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CHILDREN ' S HOME SOCIETY INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM <br /> Indian River County Children ' s Services Advisory Committee <br /> C . PROGRAM DESCRIPTION (Entire Section C, 1 — 6, not to exceed two pages) <br /> 1 . List Priority Needs area addressed . <br /> FOCUS AREA I : Mental Wellness Issues <br /> GOAL : Improve the capacity of children in Indian River County to succeed to adulthood <br /> in a safe, healthy, and productive manner. <br /> 2 . Briefly describe program activities including location of services . <br /> The Independent Living Program provides foster teens and young adults with the skills <br /> necessary to have a quality of life appropriate for their age and to assume personal <br /> responsibility for becoming self-sufficient adults . The emphasis is on obtaining life skills <br /> through education , skills training, and case management to obtain employment. ILP <br /> assists young adults formerly in foster care to become productive members of their <br /> community. Aftercare Services , Transitional Support Services , and Road to Independence <br /> Scholarships are available to young adults who remain in school. <br /> ILP staff complete an assessment of individual functioning, values , behavior, family <br /> functioning, educational readiness and career readiness. Within 10 days of assessment, <br /> A student profile is developed that identifies the specific skills the child already has, as well <br /> as those skills needed to prepare for independence. These scores are measured and an <br /> individual case plan is developed . ILP staff conduct monthly home visits with the youth to <br /> assess progress and assist with any identified needs. Medical, dental, and support system <br /> needs are identified and reviewed . In addition to case management, monthly training <br /> programs are developed and presented to the youth . Topics for these workshops include <br /> developing and strengthening social skills , and accessing community resources . A training <br /> program is also offered to promote lifestyle choices and to provide an overview of the <br /> emotional and physical aspects of parenting. A monthly newsletter is circulated to inform <br /> youth , their families , and other interested parties of local, regional, and stewide events , <br /> upcoming training, and other relevant information . ILP hosts the Youth Advisory Board , <br /> comprised of teen boys and girls in foster care, as well as young adults formerly in foster <br /> care. The Board meets monthly, discusses issues in care, and is effective in making <br /> recommendations for changes in legislation . <br /> 3 . Briefly describe how your program addresses the stated need/problem . Describe how <br /> your program follows a recognized " best practice " (see definition on page 12 of the <br /> Instructions) and provide evidence that indicates proposed strategies are effective with <br /> target population . <br /> By identifying and working with youth who are at risk early in their teenage years and <br /> targeting their skill deficits , we can significantly reduce the barriers they face when <br /> transitioning into adulthood . Our foster care system by its very nature encourages <br /> dependency as opposed to independence. Because we know that more than 20 ,000 <br /> American foster youth turn 18 and step out into the world alone, most without resources , a <br /> primary focus of ILP is to ensure self-sufficiency. We strive to teach foster care teenagers <br /> the basic living skills necessary to lead prosperous , independent lives . ILP considers <br /> 7 <br />