order to help these youth and young adults have
better outcomes, the NC LINKS program provides services and resources
to all youth in foster care age 16 to 18 and to those young adults
who are between the ages of 18 and 21 and are participating in
a CARS agreement, as well as to young adults who aged out of foster
care at age 18 and are not participating in a CARS agreement. For
the purposes of this policy, “foster care” means that
the youth was in DSS custody as a minor and lived either in a licensed
foster care facility or lived with a relative (not the removal
home.) County Departments of Social Services are required to offer
LINKS services to these two populations if they have eligible youth
or young adults who are or were in their custody. Counties are
strongly encouraged to provide services to youth in foster care
ages 13 through 15 and to youth and young adults who were discharged
from their custody as teens but prior to their 18th birthday. Youth
ages 13-18 who have been discharged from foster care as teenagers
may request LINKS services from their local department of social
services.
In order for a youth or young adult to receive LINKS services
or funding, he or she must be a willing and active participant
in the assessment, planning, and service implementation processes.
Youth and young adults who refuse services may later change their
minds so long as they are eligible.
The NC LINKS program is comprised of several elements:
- An assessment of
the youth's strengths as well as their needs for further
information and training. The
assessment is completed by the youth and his or her caregiver.
- A plan that
is based on the assessment and which includes the youth/young
adult's interests and goals as well as their responsibilities
for fulfilling the plan.
- Services outlined
in the plan which are directed helping the youth or young
adult to achieve positive outcomes. Desired outcomes
for all young adults exiting the foster care system are:
- Sufficient income to meet daily needs;
- A safe and stable place to live
- Sufficient
academic and/or vocational training that is in keeping
with the youth's goals, interests and abilities
- Connections to and emotional support from a variety of adults outside of the public child welfare system
- Avoidance of High Risk Behaviors
- Postponement of parenthood until emotionally and financially capable of parenting
- Access to routine mental health, health and dental health care
- Services are individualized but usually include group activities; participation in community activities that promote maturity; one-on-one instruction; volunteer activities; employment; specific life skills training; exposure to educational and vocational resources, etc.
- Funding
is provided to each county Department of Social Services
for program operations, based on the number of eligible youth
and young adults served by the county. In addition,
limited funding is available to reimburse county Departments
of Social Services for expenditures made on behalf of individual
youth and young adults that help to fulfill the purposes
of the program.
Undocumented
alien youth/young adults and youth/young adults with personal reserves
in excess of $10,000 are not eligible for LINKS funds nor can services
be provided through the use of LINKS funds. Ineligible
youths may participate so long as their participation does
not require
the use of additional LINKS funds and so long as no LINKS-eligible
youth
are denied services due to their participation.
If
you or someone you know needs this service, please contact your county
Department of Social Services. and ask for the foster
care supervisor or LINKS coordinator
The
Education Training Voucher Program (ETV)
is also funded through the Chafee Foster Care Independence Act
through a later provision. This program provides grants
of up to $5000 to apply toward costs of attendance for students
who are eligible for the LINKS program and who either were in
NC
DSS
foster care
on
or
after
their 17th birthday,
or were adopted from NC DSS foster care after the age of 16. Funds
are available for up to four years of assistance, so long as
students continue to make satisfactory progress toward completion
of their educational program at a qualifying postsecondary educational
or vocational training program. Students
may apply directly on line at nc@statevoucher.org or
can be referred by their local Department of Social Services. Funding
is available on a first come, first served basis.
NC
Reach
In
July of 2007 the The North Carolina legislature approved
funding to implement the North Carolina Postsecondary Education
Support Scholarship
program (NC Reach). Students who were adopted from
North Carolina foster care on or after their 12th birthday
or who aged out of NC foster care are eligible for scholarship
assistance
to pay the cost of attendance at any branch of the University
of North Carolina or any public North Carolina community
college. Students who are eligible for the NC Reach
scholarship may also be eligible for the ETV scholarship,
as well as
other federal grants such as the Pell Grant. The
NC Reach scholarship will provide the balance of the costs
of attendance for students who qualify for multiple sources
of assistance.
Intensive case management support services are available to students
participating in the NC Reach scholarship program in order
to help the students deal effectively with issues that may
be impeding their academic progress.
Medicaid Foster Care Expansion
The 2007 legislature approved funding to provide the state match
for Medicaid coverage for youth who aged out of foster are
at age 18, until the month of their 21st birthday, without
regard to assets or income. Young adults ages 18-21 who aged
out of foster care will need to apply for the coverage at
the county Department of Social Services where they currently
reside.
If you or someone
you know require this service, contact your county
Department of Social Services.
Page last updated
06/20/2008
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