Committee Agenda Date ;December 14, 2005

County of Santa Clara
Social Services Agency
Department of Family and Children's Services

CSFC SSA03 121405

Prepared by: Randy Parker
Social Work Supervisor

Reviewed by; Nomia Doctor Sparks
Director, Department of Family
and Children's Services

DATE:

December 14, 2005

TO:

Supervisor James T. Beall, Jr., Chairperson
Supervisor Don Gage, Vice-Chaiiperson
Children, Seniors & Families Committee

FROM:

Will Lightbourne

Agency Director, Social Services Agency
SUBJECT; Foster Youth Initiative Update

RFCOMMENDRD ACTION

Accept the Foster Youth Initiative Update.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There is no impact to the General Fund associated with the recommended action.

Board of Supeivisors: Donald F. Gage. Blanca Alvarado. Pete McHugh. Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
Count/ Executive; Peter Kutras Jr.
1

Committee Agenda Date :Decernber 14, 2005

CONTRACT HISTORY

Not applicable.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

On September 27, 2005, the Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Beall's request that the
Social Services Administration provide the following reports at the November 9, 2005
Children, Seniors and Families Committee:

a. Assess the effectiveness of the County's existing job placement/job preparedness

program for emancipating foster youth and identify the necessary steps to develop a
quality Job Placement Program for emancipating and emancipated foster youth, to include;
• Baseline data that describes: aggregate data on educational attainment and skills
assessment; illustrates existing job placement capacity such as how many foster youth
were placed in jobs last year; average salary, retention rate, average house worked per
week, and occupational career ladders for foster youth.

• Determination of how many emancipating foster youth are likely to pursue higher
education, how many are currently seeking employment and what factors affect their
choice.

• Determination of potential partners and opportunity/barriers to collaboration.
• Determination of what funding sources could be used to develop a job placement
program and identify how the funds can be used,

b. Prepare a report,jointly with the Employee Services Agency, that discusses the benefits
and disadvantages of reactivating the Independent Living Program (ILP) Unclassified
Position Program or developing a new Special Criteria Employment program that
facilitates the hiring of emancipating foster youth by County departments. The Report
should identify the necessary steps and anticipated timeframe to implement the program.
On November 9, 2005, the Children, Seniors and Families Committee received a Foster Youth
Initiative Update and requested additional analysis relating to the current structure and

capacity of DFCS employment services offered to emancipating foster youth. In addition.
Social Services Agency is to convene a meeting with the Silicon Valley Children's Trust Fund
to discuss a potential partnership for an employment program for emancipated youth.
The Foster Youth Initiative Update is attached.

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh,Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.
2

Committee Agenda Date :Decernber 1 4, 2005

BACKGROUND

On May 3, 2005, the Board accepted the recommendations relating to the Foster Youth
Transition Project(now renamed Connected by 25 Foster Youth Initiative by the Foundation
sponsors). The Connected by 25 initiative is to address employment, education, housing, and
independent living skill needs of emancipating Foster Care youth.

CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION

Negative action would result in the Children, Seniors and Families Committee not accepting
the report.
STEPS EOT J.OWTNG APPROVAI.

The Clerk of the Board will follow the usual procedures for a report of this type.
ATTACHMENTS

• Foster Youth Initiative Update

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh,Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
County Executive; Peter Kutras Jr.
3

County of Santa Clara
SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES

333 West Julian Street

San Jose, California 95110-2335

FOSTER YOUTH INITIATIVE UPDATE
SUBMITTED TO

THE CHILDREN, SENIORS AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE
DECEMBER 14, 2005

On September 27, 2005, the Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor James T. Beall, Jr.'s
recommendations that the Social Services Administration provide the following reports at the
November 9, 2005 Children, Seniors and Families Committee:
a. Direct Social Services Administration to prepare a report to assess the effectiveness

of the County's existing job placement/job preparedness program for emancipating
foster youth and identify the necessary steps to develop a quality Job Placement
Program for emancipating and emancipated foster youth.
• Baseline data that describes: aggregate data on educational attainment and skills
assessment; illustrates existing job placement capacity such as how many foster

youth were placed in jobs last year; average salary, retention rate, average house
worked per week, and occupational career ladders for foster youth.
• Determine how many emancipating foster youth are likely to pursue higher
education, how many are currently seeking employment and what factors affect
their choice.

