RECOMMENDATION ONE GOAL RECOMMENDATION
Ensure Foster Youth Access, Enroll, and Receive Benefits Enhance screening and assessment for all vulnerable youth and support access to benefits, programs, and services. This recommendation seeks to: d Improve access to AB 12 benefits among probation youth.
STEPS
1. Provide training to county departments, the courts, and local nonprofits on leveraging AB 12 benefits. 2. Provide training and technical assistance to address recurring issues. d Improve benefits enrollment and receipt among vulnerable transition age youth throughout the county.
STEPS
1. Provide training to agencies on public benefits program eligibility and enrollment. 2. Develop and implement a standardized benefits-eligibility tool. Track and aggregate data. 3. Create and fund an Independent Youth Advocate or Ombudsperson position. 4. Provide additional social workers or case managers as needed. 5. Create structure for interagency collaboration.
WHY IT’S NEEDED
POTENTIAL FUNDING STREAMS INCLUDE
Each of these steps will advance the goal of ensuring that every youth understands their rights and the benefits for which they are eligible, and that they are actually able to access the programs and services that can support their success. • Title IV-E training or administrative funds • Title IV-E waiver funds • Realignment revenues • Medicaid administrative claiming • Federal Runaway and Homeless Youth funding • Federal and state benefits programs, including CalWORKS and CalFresh • Board of Supervisors’ discretionary funds
FOR TRANSITION AGE FOSTER YOUTH IN SONOMA COUNTY
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