The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare

This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cachildwelfareclearinghouse.org/

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) - Detailed Report

Scientific Rating:
4
Lacks Adequate Research Evidence
See scale of 1-6
Scientific Rating:
4 - Lacks Adequate Research Evidence
On a scale of 1-6

Relevance to Child Welfare Rating:
1
High
See scale of 1-3
Relevance to Child Welfare Rating:
1 - High
On a scale of 1-3

Type of Maltreatment: Not specified

Target Population: Emancipating foster care youth ages 18-24, including pregnant and parenting youth.

Brief Description:

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) has been rated by the CEBC in the area of Youth Transitioning to Adulthood. LEASE, a program of Larkin Street Youth Services, is a scattered-site residential program for youth ages 18-24 who have emancipated from the foster care system. Youth are housed in studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom apartments and receive a range of supportive services including counseling, employment training, education counseling, and case management. Most participants attend college on a part-time or full-time basis. Youth work with their Case Manager to develop an individual plan to meet their unique needs. For all participants, an emphasis is placed on developing the life skills needed for independent living such as household organization and money management.

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Essential Components

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Housing

  • The youth reside in scattered-site studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom apartments.
  • The youth pay a minimum of 30% of their income as rent each month.
  • The Case Manager engages in ongoing communication with apartment management.
  • The Case Manager helps the youth communicate housing-related issues to apartment management appropriately.

Education and Employment

  • Upon intake, the Education and Employment Specialist conducts an assessment with participants.
  • The youth, in consultation with their Case Manager, develop an Individualized Education and Employment Plan (IEEP), a collaborative action plan specific to the level of education and skills of the youth.
  • The youth must either have, or be working toward, a high school diploma or GED.
  • The youth must be employed on either a full-time or part-time basis depending on school enrollment.
  • The youth meet with the Education and Employment Specialist weekly to find and maintains employment.
  • The youth receive vocational counseling and training.
  • The youth receive educational services and academic counseling.

Case Management

  • The youth develop a Transitional Individual Living Plan (TILP), which outlines goals in employment, education, personal finances, life skills, substance use, and mental and physical health.
  • The Case Manager helps the youth set concrete and achievable steps toward goals.
  • The Case Manager works with the youth to set timeline for meeting goals.
  • The youth meet with their Case Manager weekly to monitor progress toward goals.
  • The Case Manager tracks the youth's progress or lack of progress toward accomplishing goals.
  • The youth must actively communicate to their Case Manager their personal needs.

Supportive Services

  • The youth receive individualized one-on-one life skills training.
  • The youth are required to participate in a monthly Life Skills group.
  • The youth must attend, and actively participate in, community meetings held every six weeks.
  • The youth have access to medical services.
  • The youth receive aftercare services for 6 months after program exit.

Group Format

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) was not designed to be conducted in a group.

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended Parameters

Recommended intensity: Two meetings with a case manager each week. After 3 months, as a youth shows more follow-through, the meetings can be less frequent. If a youth is unable to show consistency in coming to meetings, the number of meetings per week is increased.

Recommended duration: The average length of time in the program is approximately a year; the maximum stay is 24 months. The length of each case management meeting is an hour.

Homework

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) does not include a homework component.

Delivery Setting

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) is typically conducted in: Not specified.

Parent Component

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) was not designed with a Parent Component.

Child Component

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) was designed with a Child Component.

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms: Emancipating from the foster care system

Age range(s): 18-24

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) was not developed for children with developmental delays.

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) has not been tested for children with developmental delays.

Racial/Ethnic Diversity

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) was not designed for specific racial/ethnic/cultural groups.

Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) was not tested in specific racial/ethnic/cultural groups.

Education and Training Resources

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program.

There is training available for Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE).

Training contact: Toby Eastman, Larkin Street Youth Services, 415-673-0911 x286

Number of days/hours: Informal training/consultation is available to those who are interested.

Training is obtained: Via phone consultation

There currently are not additional qualified resources for training.

Identified Resources Necessary to Implement Program

The typical resources for implementing Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supported Emancipation (LEASE) are: Apartments, private office space for individual meetings, significant group space for community activities, transportation to meet with youth in the community, furniture for youth, and food vouchers for youth.

Minimum Provider Qualifications

Program Manager:
-Master’s Degree in Psychology, Social Work or related field (or equivalent experience)
-Minimum of 5 years experience working with high-risk youth
-Experience working with foster care, or former foster care youth, preferred
-Knowledge of services available in the local area for young adults ages 18-24
-Experience providing counseling, psychosocial support, and benefits assistance to young people who have a history of foster care placements or housing instability
-Understanding of Fair Housing Laws
-Understanding of Foster Care System and related youth issues
-Ability to establish and maintain relationships with Property Managers

Case Managers:
-Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Social Work, or related field (or equivalent experience)
-Minimum of 2-3 years case management experience, preferably with high-risk youth
-Minimum of 3-4 years experience working with high-risk youth, including foster care and former foster care youth.
-Ability to lead groups
-Ability to work autonomously, as well as in a team
-Must be a self-starter with excellent follow-through skills.
-Ability to work with diverse staff, clients, and volunteers.

Education and Employment Specialist:
-Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services, Education, or related field (or equivalent experience)
-Minimum of 3-4 years progressive experience in education, workforce development, or related discipline
-Experience working with adolescents as a vocational counselor/job developer or in the field of public relations
-Ability to work autonomously, as well as in a team
-Must be a self-starter with excellent follow-through skills.
-Ability to work with diverse staff, clients, and volunteers.
-Ability to speak in front of large groups of individuals
-Ability to multi-task and efficiently manage priority action items

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

No research studies have been published to date on LEASE.

References

Show References

Lenz-Rashid, S. (2006).  Emancipating from foster care in the Bay Area: What types of programs and services are available for youth aging out of the foster care system?  San Francisco: Bay Area Social Services Consortium.


Contact Information

Contact name: Connie Handlin

Affiliation/Agency: Larkin Street Youth Services

Email: chandlin@larkinstreetyouth.org

Phone: 415-865-1450 x303

Fax: 415-865-1458

Website: http://www.larkinstreetyouth.org

Date reviewed: September 2006