Important Identification Documents
There are a few important identification documents you need to have as an adult. These documents are important for you for things like: getting a job and cashing your paycheck, signing leases, and getting health insurance. When you leave children and youth care at age 18 or older, the agency must provide you with any permanent documents, like your birth certificate and social security card that are in your family case file. Keep these documents in a safe place or with someone you trust. If you end up getting these documents on your own, here is how you do it.
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This is an in-depth guide for staff who are interested in beginning a board, supporting a board, or becoming a YAB Regional Coordinator. |  |
Thinking about becoming a YAB member? This toolkit provides information on youth enagement, advocating for your rights, preparing for a presentation, preparing a sample cover letter, and preparing a meeting agenda, as well as tricks and tips for sharing your story, voicing your concerns, knowing your rights, meeting facilitation, and making potential partners. |
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The Teen Success Agreement is a youth-developed written agreement that outlines the age-appropriate activities, responsibilities and life skills for youth ages 13-21 in the child welfare system, and how the caregiver and agency will support those goals. The plan also outlines the house rules and rewards and consequences for different behaviors. The youth, caregiver and provider agency should meet every six months to discuss, complete and update this form. |  |
We hope that this guide will help to empower you by explaining what rights you have when you are in the foster care system, how to get the resources you need and the way you should be treated in care. We hope this guide shows you how you can begin to be the writer of your own story and step into your own power as an advocate for yourself and your peers. For all the hard work, we also are grateful for the support from the many staff, young people from the Regional YABs, CWRC, and many more organizations! |
Normalcy Provisions and Reasonable Prudent Parent Standard
There are many new opportunities for youth in care in light of the federal legislation passed in 2014, "The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act," (H.R. 4980/P.L. 113-183) and Pennsylvania Act 75: "Activities and Experiences for Children in Out-of-Home Placement." Since education is part of the YAB's mission, it is with much excitement that we present youth-friendly flyers that summarize all the great new practices that are happening in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center has hard copies of flyers and posters available. Posters are being distributed to each county across the state.
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Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act assists former young adults in foster care with receiving medical assistance. Young adults who left care after their 21st birthday and who are under the age of 26 may be eligible to receive assistance for medical care. The following resources are available to help you learn more about the Affordable Care Act and how to access it.
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If you do not have health insurance and need to see a doctor, go to the health center in your county. Most of these centers provide free or low cost care for people who do not have health insurance. You can also call the Pennsylvania Health Department at 1-877-PA-HEALTH for information about other health resources.
To find a clinic in your area that provides family planning services and screening or treatment related to sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, check http://www.safeteens.org/find-a-health-center/.
To find a dental clinic in your area that may provide free or low-cost care go to click here or call the Pennsylvania Dental Association at 717-234-5941.
Pennsylvania's Act 91 - Extending and Re-entering Foster Care
Act 91 amends various provisions of the Juvenile Act to expand the criteria for youth to remain dependent and under court jurisdiction. It also allows eligible youth to re-open their dependency case before turning 21 if they aged out within 90 days of turning age 18 or any time after turning age 18. More info
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