• Determine potential partners and opportunity/barriers to collaboration.
• Determine what funding sources could be used to develop a job placement
program and identify how the funds can be used,
b. Direct Social Services Administration, in collaboration with the Employee Services

Agency, to prepare a report that discusses the benefits and disadvantages of

reactivating the Independent Living Program (ILP) Unclassified Position Program or
developing a new Special Criteria Employment program that facilitates the hiring of
emancipating foster youth by County departments. The Report should identify the
necessary steps and anticipated timeframe to implement the program.

On November 9, 2005, the Children, Seniors and Families Committee received a Foster Youth

Initiative Update but deferred the report back to the Department of Family and Children’s
Services (DFCS) for more analysis relating to the current structure and capacity of DFCS
employment services to emancipating foster youth and directed Social Services to convene a
meeting with the Silicon Valley Children’s Trust Fund to discuss a potential partnership for an
employment program for emancipated youth.

Foster Youth Initiative Update

Page 2 of 8

Effectiveness of County's Existing Job Placement/Job Preparedness Program

In Santa Clara County, there is a lack of employment training programs for emancipating foster
youth that lead to high wage, high growth careers. There is a lack of coordination and
partnerships between DFCS and local employment training service providers and funders.
There is also very little foster youth participation in existing employment and training programs
offered through the County’s One-Stop Centers.

For the current school year, 77% of foster youth in Santa Clara County ages 14 years and up
are planning to graduate from high school or complete their G.E.D. 32% plan to attend a
community college and 13% plan to attend a 4-year post-secondary educational institution. 7%
plan to attend a vocational training program and 16% plan to need employment and training
services out-of-County. For foster youth who emancipated within the last County fiscal year,
58% graduated from high school or completed their G.E.D. 60% are employed and 20% are in
vocational training. 39% are attending community college and 5% are attending 4-year post
secondary education institutions. 19.5% are receiving employment and training services out-ofCounty. 279 in Santa Clara youth participated in employment readiness in 2004. 183 youth
were employed in 2004 and 109 youth were employed in 2005.
Connected bv 25 Foster Youth Initiative

In collaboration with youth, caregivers, community partners, and technical assistance from
consultants, DFCS is beginning to build a range of transition services and improve outcomes for

emancipating and emancipated foster youth with funding from the Walter S. Johnson Fund.
DFCS will continue the redesign of its service delivery and its System Improvement Plan
activities to integrate the Connected by 25 Foster Youth Initiative focus into existing initiatives
and projects.

Based on a review of the gaps in services for emancipating and emancipated youth in the
County, the two primary strategies Santa Clara County will focus on over the next three years
are:

• Development of a work experience, training, and employment program that would
coordinate Santa Clara County’s Workforce Investment Boards, area community

colleges, school districts, and employers to help foster youth prepare for and obtain jobs
with high wage and high growth careers.

• Development of a transitional housing program that would provide emancipated foster
youth a continuum of housing opportunities, including maintaining emancipated foster
youth to continue to reside with caring, supportive, and significant adults in a family
environment.

Complementary strategies are to create a data management and information system to collect
comprehensive data on youth 14 - 24 years old; plan and implement a K-12 educational strategy
to improve reading literacy and math skills of foster youth ages 14-18 years old; develop a
model of best practices to increase life-long connections and to develop individual resiliency;
improve the integration of the Independent Living Program curriculum services into DFCS
casework and develop an early ILP education and outreach program for 14-15 year olds; and

Foster Youth Initiative Update (In-Depth Analysis)

Page 3 of 8

establish Individual Development Accounts and Debit Accounts program to develop literacy
skills.

