Adolescent Services and Outcomes Workgroup

Adolescent Services and Outcomes:

New York will increase the number of foster care youth and former foster care youth who will be able to make a successful transition to self-sufficiency and who will be able to develop into healthy, functional citizens with permanent attachments to supportive adults, families and communities.

OCFS established the Adolescent Services and Outcomes Workgroup which includes representatives from local social services districts, voluntary agencies, The Adolescent Services Resource Network (ASRN), Youth In Progress (YIP), NYC Legal Aid, Lawyers for Children, and other state agencies serving youth. The OCFS Workgroup has developed a number of resources to strengthen services to adolescents and improve their achievement of permanency. Some of those resources are listed below:

• Adolescent Services and Outcomes Practice Guidance Paper (PDF), April 2006
• Partnership with Youth In Progress, the foster care youth leadership advisory group
• Handbook For Youth In Foster Care / Manual para los Jóvenes en el Sistema de Cuidado de Crianza and accompanying video
• Need to Know Series – a series of pamphlets on topics important to older adolescents in care.
• The issuance of Policy documents relevant to older adolescents in care including: Meeting the Clothing Needs of Youth Between 14 and 21 Years of Age, Transition Planning for Youth 18 and Older, Youth Voice and the Evaluation of Foster Parents.

The attached document highlights the 2009-2010 adolescent services and outcomes agenda.  Work is progressing on each of the agenda items. 

• 2009 Agenda Adolescent Services and Outcomes without assignments.pdf