BOS Agenda D-rite :JariuafV 24, 20i'

County of Santa Clara
Board of Supervisors

o
7 K-

Supervisorial District Four

T

Supen/isor James T. Beall, Jr.

1.24.06.Employment.Rfii
DATE:

January 24, 2006

TO:

Board of Supervisors
/I

FROM:

7-

James T. Beall, Jr.

SupervisGit District 4
SUBJECT:

Foster Ydutlr Employment Workgroup

RFCOMMENDED ACTION

Direct Administration in collaboration with the Social Services Agency to convene a

workgroup comprised of key stakeholders to develop recommendations relating to the
development of an effective job placement/job preparedness program for emancipating foster

youth by identifying the criteria necessary to develop a quality Job Placement Progiam foi
emancipating and emancipated foster youth, and strategies to engage private and public
employers.
Administration

will provide task force recommendations to the Children, Seniors and Families

Committee for consideration.

Fl'SCAJ. LMPV:rCA'n6NS
Mone

• •-Bu.Atd of Supe'vrrof!. Iionaid F. Oaiie?,
I." ciijrAv' E'.;eci)uve Pelef Kotr-^'i. Ji

Alvsr:?ido, Pete McHugti, Jiiri Besll, Liz t I'n
1

BOS Agenda Date :Januaty 24, 2006

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

The primary purpose of this work group will be to 1) develop an employment safety net for
current and emancipating foster youth, and 2) develop strategies to facilitate the hiring of
current and emancipated foster youth by public and private employers. Recent reports the
Children, Seniors and Families Committee(CSFC)found a need to focus on the critical need
for improved job placement options for emancipating foster youth. Infonnal discussions with

key partners including the Silicon Valley Children's Fund, Working Partnerships USA, and
Santa Clara County Foster Parent Association indicates high interest in participating in an
employment workgroup.

An Annual ILP Statistical report given to the CSFC on November 9, 2005, demonstrated that
our County needs to better provide emancipating foster youth with adequate job readiness

skills and job placement. Specifically, the report indicated that of the 554 foster youth who

received ILP services in Federal Fiscal Year 2004, 179 were currently seeking employment.

Recommendations from this workgroup will compliment DFCS' current efforts invested in
their Foster Youth Initiative. Additionally, the workgroup will provide an opportunity for the

to suppoit and
County to give input to other governmental efforts to address the critical need
on Foster Care.

improve our

Foster Care System including the Assembly Select Committee

DFCS' Foster Youth Initiative focuses on increasing opportunities for emancipating foster

youth to successfully transition from the foster care system to self sufficiency by developing
their academic and life skills in the following three components:

1. Employment/Job Training/Post-Secondary Education
2. Housing
3. K-12 Education.

As part of its focus on preparing foster youth for productive adulthood, DFCS is initiating a
training and employment workgroup for transitioning and emancipated foster youth in
February 2006. This workgroup will identify foster youth needs and review work training and
work experience programs for transitioning and emancipated foster youth. The workgroup
■Board of Supervisors; Donald F. Gage, Blanca .Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jim Beall, Liz Kni
County' E::';ecutlve: Peter Kutras Jr.

'-.9.

2

BOS Agenda Date ^January 24, 2006

will also design an assessment, referral, and follow-up process to enable foster youth to
prepare for and obtain jobs with high wage and high growth opportunities.

The DFCS workgroup would benefit from another workgroup that 1) identifies possibilities
for career opportunities with high wage and high growth capacities for foster youth, 2)
examines state and national best practice employment models for clients with multiple baiTiers
and 3) provides access for foster youth to these identified employment possibilities by
engaging potential employers.

BACKGROUND

The three components of DFCS'Foster Youth Initiative, Employment, Education and Housing
were selected because they are the most critical components impacting whether emancipating
foster youth will experience successful life outcomes. Research demonstrates that the more
education an individual has the more likely they are to obtain higher paying jobs.