DFCS has begun efforts to establish the Career Pathways Program that is planned to begin in
2006. DFCS expects that the Walter S. Johnson Foundation will specifically fund the first year
pilot. The Career Pathways Program will create a sustainable college and career pathway for
40 foster care and disadvantaged youth leading to post-secondary education and employment
in high wage, high growth career sectors. Foster care students would not need to have a GED

or graduate from high school to participate. A pilot program to prepare lower skilled
disadvantaged and transitioning foster care youth for the Career Pathway Program will also be
developed.

The Career Pathway Program builds on growing regional experience, including a parallel San
Mateo County partnership of the Workforce Investment Board, Skyline and Canada community
colleges, social service agencies, and employers. DFCS’ partnership includes NOVA, SVWIN,
Evergreen/San Jose Community College and Mission Community College. In addition,
California School Age Consortium, the Career Ladders Project, and Gruber & Pereira
Associates are providing technical assistance, expanding on work done by these organizations
in developing Career Pathway programs in San Mateo and Alameda Counties. In seeking to
create a pathway to college and career for foster youth, the partners have three key project

objectives: 1) Develop a Career Pathway Program that will provide foster youth with the skills,

social, and financial support needed to succeed in post-secondary education and training; 2)
Provide a direct transition for Career Pathway Program graduates to community college

certificate, degree and training programs leading to careers in high wage, high growth industries

such as bio-tech, health, education, construction, manufacturing and refining - traditionally
aimed at dislocated adults; and, 3) Sustain and institutionalize the Career Pathway Program by

integrating post-secondary, workforce, and social service resources and funding to create a

systemic approach to preparing foster youth for economic self-sufficiency.

DFCS will also work with DEBS to develop strategies to enable emancipating and emancipated

foster youth access One-Stop Centers and other County programs. The DFCS Work
Experience Project will also continue to be developed and will be integrated and augmented by
the employment resources identified through the Career Pathways Pilot Projects partnerships
with employer collaboratives such as the California School-Age Consortium.
DFCS Work Experience Project

At the request of Supervisor James T. Beall, Jr., Office of the Santa Clara County Board of
Supervisors, the DFCS Work Experience Project was established. The DFCS Work Experience
Project is a part of the comprehensive Connected by 25 Foster Youth Transition Initiative that
DFCS is presently undertaking. The primary objective of the DFCS Work Experience Project is
to find work experience for 30 current or former foster youth ages 16 to 21 years of age
beginning January 1, 2006. The Work Experience Program consists of assessment testing, job
search techniques, career interest testing, and work experience placement. NOVA’s program
will also address literacy issues for youth that are below the ninth grade reading and math level.
The Silicon Valley Workforce Investment Network’s “In School” Program will serve youth
between the ages of 17 and 19 years old. This program is designed to assist youth to obtain
their high school diploma or the equivalent and job internship is part of the program. About 11
foster youth have been identified for this program.

Foster Youth Initiative Update

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North Valiev Job Training Consortium (NOVA) and the Silicon Valiev Workforce Investment
Network (SVWIN)

The NOVA and SVWIN are the two not-for-profit, primarily federally funded workforce
development agencies in the local Workforce Investment Area (WIA). Both agencies are
governed by local Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) and receive funding from state grants
and private industry, in addition to primary funding authorized under the Workforce Investment

Act of 1998. Both agencies work collaboratively with one another, businesses and various
government agencies to provide comprehensive workforce development services, and to
increase employment, job retention and economic development. Any foster youth in Santa
Clara automatically qualifies for NOVA or SVWIN services, depending on where the foster youth
lives.

NOVA served 26 foster youth last year. Due to an anticipated 20% reduction in funding this
fiscal year, NOVA Youth Programs for job training and employment placement services plan to
serve only 50 older youth. NOVA will reserve 5 to 10 slots for foster youth. NOVA provides
employment and training services to youth ages 16 to 21 to youth residing in Milpitas, Santa
Clara, Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Palo Alto at no charge. Both age

groups participate in a 6 to 12 months program, which may include obtaining a high school
diploma or the equivalent. Youth@Work is an on-line jobs database, workshops and a career
planning and education program for youths of low income families. Youth@Work job preparation
workshops are offered to all youth. The workshops include applications, interview preparation,
resume preparation and retention skills. NOVA also offers "soft skills" workshop for youth that
includes effective workplace communication, customer service, resolving conflicts professionally
and qualities of a successful employee. If necessary, NOVA offers intensive job preparation for
youth by career advisors. NOVA career advisors offer assistance in identifying career ladders
for various occupational interests and the qualifications for the various levels. This assistance
involves career assessment and exploration to assist youth in identifying a career choice or

multiple choices that can be further explored. Services include Work Place Readiness, Job
Search, Educational planning. Career Planning, Job Shadowing, Informational interviews.
Vocational assessment. Job Placement, and Follow-up up to one year.

