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CHILDREN' S HOME SOCIETY INDEPENDENT LIVING INDIAN RIVER COUNTY CHILDREN 'S SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION (Entire Section C. 1 — 6. not to exceed two pages) 1 . List Priority Needs area addressed . Mental Wellness Issues 2 . Briefly describe program activities including location of services . The Independent Living Program provides foster teens and young adults with the skills necessary to make a successful transition to adulthood and independence. The emphasis is on assessing their ability to be self-supportive and helping youth develop individual goals . ILP assists foster teens to attain self-sufficiency upon termination of their dependency status so they can achieve their personal goals and grow into healthy, contributing adults in mainstream society. After care services , Transitional Support Services and Road to Independence Scholarships are available to young adults from ages 18 -23 who remain in school and maintain a 2 . 0 grade point average. ILP staff complete an assessment of current independent living skills , educational readiness and career readiness . Within ten days of the assessment, a student profile is developed that identifies the specific skills the child already has and the skills they should develop to prepare for independence. An individual case plan is developed which establishes measurable goals for skill development and is updated every six months to reflect changing service needs as the youth progresses towards these goals . The ILP staff visits the youth monthly to assess their progress and assist with any identified needs . The staff monitors the youth ' s attendance and progress in all academic and vocational settings. In addition to case management, monthly training programs are developed and presented to the youth . Topics for these workshops include developing and strengthening social skills , educational opportunities , employment skills , budgeting, communication skills , improving daily living skills and accessing community resources. A training program is also offered to promote positive lifestyle choices and provides an overview of the emotional and physical aspects of parenting. A monthly newsletter is circulated to inform youth, their families and other interested parties of local, regional and statewide events, upcoming training and other relevant information ? 3 . Briefly describe how your program intends to address the stated need/problem. Include reference to any studies or evidence that indicate proposed strategies are effective with target population . By identifying and working with youth who are at risk early in their teenage years and targeting their skill deficits, we can significantly reduce the barriers they face when transitioning into adulthood. Our foster care system by its very nature encourages dependence as opposed to independence. We strive to teach these foster care teenagers the basic living skills necessary to lead prosperous , independent lives . Because we know that more than 20 ,000 American foster youth turn 18 and step out into the world alone, most of them without resources , a primary focus of ILP is to ensure self- sufficiency. ILP considers completion of education, the pursuit of higher education , and development of personal support systems as the primary focus. Monthly case management assist the client in maintains goals and achieving success. Another focus of ILP is to help the youth identify prospective careers and the goals they need to obtain to develop these careers . Teaching job skills , interviewing techniques and monitoring youth in part-time jobs where they can gain much needed experience is an important tool to address the barriers of unemployment, homelessness and access to health care and self-sufficiency. Learning the skills necessary to gain independence improves self-esteem . We know that positive self4ma a helps youth to 6