Note: This story was updated on Oct. 30
Los Angeles County is looking to license more providers to receive referrals for Transitional Housing Program-Foster Care (THP-FC), an option created for 18- to 21-year-olds that choose to remain in the state’s newly expanded foster care system.
An influx of approved vendors in the state’s most populous county would be a significant gain for THP-FC, which was expected to be a big part of the inclusion of older youths and young adults when Assembly Bill 12 passed in 2010.
A recent report by the John Burton Foundation found that THP-FC is the least-used option for older foster youths. Supervised Independent Living Program (SILP) placements, which entail little more than a monthly payment and a visit from a caseworker, were by far the most frequent placement option.
The county Department of Children and Family Services issued a voluminous Statements of Qualifications solicitation this week, which providers will need to complete in order to be eligible for referrals in the county. The solicitation also covers Transitional Housing Placement Program (THPP), an independent living program that serves 16- and 17-year-old youths in foster care.
Services in either program include independent living opportunities; including supervised safe housing and case management services to eligible participants to practice life skills and to assist the participants achieve self-sufficiency through supportive services.
The solicitation puts the county on pace to potentially grow its network of THP-FC providers by 2015. The initial deadline for submissions is January 6 of 2014, with a second round beginning in July.
Potential contractors must also have a minimum of four years of experience transitional housing provider, or four years’ experience providing case management services to transition-aged youths in foster care or on probation.
The THPP and THP+FC programs have fixed monthly rates that have been established by California Department of Social Services’ Foster Care Rates Bureau. The THPP program compensates contractors $3,462 per participant, and the THP-FC program compensates contractors between $2,225 and $2,797 based on the site circumstances.
The larger monthly payment for THPP stems from a federal waiver that allows Los Angeles County. The solicitation says that if those funds are depleted for some reason, the county would pay out at the THP-FC level for both programs.
DCFS is holding a proposer’s conference on November 6, and is recommending that all potential contractors attend.
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