SVWIN served 63 youth between July 1, 2002 and November 22, 2005. Of the 63 youth, 3
youth were ages 19 to 21 years and 60 youth were ages 16 to 18 years. Current and former
foster youth represented approximately 4% of the 1445 youth referred to SVWIN in the time
period. (The SVWIN data does not distinguish whether the youth was a foster child in Santa
Clara County or elsewhere, or during what period(s) the youth experienced foster care. Only
youth who self-reported at the time of application that they were foster youth was included in the
data.) The eight agencies and the percentage of foster youth served are as follows: Second
Start (66.7%), Center for Employment and Training (1.6%), ROHI Alternative Community
Outreach (3.2%), Mexican American Community Service Agency, Inc. (20.6%), Henkels and
McCoy (3.2%), San Jose Conservation Corps 1.6%) and Center for Training and Careers
(3.2%). Second Start, which primarily provides 6-week summer internships, is in bankruptcy but
still provides services. Most youth (66.7%) were served between July 2, 2002 and December
31, 2003. Since January 1, 2004, 2 younger foster youth have been placed in jobs and 15
younger foster youth were placed in summer internships. Since July 1, 2002, 1 of the 3 older
youths served were employed at $12 an hour, working 40 hours a week, and 6 of 60 younger
youths were employed at an average of $12.62 an hour, working an average of 34.2 hours a

Foster Youth Initiative Update (In-Depth Analysis)

Page 5 of 8

week. 22 foster youth started 6-week summer internships at $6.75 an hour for up to 25 hours a
week. 86% of the youth participated in 2004 and 2005. These internships are considered job
training opportunities, rather than employment. 9 youth obtained a certificate, diploma or
degree and 21 youth returned to secondary education. For 2005 and 2006, SVWIN has
committed 10 slots for the 16 to 18 year old age group. There is no limit of slots for foster youth
ages 19 and older.

SVWIN operates 3 One-Stop Career Centers located in San Jose, Campbell and South County,
providing workforce development services to all cities and unincorporated areas in the Central
and Southern County. SVWIN is expanding to a new San Jose site in early 2006. This new
One-Stop center will include expanded space for Youth One-Stop services including a Youth
Cafe. SVWIN offers employment counseling, job preparation and job placement services,
orientation to available services and free workshops in computer basics, resume and labor
market information, resume follow-up, interviewing skills, and networking. For younger foster

youth ages 16 to 18 years old, employment and training services in Hospitality and Customer
Services are provided in Andrew Hill School, Mt. Ma Donna High School, and Gilroy High
School.
For older youth ages 19 to 21 years old, employment and training services in
Telecommunications, Customer Services, Medical Administrative Office, and Hospitality are

provided at Evergreen Valley College, Tech Bridge-Henkels & McCoy, Job Corps, Conservation
Corps, and MACSA
Henkels & McCoy - Tech Bridge

Henkels & McCoy, a major engineering, network development and construction firm, offers
employment and training services through their TechBridge program to youths ages 16 to 18
and 19 to 21 in San Jose, Campbell, and Gilroy. Henkels & McCoy provides the same training
services that are provided by SVWIN in the fields of Hospitality, Customer Service,
Telecommunications, and Medical Administrative Assistant. Job search for jobs that pay $10 to