Unfortunately, many of our foster youth are testing well below 10th grade reading and writing
level. In addition to pursuing an education, employment is another key element of a successful
transition to independence. Unemployment is significant barrier facing our emancipating

youth today. Some critical supportive service programs such as subsidized housing require the
emancipating youth be currently employed. Yet recent reports demonstrate that youth
emancipating from the County Independent Living Program are not entering the workforce or
pursuing academics in significant numbers.

ATTACHMENTS

•ILP Annual Report

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jinn Beall, LizKniss
Countv E:K:ecutive: Peter Kutras Jr,
3

Att4chment A

STATE OF CALIFORNIA.HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT Of|sOC1AL SERVICES

Independent Living Program (ILP) Annual Statistical

Federal Fiscal Years 2000 - 2004
October 1 through September
30
SANTA CLARA

report period

JNTY NAME

'A

1999-

T

t:

2000

CA.

4>

1

Yniith-

iffi

il

■

?. Youths who mceived ILP services during the year (Items 2a plus 2^
Youths who received ILP services and are

612

804

596

638

478

540

549

574

554

538

546

571

547

3

7

4'3

51

61

9

12

14

34

39

47

136

476" ■

parents (Items 3a plus 3b)

4, YoIrsThr^cSTp'services and have special needs (educational, mental
and/or physical)

Youths who received ILP services and are no longer

received ILP services during

32

59

—

:

;;
IT

a6Aligi£praareli“lil»»K
aat.R ■ Pr6arai4otiipm4(g»eBt;
"9. '"'vn, HI. Who
ILP seivices o/77^mpon.nt cl se...c^

46

44

102

58

113

96

148

162

277

68

32

118

154

138

159

105

150

162

178

'J. -

6

289

2137

274

376

514

436

473

279

349

384

90

129

141

A

lv44>;
308
308

10, Youths who areI continuing to receive ILP sen/ices
11 , Youths who

149

;nmr.leted high scho^»/f--Pn or adult education.,,^

v..,.Hc r.en.,r.ni;;^i;^urrent!ymo!^^

'.,hn have completed vocational or on-the-job training __

inn and/or“currently
enrolled in vocational
14, Youths continuing
on-the-job training
Hams 15a plus 15b)

education

__

Tr Youths who obtained employment (Items 16a plus IS^,,

... .,„inn independently of agenMintenanceH^

Youths who obtained subsidized hou^

540
406
140

299

245

328

314

320

1

26

125

59

20

•

3

26

71

65

24

43

75

70

78

111

32

62

;53

70

93

11

13

i17

8

18

185

152

183

176

190

j69

58

62

128
11

94

4 vn„thR who obtained full-time employmerit

21

'

or

15, Youths enrolled in college
a. Youths in community college^

b vni.ihR in four-year university_

13

27

in
in foster care (ages
- - 18-20)

Youths in .
Youths in the County

8.

2

lix month^od following

from foster care

7.

2

5

a. Youths who are fathers

5

2004

529

a. Youths who are not married

3,

2003-

' {'■

" P sRivices were offered during the year—^—_

b. Youths who are married

2000- 2001- 20022002 2003
2001

—

22

24' Yo.tM wnoLe placed In . tranf.Lal housing placemen.

' peHicinated in a certified, THP-Plus Program (youths ages 18-2^
^mnncioate into safe and affordable housing

25. Youths who did not
26 . Youths for whom no information could be obtained

Page 1 of 1

34

91

118

114

118

7

13

12

6

152

154

jl56

241

4

11

128

26

98

101

;91

37

4

17

;34

11

10

33

;11

8

217

13

N/A

N/A

!N/A

0

17

36

;48

42

51

N/A

N/A

I N/A

27

23

N/A

N/A

!N/A

0

0

N/A

N/A

I N/A

15

28

;N/A

8

14

i 73

68

21

N/A
196

N/A
72

Combined Dgta FFY 00 - 04

SOC 405A (10/03)
4