CHILD WELFARE MANUAL

Effective Date:  7-9-2020

 

Chapter 5.12 – National Youth in Transition (NYTD)

The Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (CFCP) provides States flexible funding to carry out independent living programs that assist youth in care as well as those transitioning to adulthood. The law also requires the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to develop a data collection system to track the independent living services provided to youth and to develop outcomes that measure States’ performance in preparing youth for their transition from foster care to independent living.  To meet this requirement, ACF published a proposed rule in the Federal Register in July 2006 and issued a final rule in February 2008.  The data collection system is called the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD). 

The NYTD regulation requires States to engage in two data collection and reporting activities. First, States collect and report basic demographic data on each youth and the independent living (IL) services provided to them by the State in thirteen broad categories:

• independent living needs assessment
• academic support
• post-secondary educational support
• career preparation
• employment programs or vocational training
• housing education and home management training
• budget and financial management
• health education and risk prevention
• family support and healthy marriage education
• mentoring
• supervised independent living
• room and board financial assistance
• education financial assistance

Life Skills services may be provided for collection and reporting in one of the following ways:

• Through the Chafee provider if the youth is enrolled.
• Through the CD Contracted TLP provider if the youth is enrolled through CD.
• Through TLP services provided via Foster Care Case Management Agencies and reported by the Children’s Service Worker.
• Through the foster parent or other community service provider if arranged by the Chafee or TLP.
• Through the foster parent as part of their services and entered by the child’s Children’s Service Worker.
• Through a community service provider if arranged by the youth’s Children’s Service Worker and entered by the youth’s Children’s Service Worker.
• Through the youth’s Children’s Service Worker if completed with the youth on a visit.

Second, States conduct a baseline survey of youth in foster care at age 17 and conduct a follow-up survey with these youth at ages 19 and 21 to collect and report information about the following youth outcomes:

• financial self-sufficiency
• experience with homelessness
• educational attainment
• positive connections with adults
• high-risk behavior
• access to health insurance

States collect the outcomes information by conducting a survey of youth in foster care on or around their 17th birthday. States track these youth as they age and conduct a new outcome survey on or around the youth’s 19th birthday; and again on or around the youth’s 21st birthday.  States collect outcomes information on these older youth after they leave the State’s foster care system, regardless of whether they are still receiving independent living services from the State when they are 19 or 21 years old.  All States collect and report outcome information on a new cohort of youth every three years.  All outcome information with the exception of demographics must be obtained directly from the youth and reflect the youth’s provided response and not information obtained from other agency databases. The state will survey youth who reach their 17^th birthday every third year thereafter. 

The table below illustrates an example of the timeframes utilizing cohort numbers from inception of surveying:

Fiscal Year of Implementation	All youth receiving services	Baseline Outcomes (17-year-olds)	Follow-up Outcomes (19-year-olds)	Follow-up Outcomes (21- year-olds
FFY 2019	X		X (Cohort 3)
FFY 2020	X	X (Cohort 4)
FFY 2021	X			X (Cohort 3)
FFY 2022	X		X (Cohort 4)
FFY 2023	X	X (Cohort 5)
FFY 2024	X			X (Cohort 4)
FFY 2025	X		X (Cohort 5)
FFY 2026	X	X (Cohort 6)

The survey consists of 21 questions in which the answers must come directly from the youth. For those youth still in care, the youth’s Children’s Service Worker will be responsible for ensuring that a survey is completed via one of the methods outlined below and entered into FACES.  For youth who need assistance completing the survey, the youth’s Children’s Service Worker should assist with this to ensure survey completion.  For example, if a youth is incarcerated and the youth can be located, the youth could be interviewed by phone.

Options for youth to complete survey:

 

At age 17:

• In person with the Children’s Service Worker. The Children’s Service Worker may enter the survey at the time of completion in FACES, upon return to the office or may submit the survey by mail to the FACES Help Desk. Surveys must be completed within 45 days of the youth’s 17^th birthday in order to be compliant.
• Completed electronically via a survey link sent to the youth by email.  With this option there is still the expectation the youth’s case manager will meet with the youth regarding the survey.  To send an email to the youth with the survey link, the case manager must add/verify the youth’s email address on the Case Member screen. Once an email is added/verified to the case member screen, the email displays on the NYTD Survey Online Response Tracking (NYTD Tracking) screen next to the youth on the listing. The NYTD Tracking screen includes a ‘Send Email’ button. Once the case manager verifies the email is correct on the NYTD Tracking screen, the ‘Send Email’ button is selected to generate an email to both the youth and the case manager. The email is sent to the case manager as verification the email went through. However, if any individual accesses the NYTD Tracking screen and selects “Send Email” this action will send an email to the youth and the individual completing the action. The email contains a link that when selected will open up the NYTD Older Youth Online Survey specific to the youth. Once the youth completes the survey and clicks submit, the survey responses are saved.

At age 19 or 21:

• Completed electronically by the youth within the six month reporting period from web-based link sent to the youth’s email account.
• Completed electronically by the youth within the six month reporting period from a letter sent to youth’s last known address containing information on an electronic link to complete survey.
• Paper copy sent to youth and completed by the youth within the six month reporting period and sent to Central Office for entry in postage paid envelope.
• Paper copy completed by youth during home/office visit and entered by youth Children’s Service Worker.

Surveys must be completed within the six month survey period for the 19 and 21 year old cohorts however, ideally the survey is completed at the beginning of the survey period to ensure the state is compliant.

Youth engagement is an important element of successful survey participation.  The NYTD Tips and Reminders available on the CD intranet Older Youth Program page provides additional assistance.

By utilizing resources available through the Division, such as Chafee, MO HealthNet and the community, youth who are currently in out-of-home care or left the legal custody of the Division will be:

• Better prepared to meet the challenges they face on their road to self-sufficiency and independence;
• Will understand the importance of their role and personal responsibility to self and community;
• Will be more aware of community resources and how to access them if needed; and
• Will be able to develop their own support system to enable them to transition successfully to independence.

Related Practice Alerts and Memos: 

CD20-32 – NYTD Survey – Online Version for Direct Entry by Youth