$12 an hour begins at the mid-way point of the individual training component. The youth will not
receive stipends for the work experience. However, upon completion of their training, the youth
would receive incentives up to $400 and a bus pass, if they achieve the goals of the work

experience. TechBridge’s goal is to place all participants in jobs when training is completed.
Henkels & McCoy has committed 12 slots for 19 to 21 year old emancipated foster youth.
Unclassified Positions Program, Santa Clara County

The Santa Clara County Unclassified Positions Program provides an employment opportunity
for emancipated foster youth in the County while also filling the County's growing employment
needs. The Program provides a sustainable living wage for foster youth up to the age of 21.
DFCS has recommended that the age limit be extended to 25 years old for foster youth. To

date, 6 youth who participated in the Independent Living Program and were identified for

Unclassified Positions Program are currently employed with the Santa Clara County, In 2005, 4

youth who participated in the Independent Living Program have applied for OSI or OSII
positions, 3 qualified for the Unclassified Program, and 3 are currently being coached to pass
the minimum qualifications.

The Santa Clara County Employment Services Agency submitted a separate report to the
Children, Seniors and Families Committee concerning the benefits and disadvantages of
reactivating the Unclassified Position Program or developing a new Special Criteria Employment

Foster Youth Initiative Update

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program that facilitates the hiring of emancipating foster youth by County departments, and
which identifies the necessary steps and anticipated timeframe to implement the program.
Independent Living Skills Curriculum

Five community-based youth service agencies provide life skills training, workshops, direct
assistance and referrals to resources to foster youth. The agencies are Bill Wilson Center,
Community Solutions, Family and Children's Services, Social Advocates for Youth and Unity
Care Group. A sixth agency, the Emergency Housing Consortium, provides Independent Living
Program services to emancipated former foster youth. These agencies assess youth for job
preparedness and connect them with job placement and preparedness resources, such as the
Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) and Career Centers at Community Colleges.
NASA/Ames Internship Program

The NASA/Ames Internship Program is finalizing a grant for an internship program at Foothill
College planned to start in April 2006. The program would reserve 5 slots for foster youth who
finished high school or earned a GED, perform at a “C” level, and have oral and social skills
necessary to function at a college level. A total of 100 slots are planned for this program. The
program would include support for the foster youth from a college counselor to enroll in the
college. The foster youth would be assisted to apply for a Pell Grant up to $4000 a year. Once
the foster youth is enrolled, the youth would receive a $10 stipend per hour for up to 20 hours a
week for as long as 2 years while studying their course of interest at Foothill College. If the

foster youth is successful in a course related to NASA, the internship may take place at NASA.
NASA does not guarantee that interns will be hired; however, some interns have been hired in
the past.
Volunteer Center

The Volunteer Center was approached to explore a possible partnership for the DFCS Work

Experience Project. However, while the Volunteer Center is willing to create a work experience,

it does not have an existing work experience program, The Volunteer Center believes that a
full-time program manager would be essential to create a successful work experience program
and a match for stipends would be required. The Volunteer Center estimated that the cost of a
work experience program for 30 youth for one year would be approximately $300,000. The
Volunteer Center is also interested in participating in the Connected by 25 Foster Youth
Transition workgroups and exploring providing volunteer adult mentors to foster youth in various
employment sectors.
CalWORKs

The CalWORKs program has determined that it is not feasible at this time to serve emancipating
Currently, all
or emancipated foster youth at CalWORKs Employment Connection Centers.
The
vast
majority
of
CalWORKs
Centers are at maximum space and participant capacity.
need
personal
attention.
CalWORKs
participants have multiple barriers to employment that
are
also
different
from
foster
youth.
The
participants have complex needs and behaviors that
CalWORKs program is concerned that including foster youth would reduce the quality of service
to CalWORKs participants because of the lack of staff. CalWORKs program staff must time
study to the CalWORKs Single Allocation. If the CalWORKs program were required to serve

Foster Youth Initiative Update (In-Depth Analysis)

Page 7 of 8

emancipating foster youth, these costs would not be covered by the Single Allocation. From
1998 to 2001, the Independent Living Program Employment Counselor was co-located at the
1888 Senter Road office and served a limited number of foster youth. Currently, there is no

space for additional staff at any of the four Employment Connection Centers.
Potential Partners

