OAR 413-030-0410: Eligibility for Youth Transition Services

(1) Life skills training. A child, young adult or former foster child must meet the following eligibility criteria for life skills training: (a) Be a child 14 years of age or older or a young adult who is in substitute care through the state or a federally recognized tribal child welfare system; or (b) Be a former foster child. (2) Independent living housing subsidy. A child or young adult must meet the following eligibility criteria for independent living housing subsidy: (a) Be 16 years of age or older. (b) Be in the care and custody of the Department. (c) Be engaged in full-time activity, unless unable to engage in full-time activity due to a declared state or national emergency . (d) Have had at least one prior substitute care placement. (e) Have the approval of the court to participate in the independent living housing subsidy service. (f) If a high school diploma has not been achieved, the child or young adult must be working actively to achieve their educational goals. (g) The child or young adult must be enrolled concurrently in a skill-building service as described in the Child Welfare Procedure Manual. (3) Chafee housing. A former foster child must meet the following eligibility criteria for Chafee housing: (a) Be 18 years of age or older but not yet 24 years of age. (b) Be a former foster child who left a child welfare substitute care placement at age 18 or older. (c) Be engaged in full-time activity, unless unable to engage in full-time activity due to a declared state or national emergency. (d) Have at least four hours of paid employment per week. (e) If a high school diploma has not been achieved, the former foster child must be actively working to achieve their educational goals. (f) Be enrolled in a skill-building service as described in the Child Welfare Procedure Manual. (g) The former foster child is only eligible for Chafee housing and an education and training voucher when the cost of room and board is not included in calculation of the cost of attendance. (4) Education and training grant. A child, young adult, or former foster child must meet the following eligibility criteria for an education and training grant: (a) Be adopted or entered a guardianship after Sept. 1, 2015, at 13 years of age or older through the Department; or (b) Be 16 years of age or older and currently in substitute care through the state or one of the federally recognized tribe; or (c) Be a former foster child. (d) The child , young adult or former foster child may remain eligible until they reach 26 years of age, or accesses the program for 5 years (whether or not the years are consecutive), whichever comes first. (e) The child , young adult or former foster child must be making satisfactory progress in their area of study, as determined by the postsecondary institution, in order to continue receiving the grant. (f) The former foster child is only eligible for Chafee housing and an education and training voucher when the cost of room and board is not included in calculation of the cost of attendance. (5) Youth Transition discretionary funds. A child, young adult, or former foster child must be eligible for life skill-building services as a prerequisite to eligibility for discretionary fund resources. (6) Services that may be utilized in the transition to independent living, as appropriate and available, when the child, young adult, or former foster child meets all other eligibility requirements, including, but are not limited to: (a) Flex funds as described in OAR chapter 413, division 053; (b) Payments made for special or extraordinary needs as described in OAR 413-090-0300 to 413-090-0380 ; (c) Other resources provided through the Oregon Department of Human Services; and (d) Other state or community health care programs. (7) The ILP coordinator may approve an exception to the eligibility requirements of sections (2), (3), or (4) of this rule when there is a time-limited plan for meeting requirements for eligibility or as necessary during times of a declared state or national emergency. The caseworker must provide to the ILP coordinator written documentation explaining why the exception is necessary for the child , young adult or former foster child to achieve their comprehensive transition plan goals.