Transitional Living Tennessee Report - 1st Quarter FY15

TRANSITIONAL LIVING July to September 2014 Tennessee Report First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2015

KEY INDICATORS

175

200

805 Hannah, right, with Youth Villages Clinical Supervisor Mindy Bowman

THROUGH TL, HANNAH’S ABLE TO KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE Hannah was in her freshman year at college when things around her

225

Youth Villages helps more than 600 youth in the TL program every day.

Number of youth helped by TL program so far this fiscal year

Numbers below reflect first-quarter status of youth currently in the transitional living program.

79 %

IN SCHOOL OR GRADUATED

71 %

EMPLOYED OR SEEKING EMPLOYMENT

93

%

LIVING WITH FAMILY OR INDEPENDENTLY

87

%

NO INVOLVEMENT WITH THE LAW

began to crumble.

A relationship ended terribly and forced her to find a place to live.

Then, a friend who’d agreed to take her in unexpectedly changed her mind. Now she had no place to go and no options.

She was working in a program at her college to help underprivileged students. One of the staff members told her about Youth Villages’ transitional living program. Mindy Bowman became her TL specialist.

“I didn’t know what to expect when we met,” Hannah said. “I just sat and listened.”

Mindy, who’s been a TL specialist for nearly a year, said Hannah was one of her first youth to help.

“She is amazing,” Mindy said. “We would sit together and talk and she was willing to open up about what was going on. She’d already accomplished a lot before I began working with her, but at the time we met, she was taking on more than she could handle.”

Hannah left her mother’s home at 12 and went to live with her grandmother, then lived with her aunt and uncle. After moving, she thrived in school. Then her mother, who abused drugs and alcohol, passed away.

Living off campus while in college, she became stressed about money.

“Then my relationship went bad and I had to find a place to live,” she said.

She applied and became a YV scholar, a program where TL participants Continued on next page

www.YouthVillages.org

In some ways, setbacks affected Hannah more — Mindy kept her motivated

“OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTH VILLAGES IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE. YOUTH VILLAGES STRIVES TO ASSIST EVERY YOUNG ADULT THAT IS REFERRED TO THE TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM. DCS AND YV HAVE A COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG ADULTS ARE PROVIDED THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AFTER 18, EVEN IF THEY DON’T ACCEPT THE EXTENSION OF FOSTER CARE SERVICES. WITHOUT THESE SERVICES, WE WOULD HAVE A SERVICE GAP AND MORE YOUNG ADULTS STRUGGLING TO TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD — POSSIBLY COSTING THE STATE MORE MONEY IN LOST WAGES, INCARCERATION, HOMELESSNESS AND GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.”

continued from previous page receive extra support for college provided they maintain academic and community service requirements. Mindy’s role was special because setbacks affected Hannah more severely. Hannah was very driven to succeed in school, and Mindy helped her maintain perspective.

“Since I was little I kept the same dream,” Hannah said. “I wanted to be the first in my family to

Tennessee DCS Independent Living

graduate high school with honors and go to college.”

Youth Engagement Leader Ginger Harris

Hannah heaped the pressure on herself.

TL STUDY CONCLUDES WITH FAVORABLE OUTLOOK

“At times we had difficulty keeping her spirits up,” Mindy said. “She’s a high achiever and needs

The first results from a randomized study of

guidance on what she’s doing, to take a step back

Youth Villages’ transitional living services point toward a valid evaluation of the program, said

and say, ‘Let’s get back on track toward our goals.’”

Michelle Manno, research associate with MDRC,

In addition, Hannah learned about healthy relationships while seeking a more stable day-to-day life. Her relationship with Mindy fluctuates between

the national social research agency conducting the study.

“Our report shows that the transitional living

mentor and friend, but everything is geared toward

program in Tennessee has been implemented

Hannah reaching her academic and professional

moving into adulthood IMPLEMENTATION FINDINGS FROM THE YOUTH VILLAGES TRANSITIONAL LIVING EVALUATION

as we would have expected,” she said. MDRC’s

Michelle Manno Erin Jacobs Julianna Alson Melanie Skemer

goals. Now 20, Hannah entered the TL program later

implementation and participation findings are

March 2014

than many, but she said it was the right time.

published in a 124-page report, Moving Into

“I was more receptive to being helped than I would have been earlier,” she said. “I was so broken

Adulthood.

The first impact results from the study should be available in mid-2015.

and ready for help when Mindy came into the

Those results will show if the program is effective as compared to usual

picture. I don’t think I would’ve done that if it had

services for former foster children in Tennessee.

been earlier.”

The program helps youth who were formerly in foster care or the juvenile justice system or who otherwise find themselves unprepared for adult life and need help making the transition to adulthood.

TO MAKE A REFERRAL Contact the nearest Youth Villages office and ask to make a referral to the TL program. You may also contact the nearest Department of Children’s Services office and ask to speak to the local independent living specialist about TL services.

Founded in 1986, Youth Villages is a leading national nonprofit dedicated to providing the most effective local solutions to help emotionally and behaviorally troubled children and their families live successfully. We help more than 22,000 children and families each year from more than 20 states and Washington, D.C. Youth Villages’ Evidentiary Family Restoration™ approach involves intensive work with the child and family, a focus on measuring outcomes, keeping children in the community whenever safely possible, and providing unprecedented accountability to families and funders.

www.youthvillages.org

Youth Villages is accredited by the Joint Commission.

All contents ©2015 by Youth Villages, Inc. with all rights reserved.