Partners that have been involved in preliminary discussions and will continue to be involved in
establishing comprehensive and integrated education, employment, and housing services for
transitioning foster youth under the Connected by 25 Foster Youth Initiative include: Advent
Group Ministries; Bill Wilson Center; Board of Supervisors, Districts 1 through 5; California

School-age Consortium; California State University Consortium; Corporation for Supportive
Housing; Daybreak; DFCS Foster Youth Advisory Board; EMQ Child and Family Services; EHC
Lifebuilders; Evelyn Cox Foster Family Agency; Families First; Foster and Adoptive Parents
Association; Foster and Adoptive Parents Association Resource Center; Future Families; JT
Residential; MACSA; Mission Community College; NOVA WIB; Project READ; Rebekah
Children’s Services; San Jose City/Evergreen Valley College; San Jose WIN; Santa Clara
County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services; Santa Clara County Department of
Employment and Benefits Services; Santa Clara County Employee Services Agency; Santa
Clara County Mental Health Services; Santa Clara Office of the County Counsel; Santa Clara
County School Districts; Silicon Valley Children’s Fund; STAR Foster Family Star House; Unity
Care Group; Villa Rosanne; Vision Literacy; Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley; and West Valley

College. Representatives of the Silicon Valley Children’s Fund have been active participants in
preliminary meetings and will continue to be involved in the Connected by 20 Foster Youth
Initiative.

Opportunities and Barriers to Collaboration

In collaboration with youth, caregivers, community partners, and technical assistance from
consultants, DFCS has the opportunity to build a range of transition services and improve
outcomes for emancipating and emancipated foster youth. DFCS will continue the redesign of
its service delivery and its System Improvement Plan activities to integrate the California
Connected by 25 Initiative focus into existing initiatives and projects. DFCS will continue to

engage youth, caregivers, and community-based organizations in workgroups to plan, develop,
and implement responsive services. Key to all of the different workgroups would be the
integration of all workgroups and ongoing discussion of crossover issues, much like what DFCS
has done with the integration of the Family to Family strategies and the SIP into practice in the
last few years.
Funding Resources

DFCS requested $300,000 over the next three years in annual installments of $100,000 a year
from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation to plan and implement the Connected by 25 Foster
Youth Initiative. The Walter S. Johnson Foundation has given preliminary approval and final

approval by the Board should be given by January 2006. DFCS will use the Foundation’s
funding as the County’s match to draw additional Title IV-E and other federal/state funding, if
possible. The funding will pay for a project coordinator, training, and administrative costs
related to meetings. DFCS also requested an additional $30,000 over the next three years in
annual installments of $10,000 a year for Foster Youth Savings Accounts and will be seeking a

Foster Youth Initiative Update

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match for the funds through community-based organizations and the Jim Casey Foundation.
DFCS will be requesting a one-time grant of $200,000 from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation
for the first year cost of implementing the Career Pathways Program. DFCS will also be

requesting an additional $150,000 over the next three years in annual installments of $50,000 a
year from the Hewlett Foundation to fund foster youth Individual Development Accounts. DFCS
also intends to use housing resources funded through the Hewlett Foundation Housing
Initiatives’ grant of over $1 million that will be given to direct service housing providers in Santa
Clara County.

DFCS is seeking sustainable funding for the Connected by 25 Foster Youth Initiative after the
Foundation’s funding ends. In relation to the Career Pathways Program, DFCS has had
discussions with NOVA and SVWIN to discuss the possible redirection of individual training
resources

of about $2500-$3500 per student. DFCS also has had discussions with the San

Jose/Evergreen and Mission Community Colleges to use state post-secondary funding to
support ongoing costs, draw down state community college per capita student funding, and
provide cash grants for students drawn from state and federal resources including Pell, Chafee,
State Equal Opportunity Grants and other resources that can total about $6,250-$11,250.
DFCS currently provides foster youth and emancipated foster youth with supportive counseling,
transitional assistance and emergency financial support. DFCS will continue to use these same
resources to support those emancipated foster youth participating in the Career Pathways
Program and college programs.