Findings and Recommendations

Updated June 5th, 2006

The Minnesota Department of Human Services conducted a study on the state’s ability to meet the needs of adolescents in transition. Here is a summary of the results, which were released in May 2005:

  • Finding A. Greater interagency coordination will enhance youths’ ability to successfully make the transition towards adulthood and self-sufficiency.

    • Recommendation 1. Compile and distribute a list-serve directory used in the various state agencies relevant to transition services.

    • Recommendation 2. Widely distribute to transition workers the internet link to the Change Report Form (DHS-2402) that is used to help assure continued health care eligibility for
      youth whose living arrangements change pursuant to being discharged from a facility.

    • Recommendation 3. Train corrections staff to use the Individual Discharge Information Sheet (DHS-3443) that serves to establish youth eligibility for health care in the county they are discharged to, on the day they are discharged.

    • Recommendation 4. The interpretation of custody of the state should be widely distributed to professionals working with youth in transition so youth receive all the federal financial assistance they are eligible for in order for post-secondary education to become an option whenever possible.

    • Recommendation 5. State agencies should provide cross-disciplinary training on transition issues whenever possible including participation in transition fairs established to share information on a variety of transition-related topics.

    • Recommendation 6. State agencies should form partnerships through interagency workgroups to promote a better understanding of transition services and increase the capacity of the system in Minnesota to serve youth by assigning staff to fully participate on transition initiatives and intergovernmental committees.

  • Finding B. Increase system capacity to respond to the needs of youth in transition.

    • Recommendation 7. Consolidate services for youth in transition and create tools that will ease the determination of eligibility for entitled services. Consolidate the county social services’ application processes for benefits whenever possible.

    • Recommendation 8. Compile and distribute a directory of organizations that offer mentoring to older adolescents organized by the targeted youth they serve.

    • Recommendation 9. Increase efforts to establish post-reunification services for youth who transition to the community from out -of-home placement. Social services and corrections agencies should refer youth who are being discharged to the community to independent living skill development groups provided by either a county or community agency, and provide case management services while tracking their re-integration into the family and/or community.

    • Recommendation 10. Obtain a commitment from regional continuum of care regions to provide housing and necessary services to assist youth in transition.

    • Recommendation 11. Coordinate with the Minnesota Housing and Finance Agency to aggressively pursue federal, state, corporate and foundation grant funds to establish housing options for youth in transition.

    • Recommendation 12. Join forces with the ongoing DHS plans to reduce disparities by focusing on youth in transition. Determine how to influence training based on the recently published Culturally Competency Guidelines.

    • Recommendation 13. Collect and report data on African American and American Indian youth in transition in order to track the progress of efforts to reduce their over-representation in the foster care population.

    • Recommendation 14. Research other states’ transition efforts to address the diverse needs of youth in transition in Minnesota.

    • Recommendation 15. Convene a work group of community organizations that serve youth in transition to discuss and recommend best practices for all providers.

    • Recommendation 16. Re-evaluate the foster care training designed to assist foster parents to help youth in transition to determine how or if the training can be enhanced to incorporate information on working with cultural differences.

  • Finding C. Data driven accountability measures are needed to analyze the status of youth in transition to discern best practices, appreciate gaps in the delivery system and target technical assistance where needed.

    • Recommendation 17. The Interagency Committee on Adolescent Transition should develop a data report card for youth in transition, and review it regularly to determine trends and discuss the success of various interventions and/or programs. To the extent possible this data should include information on the status of youth who were discharged from the system including housing status, graduation rates, education status, employment status, reliance on public assistance and involvement in the adult mental health, social service or corrections system.

    • Recommendation 18. The Department of Human Services should continue to work in partnership with the University of Minnesota by conducting longitudinal research that would determine the effectiveness of programs on critical long-term outcomes such as employment, education, housing and the reliance on public services.

    • Recommendation 19. The Minnesota Department of Human Services should design and implement a program that would determine the rate of county allocations of Chafee funds based on county performance related to meeting independent living objectives. Technical assistance would be targeted to counties who perform below a pre-determined standard.

    • Recommendation 20. The external review staff of DHS should add an element in their reviews of county social service agencies’ child protection systems that considers the quality of planning done by county social service staff with youth that are likely to emancipate from foster care.

    • Recommendation 21. The Department of Human Services should engage citizen review panels to review compliance and recommend best practices related to transition services provided by county social service agencies. To the extent possible citizen review panels could contact youth in their communities who aged out of the system to determine gaps in their preparation for independent living.

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